Author Archives: David Isenberg

Among all threats to maritime security, today piracy is certainly the most
famous of them. Following a series of unprecedented violent attacks, the
international community sent a military fleet off the coast of Somalia in 2008 to
restore order and security. However, given the significant costs of such device,
some legal scholars have not hesitated to support a greater use of the private
sector in the fight against piracy. To achieve this, the resurgence of letters of
marque, which allowed, during the past centuries, the practice of privateering,
was proposed. This attempt to use the privateers against these threats is not
devoid of legal issues regarding their conformity with modern international
law. Far to dismiss the relevance of a greater use of private sector, the author
underlines the need for a permanent mechanism in which companies will
contribute to current and future naval presences. After establishing the terms
of use of letters of marque by States, the author suggests the establishment of a
partnership between public and private sector whose terms will remove all
risks inherent to the use of private military companies Continue reading →