Naval Response
Denmark has been involved in maritime counter-piracy operations since 2008 when Danish navy vessels participated in CTF-151 from 2008 to 2009 and in NATO's Operation Oceans Shield since 2010. In 2011, the Danish contribution to Ocean Shield includes a support ship, including a helicopter and a maritime rapid reaction unit. The Danish Strategy pledges its continued support to counter piracy in the Western Indian Ocean by maintaining international military commitment as long as necessary. Specifically, Denmark will "deploy military assets as needed, including staff contributions, naval vessels including maritime helicopters as well as military surveillance aircraft...Reconsider the military contribution for the period 2017-2018 in light of the current piracy threat...Deploy personnel to relevant operational staffs and headquarters as well as coordination fora for the international effort...Work to retain combating piracy on the agenda of contributing partners and relevant organisations."
Industry Response
No activity planned or implemented.
Plight of Seafarers
"The revised piracy strategy places increased focus on the protection of the seafarers." New regulations have been introduced "that give seafarers and their relatives better security in instances of piracy and which enhance the shipping lines' obligations in relation to provention, preparation and handling of piracy." To this end, Denmark will specifically "Work in ILO to raise the new Danish regulations on increased protection of the seafarers in the event of piracy to an international level and to promote “Interim Guidelines on Measures Relating to the Welfare of Seafarers and their Families Affected by Piracy off the Coast of Somalia and prepare joint instructions for foreign seafarers' rights and obligations in relation to piracy and for the handling of seafarers' rights after release."
Messaging and Advocacy
No activity planned or implemented.
Regional Capacity
As part of Danish efforts to help regional countries build the capacity needed to enable them take over counter-piracy operations in the long run, Denmark will continue "to build capacity in order for the countries in the region to be able to handle the challenges of piracy in the long term". Denmark aims to continue its efforts in four specific areas 1.) support for regional cooperation in information sharing and creation of a regional joint response to piracy 2.) maritime capacity building and domain awareness through support to build coast guard capacities 3.) continue work within the legal and security sector to encourage regional prosecution and imprisonment 4.) support to countering the financing of piracy by targeting the activities of pirate kingpings.
Somali Capacity
When possible to work within Somalia, Denmark will continue its support for the development of coast guard capacities in Somalia, and will "continue the support to Somali prisons, including ensuring that the necessary prison standard is maintained" while also aiding in the development of prosecution capacities in Somalia so that the entire legal finish can be handed over to the regional entities, Somalia in particular.
Rule of Law
Denmark's counter-piracy strategy from 2009-2014 included charimanship of the legal working group under the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS), which contribured to establishing the post-trial transfer system, in which convicted pirates in a regional country are subsequently transfered to serve out their sentences in Somali prisons. The 2015-2018 strategy pleges that "Denmark will continue to participate in the internatinoal community's efforts to ensure legally sustainable solutions for the combating of piracy. Denmark will simultaneously continue to work for effective prosecution of pirate in cooperation with relevant partners in the region. Going forward, efforts will be focused on prosecurition of the pirate kingpins who, until now, have escaped prosecution."
Coordination
The 2015-2018 strategy focuses on aiming to "promote international coordination and focus on combating piracy and armed robbery at sea as well as to integrate approaches". The plan also prioritizes continued participation in the the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, which is the primary coordination mechanism for the international efforts to combate piracy in the Indian Ocean, as well as in other international coordination fora.
