The modified and smaller High Risk Area (HRA) in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean has now been in operation for six months. In that time, there have been several incidents that have resulted in armed security teams taking action against approaching Somali pirate skiffs.

In the most alarming of these cases, weapons and ladders were sighted. Yet, even allowing for these incidents, the Indian Ocean is arguably one of the safest oceans in the world.