| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this thesis is to explore the naval anti-piracy results from 2008-2009, and analyse if naval presence can be considered effective anti piracy. This is done by exploring to what extend the naval forces have achieved their goals, and how the naval efforts have been perceived and how this has met the expectations of the shipping business? The thesis uses mixed methods, combining data from semi structured qualitative interviews, statistical data of reported piracy attacks and media content analyses of newspaperarticles. It uses as framework two main theories, Johnson & Tierneys method of how to judge success, and Bjørgo’s eight strategies for crime prevention. The main findings are, that while the naval forces to some extend have suppressed piracy in the Gulf of Aden, the Somali Basin has seen little naval presence or results. Overall the number of pirate attacks has increased, indicating deterrence failure, but the number of hijackings are lessened, however, mainly due to the shipping’s improved preventive countermeasures, and not the naval efforts. The media interest has mainly been drawn by the Norwegian frigate Nansen’s deployment, most likely leaving a positive public impression of naval anti-piracy in general, and Nansen’s participation in particular. Shipping is probably viewing the naval presence as partly successful, as it addresses safety needs in the Gulf of Aden. Nevertheless, Nansen did not become the national success they expected, as the Norwegian government proved reluctant to use her for tending to national maritime interests. The thesis advocates that naval presence has been effective anti-piracy only in the Gulf of Aden, and not because of the observable naval results, but because cognitive and motivational biases most likely have made it a perceived success – both in the eyes of the Norwegian public and the shipping business. | en_US |
