PIRATE PROBLEM
PIRACY remains firmly at the top of the agenda for the industry this year, and statistics make for grim reading. According to IMO secretary general Efthimios Mitropoulos, who spoke at the Propeller Club this month, on 1 January 2010 there were 12 ships and 299 crew members held hostage, while on 1 January 2011 there were 28 ships and 656 crew members…