AMSTERDAM, Netherlands—The Dutch Minister of Defence, Eimert van Middelkoop, said on Tuesday that no marines will be embedded on Dutch commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden. A majority in the Dutch Parliament had previously made the request, for protection against Somali pirates.
According to van Middelkoop there are “medical, juridical, logistical and operational” objections to marines being deployed on commercial ships. “Placing marines on commercial ships can lead to pirates becoming heavier armed, which can lead to a spiral of violence” says the Minister.
About ninety five percent of the Dutch ships passing Somalia can be protected by the special EU task force which offers group escorts. So far none of these escorted ships have been hijacked. It is only six to eight Dutch ships a year which cannot join these escorts, because they are, for example too slow, says the Minister.
For the ships which cannot make use of the group escort, the Minister of Defence raised the possibility that they may receive individual escort by a frigate. But this would only be an option if a Dutch frigate wasn’t need by the EU mission.
