One area that has seen a sudden upsurge in such water-bound assaults in recent years is Mexico’s Bay of Campeche, where the majority of that country’s crude oil is produced. “Recent piracy attacks in the Gulf of Mexico are a new development near U.S. waters,” Weitz said. The Gulf currently accounts for about 17% of this country’s domestic crude oil production and roughly 5% of its natural gas. Countries such as Nigeria have allowed certain private security companies to operate in their national waters. “Private security companies can supplement those security forces, depending on local regulations.

Source: Forbes November 15, 2020 13:40 UTC