I think the idea of security still exists, regardless of the viability of one particular group of pirates. Given a big enough target, someone will be motivated to come see what they can get. The question really is, what level of protection/security is necessary to defend a sea-stead?
[NB I actually did some sailing in 2010 right on the edge of the area on that map, just north of Mombasa - I did wonder about pirates at the time, but I assumed I was being silly!]
I think the answer to that would be: "Don't set up a seastead near where pirates have been hanging out"
Now that can change, but piracy is usually related to failed states (hence Somalia).
Seasteads would have to be built relatively close to peaceful stable countries.
Honestly, I just don't see how priacy can be an issue, if the seastead is outside of government jurisdiction they can use high tech weaponry to counteract pirates. Of course, this increases the cost of the seastead, which tilt the scales against it.
Actually a government or PMC seastead near Somalia (to operate UAVs for monitoring and response) would be a great way to police to sea lanes at lower cost than a naval task force with ships.
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Dear Internet Guy who's clearly never sailed,
Have we mentioned our rubber dinghy's and fishing boats can only sail a few hundred kilometers?
Somali pirates vs seasteaders has potential as as a Neal Stephenson plot.
I think the idea of security still exists, regardless of the viability of one particular group of pirates. Given a big enough target, someone will be motivated to come see what they can get. The question really is, what level of protection/security is necessary to defend a sea-stead?
What's Peter Thiel worth in ransom? We're going to need a bigger boat.
It's actually a pretty big area where they have been operating:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Somalian_Piracy_Threat_Map...
[NB I actually did some sailing in 2010 right on the edge of the area on that map, just north of Mombasa - I did wonder about pirates at the time, but I assumed I was being silly!]
I think the answer to that would be: "Don't set up a seastead near where pirates have been hanging out"
Now that can change, but piracy is usually related to failed states (hence Somalia).
Seasteads would have to be built relatively close to peaceful stable countries.
Honestly, I just don't see how priacy can be an issue, if the seastead is outside of government jurisdiction they can use high tech weaponry to counteract pirates. Of course, this increases the cost of the seastead, which tilt the scales against it.
Actually a government or PMC seastead near Somalia (to operate UAVs for monitoring and response) would be a great way to police to sea lanes at lower cost than a naval task force with ships.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_York
The MV York is a liquified gas tanker that was captured in 2010 and is/was used a mothership.
The use of larger and more robust vessels as support / launch platforms greatly increases the operational range of piracy.