Pirates vs. international shipping is another story. The problem is with international laws of the sea and the agreements signed. Commercial ships cannot be armed, or fight their way out of bad situations, nor enter ports armed. So, we're hamstrung. We need to dissolve those agreements and train crews to use a stinger missile or two on these idiots. What's the cost of that, versus loss of entire cargo and ship?
We need to get a clunky old freighter, fill it with Marines, weapons, and electronics.....and troll around for a while wiping them out. Make a great movie....Company "X" get's fed up losing ships, outfits a tramp steamer, kicks butt. I'd pay to see THAT movie.
They were called ‘Q’ ships during WWII.
The US should set the standard and allow commercial shipping with militia type weapons on board, even small cannon -- 30 mm.