This book examines the evolution, function, problems and prospects of private security companies in the maritime sector.

Claude Berube teaches in the Political Science Department at the United States Naval Academy, and is co-author of two books and 20 articles.

Patrick Cullen is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institut Barcelona D'Estudis Internacionals, and has a Ph.D. in International Relations from the London School of Economics.

Foreword Part 1: The Historical and Contemporary Market in Maritime Private Security Services 1. Introduction: The Post-Cold War Growth of Maritime Private Security 2. The United States and Maritime Private Security from the War of Independence to the 21st Century 3. Surveying the Market in Maritime Private Security Services 4. Private Gunboats on the Horizon? Private Security and Contemporary Naval Presence Part 2: The Emergence of Privatized Anti-Piracy Escorts in the Commercial Sector 5. Commercial Anti-Piracy Escorts in the Malacca Straits Area 6. Private Security at Sea: A Customer's Perspective 7. Anti-Piracy Escorts in the Gulf of Aden: Problems and Prospects 8. Legal Considerations for Private Naval Company Armed Anti-Piracy Escorts Part 3: The Privatization of Coast Guard Services 9. Privatizing the Coast Guard in War-Torn Sierra Leone 10. Private Security, Maritime Protection and Surveillance in Somaliland 11. Private Security Fighting Pirates and Illegal Fishing in Puntland 12. Securing the Off-Shore Oil Industry in the Gulf of Guinea Part 4: Private Security Responses to Maritime Terrorism 13. Maritime Terrorism: Scope, Potential Threat of Contingencies and the Role of Private Security Compnaies 14. Commercial Risk Consulting and Management in the Maritime Sector 15. Integrating Private Security into Port Security in a Post-9/11 Environment 16. Maritime Eco-Extremism Reconsidered: Understanding Fourth Generation Eco-Warriors in the Modern Media Age Conclusion: The Future of Private Security at Sea