Losing control? The privatisation of anti-piracy services in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Private security companies (PSCs) have emerged in the past 20 years, offering a vast menu of military and security services that were in the past largely the responsibility of government agencies. While PSC operations are often thought to be largely confined to war/conflict zones and failed states in Africa and the Middle East, many PSCs are currently active in Southeast Asia, where they operate within the context of growing economies and comparatively stable polities. The demand for private military and security services in this region comes in part from the maritime sector, where PSCs are today employed to secure ports, vessels and offshore energy installations. Using an analytical framework based on new institutionalism theory, this article focuses on anti-piracy services provided by PSCs in Southeast Asia and examines how the employment of PSCs to secure shipping affects the control of force by states.