Terribus-

I'm still thinking about convoys. They do make sense with assembly at the Red Sea end of the Suez Canal. However, I would think there could also be an assembly point somewhere in the Northwest corner of the India Ocean, before traversing the Gulf of Aden.

Of course once the Somali pirates begin cruising further out into the Indian Ocean shipping lanes, the security problem becomes even more complex.

I suppose the Somali in the southern half of this stateless state may make good their threat to move in force north and plunder the plunders in their home ports. But more likely they'll just take command of an efficient plundering system.

Charley Noble