The program wonders how ‘a bunch a pirates from an impoverished, war-torn state can hold huge container ships to ransom’.

CONVERSATIONS talks with Sarah Percy, an academic specializing in ‘unconventional combatants’, focusing on Somalia piracy.

Modern piracy bears little resemblance to that of the centuries past.

Ocean-going pirates have become lucrative businessmen, protecting their income through organisation.

In Somalia, the average yearly wage is $200, but pirates have the opportunity to earn $10,000 per heist.

They kidnap crews for ransom, which is swiftly paid by insurance companies and the cycle of extortion continues.

The control of piracy is still a work in progress, requiring a concerted international effort.

Sarah Percy is an Associate Professor at the University of Queensland and has published widely on pirates. Her research was featured in the production notes for the 2013 film, Captain Phillips.