From Jim's NYT link:

"Maritime experts recently have noticed a new development in the gulf — the pirates’ use of “mother ships,” large oceangoing trawlers carrying fleets of speedboats which are then deployed when a new prize is encountered.

“They launch these boats and they’re like wild dogs,” said Mr. Choong in Kuala Lumpur. “They attack the ship from the port, from starboard, from all points, shooting, scaring the captain, firing RPGs and forcing the ship to stop.”

There are some countermeasures the merchant ships can use when approaching pirates are spotted. Fire-retardant foam or huge blasts of water can be sprayed from the ship to douse the would-be hijackers."

LOL - guys come at you in a raft with AK's and RPG's and you're going to spray them with water? Time to step up those countermeasures. Reminds me of a rent-a-cop responding to a call armed only with a walkie-talkie and jelly donut.