▁but ▁rather ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁problems , ▁and ▁that ▁different ▁kinds ▁of ▁violence ▁require ▁different ▁def ences . ▁ ▁Technology ▁is ▁being ▁used ▁to ▁combat ▁pir ates , ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁air ▁and ▁sea ▁pat rol s . ▁ ▁For ▁instance , ▁the ▁I MB ' s ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁annual ▁report ▁notes ▁that ▁since ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁vessels ▁of ▁ 5 0 0   g ross ▁tons ▁or ▁more ▁have ▁to ▁have ▁security ▁alert ▁systems ▁on ▁board . ▁ ▁Security ▁systems ▁include ▁near - real - time ▁ship ▁location ▁devices . ▁Furthermore , ▁the ▁Federation ▁of ▁A SE AN ▁Sh ip own ers ' ▁Associ ations ▁has ▁launched ▁a ▁database ▁system ▁to ▁provide ▁updated ▁information ▁on ▁location , ▁types ▁of ▁attacks , ▁and ▁out comes . ▁The ▁system , ▁called ▁the ▁" Information ▁Sh aring ▁Centre ▁( IS C )", ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁ 1 4 - n ation ▁p act ▁to ▁combat ▁pir ates . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁Singapore ▁Transport ▁Ministry ' s ▁P erman ent ▁Secretary , ▁" Pi racy ▁is ▁a ▁trans n ational ▁problem ▁and ▁this ▁is ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁an ▁international ▁body ▁has ▁been ▁set ▁up ▁to ▁deal ▁sole ly ▁with ▁the ▁problem ▁of ▁pi racy ▁in ▁Asia ." ▁ ▁Vi ol ent , ▁armed ▁pir ates ▁ro bb ing ▁cre ws ▁at ▁sea ▁create ▁attention - getting ▁head lines , ▁but ▁the ▁direct ▁economic ▁impact ▁of ▁rob ber y ▁at ▁sea ▁is ▁small ▁relative ▁to ▁the ▁volume ▁of ▁global