Who Rules The Waves?

It is regrettable to note that the world is so helpless to defend itself against the Somali pirates. what happens to the world`s superpower? why are there so defenceless in front of the pirates. Many ships are hijacked off the coast of Somali and many ships have to pay millions of dollars to the Somali pirates for the ships to be released. It is a mockery to the navy of America, Russia and China which seemed to be powerless when confronted by the pirates.