The EU has advertised for a ‘pirate cultural advisor’, seeking the help of someone who can help naval commanders to understand the psychology and tactics of pirate gangs.

The post has been created in a bid to thwart piracy which, according to the Telegraph, is responsible for some 400 sailors currently held captive and tens of millions of dollars paid in ransoms.

SEE OUR GALLERY OF PIRATES IN SIERRA LEONE

Whilst it sounds like the kind of position that Blackbeard might be well qualified for, the advert calls for someone who understands the “business model and modus operandi” of pirates in the Indian Ocean.

The successful applicant will work for Navfor, the EU’s anti-piracy task force based in London.

“The job title may sound ambiguous, but what we are really looking for here is someone who can help us know the enemy better,” explained Navfor spokesman Comander Harry Harrison.

He told the Sunday Telegraph there was nothing romantic about modern day piracy. “These people are not Johnny Depp or Keira Knightly messing about in Pirates of the Caribbean,” he said. “They are crooks who take sailors hostage.”

The Pirate Cultural Advisor will be tasked with helping EU navies to protect shipping in the coast of Africa.