The government of Libya is all but dissolved. There are many private citizens of mulitple ports of call in the Med

There are huge container ships in the area of the Mediterranean as well.  I cannot help but believe they can attempt resuces of people from the North African Coast where passenger boats may be stranded and trying to leave areas such as Libya.

There is no real war being conducted.  This is all civil actions that are seeking to remove dictators and oppressive regimes.  The potential for rescuing people to safe ports of call on the European side of the Mediterranean may be an option.

Maersk teams with Hapag to enhance U.S, Mediterranean services  (click here)

By gCaptain Staff

Mearsk has announceed that it will enter into a slot swap agreement with Hapag Lloyd between their Mediterranean Gulf Express (MGX) service and Maersk’s own WestMed service.
This swap will offer new direct service from Barcelona, Spain and Valencia, Spain to the US East Coast and the US Gulf, along with new direct service from the US Gulf to Italy and Spain.  The agreement also adds new US ports including New Orleans, Louisiana; Houston, Texas and Port Everglades, Florida.  New Mediterranean ports include Valencia, Spain; Barcelona, Spain and Cagliari, Italy.
The new services will commence on 1 March 2011 subject to final Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) approval.

A guaranteed ample supply of fuel paid for my relief efforts may be all they need.  The pirate issues are primarily in the Indian Ocean because they are unable to access the Mediterranean to date through the Suez and it is a long time around the Cape of Good Hope.  Besides the chance they would be discovered even before they reached the Strait of Gilbralter will deter them as they can be boarded themselves and arrested for international crimes.