WASHINGTON — The Pentagon offered a spirited defense Wednesday of its efforts to thwart an "alarming" spate of pirate attacks off Somalia's coast, saying the world's militaries are doing more than ever against the high-seas crime.

Defense Department press secretary Geoff Morrell said he takes issue with "this whole notion that it's incumbent upon the armed forces of the world — the navies of the world — to solve this problem."

Private shipping companies should do more to protect themselves, Morrell said.

Since the problem doesn't emanate from the sea but rather on land, Somalia needs help from the U.N., the African Union and "the world to try to deal with some of the economic and governance problems that lead to pirates," he said.

This year, 39 ships have been hijacked in the Gulf of Aden, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that pirates off Somalia had taken in an estimated $25 million to $30 million in ransom in 2008.