Decisive measures by the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) to raise awareness about making waters safer have paid dividends, with the latest statistics revealing the lowest number of reported incidents for the first half of any year since 1994.
During the first six months of the year, the global piracy report details 58 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships – the lowest total since 1994 – down from 68 incidents during the same period last year. During this period, IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) reported 55 vessels boarded, two attempted attacks and one vessel hijacked.
“Not only is this good news for the seafarers and the shipping industry, it is positive news for trade which promotes economic growth. But the areas of risk shift and the shipping community must remain vigilant. We encourage governments and responding authorities to continue their patrols which create a deterrent effect,” IMB director Michael Howlett said.
The IMB PRC has however warned against complacency – vessels were boarded in 96% of the reported incidents. Despite no crew kidnappings, violence against and the threat to crews continues, with 23 crew taken hostage and a further five threatened.
Of the 58 incidents, 12 were reported in the Gulf of Guinea, ten of which were defined as armed robberies, and the remaining two as piracy. In early April, a Panamax bulk carrier was attacked and boarded by pirates 260NM off the coast of Ghana. “This illustrates that despite a decrease in reported incidents, the threat of Gulf of Guinea piracy and crew kidnappings remains,” said Howlett.
On being notified of the incident, the IMB PRC immediately alerted and liaised with the regional authorities and international warships to request assistance. An Italian Navy warship and its helicopter responded and instantly intervened, saving the crew and enabling the vessel to proceed to a safe port under escort.
According to the report, vessels continue to be targeted and boarded by local perpetrators when transiting the Singapore Straits, which account for over 25% of all incidents reported globally since the start of the year. The perpetrators were successful in boarding the vessels in all 16 incidents reported. While considered low-level opportunistic crimes, crews continue to be at risk, with weapons reported in at least six incidents.
Outside the Singapore Straits, the Indonesian archipelago has seen a slight increase in reported incidents for the first time since 2018, with seven incidents being reported compared to five over that same period last year. Five vessels were boarded at anchor and one each while the vessels were at berth and steaming. Weapons were reported in at least three incidents, with one crew threatened.
Although no incidents were reported in the Gulf of Aden, the threat of piracy still exists in the waters off the southern Red Sea and in the Gulf of Aden, which includes the Yemeni and Somali coasts. Although the opportunity for incidents has reduced, the Somali pirates continue to possess the capability and capacity to carry out incidents, and all merchant ships are advised to adhere to the recommendations in the latest Best Management Practices, while transiting in these waters.
Founded at a time when seafarers had little option to report incidents, the IMB PRC remains a single point of contact to report all crimes of maritime piracy and armed robbery, 24 hours a day.
