Insufficient resources hamper protection from piracy

Mozambican waters have been flagged as dangerous due to a combination of a lack of resources, piracy and extreme weather conditions. The Inmarsat Future of Maritime Safety Report 2025 states that, of the 2 033 known fatalities at sea recorded in 2024 (a 55% increase on the 1 308 fatalities recorded in 2023), 72% occurred in three countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Mozambique. One of the worst incidents was in October 2024, when more than 100 passengers drowned when an overloaded fishing boat sank off Mozambique’s northern coast. “The vessel was not licensed to carry passengers but was reportedly transporting 130 people fleeing an outbreak of cholera. Only 10 were rescued,” according to the report. Mozambique’s Navy has a fleet of interceptor vessels used for both search and rescue and security patrols, but lacks the resources to cover the 2 470-kilometre-long coastline. The South African Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Cape Town is called on to coordinate SAR operations for incidents near Mozambique when MRCC Maputo cannot provide the necessary support. Lack of funding and maintenance has reduced South Africa’s own SAR capability, with the Department of Defence telling parliament that there are no interdepartmental approved plans for search and rescue capacity. On May 10, extremist insurgents known as Ahlu Sunnah Wa-Jama’ah (ASWJ) reportedly attacked a Russian- flagged research vessel off the coast of Tambuzi Island. In April, a pirate gang reportedly raided a tanker at the anchorage off the port of Beira, says security firm Ambrey Analytics. Organised crime is adding to the risks of using the channel, according to reports. ER