Home
FacebookTwitterSearchMenu
  • Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • News
  • Features
  • Knowledge Library
  • Columns
  • Customs
  • Jobs
  • Directory
  • FX Rates
  • Categories
    • Categories
    • Africa
    • Air Freight
    • BEE
    • Border Beat
    • COVID-19
    • Crime
    • Customs
    • Domestic
    • Duty Calls
    • Economy
    • Employment
    • Energy/Fuel
    • Events
    • Freight & Trading Weekly
    • Imports and Exports
    • Infrastructure
    • International
    • Logistics
    • Other
    • People
    • Road/Rail Freight
    • Sea Freight
    • Skills & Training
    • Social Development
    • Technology
    • Trade/Investment
    • Webinars
  • Contact us
    • Contact us
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Send us news
    • Editorial Guidelines
Sea Freight

Piracy incidents plummet

15 Oct 2021
0 Comments

Share

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • E-mail
  • Print

Enhanced maritime security and response coordination measures adopted by regional and national authorities appear to be doing the trick, with the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reporting the lowest number of reported piracy and armed robbery incidents for the first nine months of any year since 1994.

IMB’s latest global piracy report recorded 97 incidents of piracy and armed robbery for the period under review – the lowest level of reported incidents since 1994. In 2021, IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) reported 85 vessels boarded, nine attempted attacks, two vessels fired upon and one vessel hijacked. 

Reported incidents are down to their lowest level in decades, but violence against seafarers has continued, with 51 crew kidnapped, eight taken hostage, five threatened, three injured, two assaulted and one killed, according to the latest IMB statistics.

While the reduction of reported incidents is welcome, IMB PRC warns that seafarers must remain vigilant as violence against crew remains high in many areas of the world.

The Gulf of Guinea recorded a decrease, with 28 incidents during the first nine months, compared to 46 for the same period in 2020.

Most notably, says the report, Nigeria only reported four incidents compared to 17 last year and 41 in 2018.

Crew kidnappings in the region have dropped with only one crew member kidnapped in Q3 2021, compared to 31 taken in five separate incidents during Q3 2020.

All Q3 incidents in 2021 were also against vessels at port anchorages whilst the average successful kidnapping location in Q3 2020 was approximately 100NM from land. 

And while the Gulf of Guinea may be looking good, there are worrying signs in the Singapore Straits, says the IMB, with 20 incidents recorded, the highest number since 1991.

This is up from 15 in 2020 and just one incident in 2019. These attacks are low-level and opportunistic in nature, but IMB warns that the perpetrators pose a direct threat to seafarers and vessels under way. In four incidents, crew were either threatened, assaulted, or injured.

Since its founding in 1991, IMB PRC remains a single point of contact to report all crimes of maritime piracy and armed robbery, 24 hours a day. Their prompt forwarding of reports, and liaison with response agencies, broadcasts to shipping via GMDSS Safety Net Services, and email alerts to CSOs, all provided free of charge, help the response against piracy and armed robbery and the security of seafarers globally.

Sign up to our mailing list and get daily news headlines and weekly features directly to your inbox free.
Subscribe to receive print copies of Freight News Features to your door.

Looming food security crisis over SA’s Brazil poultry ban

Imports and Exports

Meat importers warn that the local industry will not be able to plug the gap left by the ban.

Yesterday
0 Comments

Institute conference set to focus on regional connectivity

Events
Logistics

The event brings together transport and logistics professionals from across the continent.

Yesterday
0 Comments

Punishing duties backfire on US economy

Economy
Imports and Exports

“South Africa must follow its own fiscal policies rather than the US Federal Reserve.” – Ricardo Smith, Absa chief investment officer.

Yesterday
0 Comments

RFA warns of imminent B-BBEE codes risk

Logistics
Road/Rail Freight

The association plans to meet with the transport minister to discuss how the codes will hurt the industry.

27 May 2025
0 Comments

OBITUARY: Trade giant Pat Corbin passes on

Logistics
People
Trade/Investment

Over the years, Corbin was intrinsically involved in international trade, finance and logistics.

27 May 2025
0 Comments

South Africa cements position as leading apple exporter

Imports and Exports

South Africa is growing its lead over rival Chile since surpassing it in 2023.

27 May 2025
0 Comments

DRC-Walvis Bay trade route in development

Road/Rail Freight

The new corridor will be 235km shorter than the current Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi corridor and up to seven days faster.

27 May 2025
0 Comments

MSC confirms weekly continuation of SA-US direct sailings

Sea Freight

In total, eight vessels will be deployed for the express service to America's East Coast.

27 May 2025
0 Comments

DP World plans $2.5 bn expansion

Infrastructure
Logistics

From Ecuador to England and Senegal to India the company is growing its global logistics network through infrastructure investment.

27 May 2025
0 Comments

Box ship sinks off Kochi coast, raising dangerous cargo alarms

Sea Freight

The Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy successfully evacuated all 24 crew.

27 May 2025
0 Comments

OPINION: Who’s leading the charge in SA's supply chain digital revolution?

Logistics
Technology
Trade/Investment

The report highlights a clear shift from reactive supply chain strategies to predictive and proactive models, powered by real-time data and AI.

26 May 2025
0 Comments

South Africa will dodge 30% tariff bullet – Steenhuisen

Imports and Exports
Trade/Investment
26 May 2025
0 Comments
  • More

FeatureClick to view

Airfreight 30 May 2025

Border Beat

BMA steps in to help DG and FMCG cargo at Groblersbrug
21 May 2025
The N4 Maputo Corridor crossing – congestion, crime and potholes
12 May 2025
Fuel-crime curbing causes tanker build-up at Moz border
08 May 2025
More

Featured Jobs

New

Estimator

Tiger Recruitment
East Rand
29 May
New

Supply Chain Specialist

Lee Botti & Associates
Cape Town
28 May
More Jobs
  • © Now Media
  • Privacy Policy
  • Freight News RSS
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Send us news
  • Contact us