In the first nine months of 2024, reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery fell to the lowest levels since 1994, according to the latest report by the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB).
But despite this significant achievement, the IMB and its Piracy Reporting Centre has warned that crew safety remains at risk.
The IMB reported 79 incidents for the period of January-September, down from 99 incidents in the same period last year. This marks a significant overall reduction and the lowest reported numbers in three decades.
From January to September, 62 vessels were boarded, and six were hijacked, while nine faced attempted attacks and two were fired upon. In 86% of incidents, perpetrators successfully gained access to the vessel with most incidents occurring at night.
Violence towards crew members remains concerning, says the IMB, with 111 crew taken hostage, 11 kidnapped and three threatened. Perpetrators were armed with weapons, guns, and knives in 45 of the reported incidents.
IMB director Michael Howlett said: “With reported incidents at their lowest since 1994, the decline in reported piracy and armed robbery incidents is encouraging. This is an important time to reinforce our message not to be complacent, and for vessel owners and operators to adhere to IMB guidelines.”
While there has been escalating violence in the Indonesian Archipelago, there have been fewer incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, Somalia and Singapore Straits, according to the report.
Quick reactions and a focus on coordinating with response agencies, and sending out warning broadcasts and email alerts to ships have all helped bolster security on the high seas, says Howlett.
The data gathered by the Centre provides key insights on the nature and state of modern piracy.
The IMB has encouraged all shipmasters and owners to report all actual, attempted and suspected global piracy and armed robbery incidents to the Piracy Reporting Centre as a vital first step to ensuring adequate resources are allocated by authorities to tackle maritime piracy.
