Maritime piracy: fewer attacks on ships, but no reason to sound the all-clear

From an ICC Germany press release

The latest report on piracy and armed robbery at sea for the first half of 2024 shows that there were fewer attacks compared to the previous year.

Nevertheless, caution is still required. In its report for the first half of 2024, published on 11 July 2024, the ICC's International Maritime Bureau (IMB) recorded a total of 60 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships - slightly fewer than in the same period last year (65 incidents). 84% of the targeted vessels were successfully boarded (46) or hijacked (four) by the perpetrators; two vessels were fired upon and there were eight attempted attacks. There was a significant increase in violence against crew members: 85 people were taken hostage (compared to 36 in the same period last year), eleven people were kidnapped and two were threatened.

Oliver Wieck, ICC Germany Secretary General, commented: "The risk of piracy on the world's oceans remains high and the threat to life and limb of crews has increased significantly. Only through closer international and regional cooperation can international sea routes be kept open and safe and cargo ships and their crews be protected in the long term. This is of fundamental importance not only for Germany as an export nation, but for global trade as a whole."

Caution in Somali waters

Piracy off the coast of Somalia continues to pose a threat. Eight incidents were reported in the first half of 2024, including three hijackings. The latest attacks show that Somali pirates are now capable of attacking ships up to 1,000 nautical miles off the coast.

Concerns about crews in the Gulf of Guinea

Even though the number of incidents in the Gulf of Guinea has fallen from 14 to ten, the danger for the crews remains high. Eleven people were kidnapped in the region and 21 were taken hostage.

Decline in the Singapore Strait

The number of reported incidents in the Singapore Strait has fallen significantly: 13 in the first half of 2024 compared to 20 in the same period of the previous year. A possible
The reason for this could be that larger ships are now being boarded in a targeted manner.

Increase in incidents in the Indonesian archipelago and Bangladesh

The IMB recorded twelve incidents in the Indonesian archipelago in the past six months, the highest number since 2020, when 15 incidents were reported in the same period. Bangladesh represents a new danger zone for shipping, where the number of incidents rose significantly from one in the first half of 2023 to ten in 2024.

To the author:

Since its establishment in 1991, the IMB has served the ICC as an important, round-the-clock contact point for reporting piracy offences and providing assistance to ships under threat. The data collected by the centre also provides important insights into the nature and status of modern piracy.
Further information on the report can be found at icc-ccs.org and can be obtained from Michael Howlett, Director, ICC International Maritime Bureau.

Text: Birte Grages