The number of pirate attacks have fallen sharply in the first half of 2012, led by a drop in Somali piracy, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) global piracy report revealed 16 July, but warned that these numbers were offset by a worrying increase of attacks in the Gulf of Guinea.
Overall, 177 incidents were reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) in the first six months of 2012, compared to 266 incidents for the corresponding period in 2011.
20 Vessels Hijacked
The report showed that 20 vessels were hijacked worldwide, with a total number of 334 crew members taken hostage. There were a further 80 vessels boarded, 25 vessels fired upon and 52 reported attempted attacks. At least four crew members were killed.
Decline in Somali Piracy
The decrease in the overall number is primarily due to the decline in the incidents of Somali piracy activity, dropping from 163 in the first six months of 2011 to 69 in 2012. Somali pirates also hijacked fewer vessels, down from 21 to 13. Nonetheless, Somali piracy continues to remain a serious threat.
Counter Piracy Tactics Work
The report, in part, has attributed the noticeable decline in Somali piracy to the pre-emptive and disruptive counter piracy tactics employed by the international navies. This includes the disruption of mother vessels and Pirate Action Groups. “The naval actions play an essential role in frustrating the pirates. There is no alternative to their continued presence,” said Pottengal Mukundan, Director of IMB. The effective deployment of Best Management Practices, ship hardening and, in particular, the increased use of Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel (PCASP), has also contributed to the falling numbers.
Status as of 30 June
As of 30 June 2012, Somali pirates were still holding 11 vessels and 218 crew, 44 of whom were being held ashore in unknown locations and conditions.
Increase in Other Areas
The decline in Somali piracy, however, has been offset by an increase of attacks in the Gulf of Guinea, where 32 incidents, including five hijackings, were reported in 2012, versus 25 in 2011. In Nigeria alone there were 17 reports, compared to 6 in 2011. 3 vessels and 61 crew members were taken hostage. 7 vessels were boarded, 6 fired upon and 1 attempted attack was reported. Togo reported 5 incidents including a hijacking, compared to no incidents during the same time last year.
High Levels of Violence
The IMB report emphasized that high levels of violence were also being used against crew members in the Gulf of Guinea. Guns were reported in at least 20 of the 32 incidents. At least one crew member was killed and another later died as a result of an attack.
Further from the Coast
The report further showed that attacks by armed pirates in skiffs were occurring at greater distances from the coast, suggesting the possible use of fishing or other vessels to reach targets. On 30 June 2012 alone, 3 vessels were fired upon, including a tanker and a container vessel within a 5-minute period, approximately 135 nautical miles from Port Harcourt.
Nigerian Pirates
The increase in pirate activity off Togo has also been attributed to Nigerian pirates. The five reported incidents all occurred in April, culminating with the hijacking of a Panamax product tanker by the month’s end.
Rest of the World
Attacks elsewhere in the world have mainly been armed robberies. Indonesia accounts for almost 20 per cent of the global numbers, with 32 reported incidents compared to 21 over the same period in 2011. 28 of the vessels targeted were boarded, including 23 anchored vessels, 2 berthed and 3 that were underway. Guns have been reported on one occasion. IMB further noted that many other attacks may also have gone unreported.
IMB PRC
The IMB PRC remains the world’s only manned centre to receive and disseminate reports of piracy and armed robbery 24 hours a day across the globe. As part of ICC, it is an independent body set up to monitor these attacks free of political interference. IMB strongly urges all shipmasters and owners to report all actual, attempted and suspicious piracy and armed robbery incidents. This is an essential first step in the response chain. The statistics and reports of the IMB PRC act as a catalyst to encourage firm response by government and law enforcement. IMB offers the latest piracy reports free of charge. To request a PDF version of the report by email, please visit: https://www.icc-ccs.org/requestreport[icc-ccs.org]. Latest attacks may also be viewed on https://www.icc-ccs.org/livepiracymap[the IMB Live Piracy Map].
