Piracy and armed robbery on the world’s seas is persisting at levels close to those in 2014, despite reductions in the number of ships hijacked and crew captured, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) annual piracy report reveals.
IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) recorded 246 incidents in 2015, 1 more than in 2014. The number of vessels boarded rose 11% to 203, 1 ship was fired at, and a further 27 attacks were thwarted. Armed with guns or knives, pirates killed 1 seafarer and injured at least 14. Kidnappings – where crew are taken away and held for ransom – doubled from 9 in 2014 to 19 in 2015, all the result of 5 attacks off Nigeria.
Fewer Hijackings
A total of 15 vessels were hijacked in 2015, down from 21 in 2014, while 271 hostages were held on their ships, compared with 442 in 2014. No hijackings were reported in the last quarter of 2015. IMB says one key factor in this recent global reduction was the drop in attacks against small fuel tankers around South East Asia’s coasts, the last of which occurred in August 2015.
SE Asian Gangs
Although Indonesian and Malaysian authorities were able to arrest and prosecute 2 gangs that hijacked tankers, IMB still urges shipmasters to maintain strict anti-piracy and robbery watches as South East Asia still accounts for most of the world’s incidents. Almost 55% of the region’s attacks were against vessels underway compared to 37% in 2014. Most were aimed at low-level theft. IMB cites this rise on moving vessels as a cause for concern as it increases potential risks to the vessels and their crew.
Reports have reduced in the majority of the 11 designated anchorages with only Belawan and Nipah recording marked increases in attempted thefts, reporting 15 and 26 incidents respectively in 2015.
Nigeria: Oil and Kidnappings
Nigeria is a hotspot for violent piracy and armed robbery. Though many attacks are believed to go unrecorded, IMB received reports of 14 incidents, with 9 vessels boarded.
In the first of these, 10 pirates armed with AK47 rifles boarded and hijacked a tanker and took all 9 crewmembers hostage. They then transferred the fuel oil cargo into another vessel, which was taken away by 2 of the attackers. The Ghanaian navy dispatched a naval vessel to investigate as the tanker moved into its waters, then arrested the pirates on board.
Somalia Still Risky
No Somali-based attacks were reported in 2015. Following a new 55% reduction in the industry-defined High Risk Area, IMB warns vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean to stay vigilant as the potential for an attack remains high.
Vietnam, China and Bangladesh
Incidents in Vietnam surged from 7 in 2014 to 27 in 2015. The main cause is low-level theft against vessels anchored in Vietnam, with 15 reports from around the port of Vung Tau alone. In China 4 incidents were recorded in December, the first in a long time. These include 3 thefts of bunker diesel oil from large bulk carriers off Tianjin, and 1 failed attempt to do so. Meanwhile, low-level incidents in Bangladesh dropped to 11 in 2015, from 21 in 2014.
IMB PRC
The IMB PRC is the world’s only independent office to receive reports of pirate attacks 24-hours-a-day from across the globe. IMB strongly urges shipmasters and owners to report all actual, attempted and suspected piracy and armed robbery incidents to the IMB PRC. This first step in the response chain is vital to ensuring that adequate resources are allocated by authorities to tackle piracy.
