GULF OF GUINEA: IMB Records All-time Low Pirate Attacks On Vessels In 2022

The number of incidents of piracy report to the International Maritime Bureau  (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) fell again in 2022, despite a rise in incidents in Southeast Asia.

IMB said it received 115 reports of piracy and armed robbery against ships in 2022, down from 132 reports in 2021. The 2022 reports contain 107 boarded vessels, two vessel hijackings, one vessel fired upon and five attempted attacks.

Some 41 crew were taken hostage, six assaulted, six threatened and two kidnapped during the year.

PRC noted a decrease in piratical activity in the Gulf of Guinea, down to 19 incidents from 35 in 2021 and 84 in 2020. Crew kidnappings fell dramatically from 57 in 2021 to two in 2022, although 29 crew were held hostage during the course of hijackings.

“Whilst crew kidnappings have reduced in the Gulf of Guinea, the theft of cargo appears once again to be an option for the criminals. In 2022 product tankers were boarded on two separate occasions, putting the crew at risk by damaging all navigation and communication equipment before stealing the cargo,” said IMB.

Incidents in the Singapore Straits continued to rise in 2022 to 38, up from 35 in 2021 and just 3 in 2018.

“Vessels were successfully boarded in all 38 incidents in 2022. The majority of vessels boarded were over 50,000 dwt with high freeboards, including six laden vessels over 150,000 dwt,” said IMB.

Attacks generally occurred in darkness while vessels were underway, with gun reports in three incidents and knives in 18 incidents; four crew were taken hostage and a further two threatened during the incidents.

At the start of 2023, the Indian Ocean High Risk Area (HRA) was removed. The area was introduced to address piracy off the coast of Somalia around 2010, when vessels were routinely hijacked and crews and cargoes held for ransom.

The direct threat of Somali piracy appears to have decreased, said IMB, but it advises Masters remain vigilant off the Somali coast, especially when transiting close to the coast.

“The IMB continues to encourage all shipmasters and owners to report all actual, attempted and suspected global 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,” IMB added.