Tag: piracy
Singapore Strait tops piracy board in 2025 first quarter
The Gulf of Guinea, long regarded as the international piracy hotspot, was overtaken in the first quarter of the year by the Singapore Strait.
The...
Italian Navy frigate Luigi Rizzo bolsters Mozambique ties with port call...
On 8 April, the Italian Navy frigate Luigi Rizzo F595 docked in Maputo for a four-day visit, marking a significant moment in Italy-Mozambique relations.
The...
Hijacked Yemeni-flagged fishing boat released by Somali pirates
The Yemeni-flagged fishing dhow Al-Hidaya has been released by Somali pirates after being held for a week.
The European Union Naval Force’s Operation Atalanta said...
Suspected pirate attack on Yemeni-flagged fishing boat off Puntland coast
A suspected piracy-related incident involving a Yemeni-flagged fishing vessel occurred on 16 March off the coast of Durdura, near Eyl, in northern Puntland, Somalia....
Non-conventional but increasingly sophisticated maritime threats will persist in Africa
A naval war between African states is unlikely. Rather, the primary maritime security threat is from non-state actors using increasingly sophisticated technology like unmanned...
Somali pirates release Yemeni fishing boat
Somali pirates who hijacked the Yemeni-flagged fishing boat Saytuun-2 last week have released the vessel after stealing crew belongings.
The Saytuun-2 was captured off Garmaal...
Yemeni dhow hijacking ends without loss of life
Five days after it was hijacked by pirates, the Yemeni fishing vessel Al Najma was again under the command and control of her own...
Atalanta on high alert as possible pirate attack reported
The longstanding European Union (EU) naval operation in the eastern Indian Ocean is all hands on deck as it observes possible developments in a...
Africa’s 2024 Security Trends in 10 Graphics
Africa’s persisting conflicts are compounding crises of governance on the continent, straining already fragile regions and opening the door to foreign exploitation through proxy...
Chinese fishing vessel “liberated” from Somali pirates
Six weeks after surveillance was mounted on a Chinese fishing vessel pirated off Somalia, the unnamed vessel was “liberated” on Monday 13 January.
A four...
Transnational maritime threats needed transnational responses
Maritime security is no longer about the threat of nations at war, but the threats of yore, piracy on the high seas, and smuggling.
The...
Somali pirates capture Chinese fishing vessel
Heavily armed Somali pirates have captured a Chinese fishing vessel off the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, the European Union’s anti-piracy naval force Atalanta has...
New Somali piracy threats require partnerships and holistic responses
Signs of a potential Somali piracy resurgence have emerged in 2024, most recently with the European Union Naval Force Operation ATALANTA reporting a suspected...
Global piracy at a 30 year low
Piracy incidents worldwide continue to show a downward trend with the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reporting the lowest number of attacks and armed robbery...
Maritime security conference in Stellenbosch highlights urgent need for regional cooperation
The third international Conference on Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea and the Red Sea brought together maritime experts, policymakers, and military leaders...
Somali piracy surges as new threat diverts resources
Gun-wielding pirates in two small boats attacked a Liberian-flagged cargo ship, the Basilisk, as it sailed about 380 nautical miles east of Somalia on...
IMB notes increasing violence against seafarers
A decrease – no matter how slight – in piracy incidents should not see any lowering of vigilance levels by merchant shipping. This warning...
Cabinda to Cape Town: how crime-proof are Africa’s Atlantic shores?
With all eyes on pirates and politics in the Gulf of Guinea and the Indian Ocean, who is keeping an eye on Africa’s South...
Seychelles demonstrates how smaller nations can effectively combat piracy
The Topaz, a Seychelles Coast Guard vessel, abruptly altered its direction in January when it was alerted to a Somali pirate attack on a...
Security guard mother ship Markab visits Cape Town
The security guard mother ship Markab (IMO 7605691) arrived off Cape Town from Gibraltar on 30 May to take on supplies amid an increase...
Kenya and European Union hold first joint naval exercise
The longstanding European Union (EU) Naval Force in the Indian Ocean – Operation Atalanta – marked up a first this month when it successfully...
EU naval force frees vessel from pirates off Somalia
Pirates have tried to hijack a merchant vessel off Somalia, but were beaten back by European warships patrolling the region in the most recent...
Naval leaders stress need for new laws, coordination to fight maritime...
In August 2023, armed pirates took control of a fishing vessel just outside Sierra Leone’s port. The attack set off a quick response that...
High piracy risk in Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and adjoining...
The current world maritime hotspot around the Red Sea, northern Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden and East Africa saw six incidents at sea reported...
Chrystal Arctic suspects await trial in Seychelles holding facility
Delivery of suspected pirates to Seychelles authorities five days after an attack on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Aden stands as an...
Piracy rears its head once more with another attack in the...
Half a dozen pirates have been apprehended by Operation Atalanta naval forces after an attempted attack on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of...
MV Abdullah released by Somali pirates, apparently after ransom paid
The Bangladesh-flagged Merchant Vessel Abdullah, captured over a month ago by Somali pirates, has been released along with its 23 crew, apparently after a...
Increase in piracy off Somalia a concern
“Worrying” is the word used by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) to describe the increase to date this year of piracy in the Indian...
Chinese naval task force visiting Mozambique
Fresh after a stop in Tanzania, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN's) 45th naval escort task force is now visiting Mozambique.
On the morning...
Indian Navy rescues another pirated ship
The Indian Navy has liberated yet another vessel from pirates off the coast of Somalia in the fifth such operation this year.
An Indian Navy...
Pirates move Abdullah into Somali territorial waters to avoid rescue attempt
The Somali pirates who captured the bulk carrier Abdullah (IMO 9745598) 600 miles off the African coast have moved the ship close inshore to...
Report: Al-Shabaab extends reach with offer to protect Somali pirates
After a six-year lull in major attacks, Somali pirates in December attacked four vessels as international navies relocated from the Indian Ocean to the...
Indian Navy retakes MV Ruen from Somali pirates
In a well-coordinated operation that lasted some 40 hours, the Indian Navy has retaken the ship MV Ruen from Somali pirates, rescuing the 17...
Hijacked merchant vessel Abdullah at anchor off Somalia, crew apparently safe
At least 12 alleged pirates are confirmed by Operation Atlanta personnel to be aboard the hijacked bulk carrier Abdullah, now at anchor some 600...
Bulk carrier Abdullah highjacked by pirates in the Indian Ocean as...
Pirates have seized a Bangladeshi-flagged and owned ship, the bulk carrier Abdullah, en route from the port of Maputo in Mozambique. The vessel was...
West Africa’s coast was a haven for piracy and illegal fishing...
The Gulf of Guinea – a coastal region that stretches from Senegal to Angola – is endowed with vast reserves of hydrocarbon, mineral and...
Houthi militant attacks in the Red Sea raise fears of Somali...
Renewed attacks on ships by suspected Somali pirates since November 2023 have fuelled fear of a new threat of piracy off the east coast...
Indian Navy rescues another pirated vessel off Somalia
The Indian Navy has foiled two hijackings by Somali pirates within days, rescuing 19 crew in the latest incident off the Horn of Africa.
The...
IMB concerned about first ship hijacking off Somalia in six years
The just released 2023 International Maritime Bureau (IMB) piracy report notes a slight increase in incidents and expresses concern over the first successful hijacking...
Indian Navy rescues crew from hijacked ship off Somalia
The Indian Navy has rescued all 21 crew members from the MV Lila Norfolk in the North Arabian Sea after it was boarded by...
EU monitoring hijacked vessel off Somalia
The European Union Naval Force (EU NavFor) is closely monitoring the hijacked Maltese-flagged merchant vessel Ruen, which remains off the Somali coast.
In a statement,...
Somali pirates are back in action but a full scale return...
An Iranian fishing vessel, Almeraj 1, was reportedly hijacked by Somali pirates in November 2023. According to media reports, the pirates demanded $400 000...
Suspected pirates apprehended off Somalia
Suspected pirates aboard a hijacked Iranian fishing boat have surrendered to Somali police after being monitored by European Union Operation Atalanta assets.
On 22 November,...
Somali pirates strike again as Iranian fishing vessel highjacked
After a lull of several years, Somali pirates are back in the news with reports of them having successfully attacked and seized an Iranian...
Gulf of Guinea countries join forces to secure maritime domain
Shipowners operating in the Gulf of Guinea received a piracy alert in late June after a Swiss bulk carrier vessel was boarded and some...
Here’s why Somali piracy, once an unsolvable security threat, has almost...
In 2011, pirates carried out 212 attacks in a vast area spanning Somali waters, the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the Gulf of...
Royal Navy Warship HMS Trent strengthens maritime security partnership with Nigeria
The Royal Navy’s offshore patrol vessel HMS Trent is once again visiting, Nigeria, reiterating its dedication to enhancing maritime security in West Africa. The...
Liberian Coast Guard rescues hijacked Chinese fishing vessel
The Liberian Coast Guard has rescued 23 crew from a Chinese fishing vessel that was hijacked off the country’s coastline.
The Armed Forces of Liberia...
Gulf of Guinea piracy on the up
There’s concern about an increase in piracy in Gulf of Guinea waters off Africa’s west coast with the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) calling for...
Piracy in West Africa dropped in 2022, but criminals are moving...
Piracy and maritime crime continued to decline in the Gulf of Guinea last year, largely in response to heightened regional and international anti-piracy efforts,...
