Maritime crime and piracy incidents lowest since 1994, but threats to crews remain

 In the first nine months of 2024, reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery fell to the lowest levels since 1994, according to the latest report by the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB). Despite the lowest reported incidents in three decades, IMB and its Piracy Reporting Centre warns that crew safety remains at risk.

IMB reported 79 incidents for the period of January-September 2024, down from 99 incidents in the same period last year. This marks a significant overall reduction and the lowest reported numbers since 1994.

From January to September, 62 vessels were boarded, six were hijacked while nine faced attempted attacks and two were fired upon. In 86% of incidents, perpetrators successfully gained access to the vessel with most incidents occurring at night.

Violence towards crew members remains concerning, with 111 crew taken hostage, 11 kidnapped and three threatened. Perpetrators were armed with weapons, guns, and knives in 45 of the reported incidents.

IMB Director Michael Howlett said: 

“With reported incidents at their lowest since 1994, the decline in reported piracy and armed robbery incidents is encouraging. This is an important time to reinforce our message not to be complacent, and for vessel owners and operators to adhere to IMB guidelines. We commend governments and law enforcement for their excellent work, which has made this improvement possible.”

Escalating violence in the Indonesian Archipelago

The Indonesian Archipelago remains an area of concern with a steady rise in the number of reported incidents. From January to September 2024, 17 incidents were reported compared to 12 in 2023 and nine in 2022.

Weapons were reported in 11 incidents, 27 crew were taken hostage and one crew was threatened.

Two hijackings were reported in February and September in nearly the same location South of Tanjung Malatayur, Central Kalimantan where oil cargoes were stolen from barges under tow.

IMB calls upon local authorities to increase their on-water presence to act as a deterrent to these crimes.

Fewer incidents in Gulf of Guinea, Somalia and Singapore Straits

In the first nine months of 2024, 12 incidents were reported in the Gulf of Guinea region, the lowest number of reports since 1996. 

While the drop in the number of reported incidents is welcome, there remains concern over the safety of crew, with 11 crew kidnapped and 21 taken hostage.

Eight incidents have been reported in the waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, with three hijacked vessels and two fired upon. 

IMB has not received reports of any maritime piracy incidents from vessels transiting these waters between July and September, possibly due to the prevalence of monsoons.

Incidents in the Singapore Straits have dropped to 23, compared to 33 over the same period last year. Perpetrators were successful in boarding the vessels in 96% of the cases. 

Considering the navigational challenges of these waters, IMB warns that even low-level opportunistic incidents on board such large vessels could potentially increase the risk to navigation.

IMB urges vessels to continue adhering to the latest Best Management Practices to ensure safety of crew, vessel and cargo.

IMB commends local authorities for investigating reported incidents and renews calls for accurate and timely reporting of maritime incidents.

The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre

Founded in 1991, the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre serves as a crucial, 24-hour point of contact to report crimes of piracy and lend support to ships under threat. 

Quick reactions and a focus on coordinating with response agencies, sending out warning broadcasts and email alerts to ships have all helped bolster security on the high seas. 

The data gathered by the Centre also provides key insights on the nature and state of modern piracy.

IMB encourages all shipmasters and owners to report all actual, attempted and suspected global piracy and armed robbery incidents to the Piracy Reporting Centre as a vital first step to ensuring adequate resources are allocated by authorities to tackle maritime piracy.  

Request your copy of the January to September 2024 Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships report here.

About IMB Piracy Reporting Centre

Since its founding in 1991, IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre serves as a crucial, 24-hour point of contact to report crimes of piracy and lend support to ships under threat. Quick reactions and a focus on coordinating with response agencies, sending out warning broadcasts and email alerts to ships have all helped bolster security on the high seas. The data gathered by the Centre also provides key insights on the nature and state of modern piracy.

IMB encourages all shipmasters and owners to report all actual, attempted and suspected global piracy and armed robbery incidents to the Piracy Reporting Centre as a vital first step to ensuring adequate resources are allocated by authorities to tackle maritime piracy.  

For more information, please contact:
Michael Howlett
Director, ICC International Maritime Bureau
Tel: +44 207 423 6960
Email: mhowlett@icc-ccs.org