January 26, 2024
The annual Piracy and Armed Robbery Report of the International Chamber of Commerce's (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB) raises concern over the first successful Somali based hijacking since 2017.
The report recorded 120 incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery against ships in 2023 compared to 115 in 2022. It reveals that 105 vessels were boarded, nine had attempted attacks, four vessels were hijacked and two were fired upon.
Where the number of 2023 reported incidents has increased only slightly compared to 2022, the IMB urges caution for crew safety as the number of crew taken hostage and kidnapped increased from 41 to 73 and from two to 14 in 2022 and 2023 respectively. A further 10 crew were threatened, four injured and one assaulted in 2023.
The report recorded, on December 14, 2023 the first successful hijacking of a vessel off the coast of Somalia since 2017. A handymax bulk carrier was boarded and hijacked by alleged Somali pirates.
Three of the four reported vessel hijackings in occured in the Gulf of Guinea, which also saw all 14 crew kidnappings, and 75% of reported crew hostages and two injured crew in 2023 - continuing to be dangerous waters for seafarers.
Source: ICC Commercial Crime Services