Pirate attacks have dropped, report shows

By PHILIP MWAKIO

MOMBASA COUNTY: Piracy at sea has dropped to its lowest levels in six years, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has revealed.

The IMB report says 264 attacks were recorded worldwide in 2013, with 15 incidents being off Somalia.

IMB’s annual global piracy report shows more than 300 people were taken hostage at sea last year and 21 were injured, nearly all with guns or knives.

A total of 12 vessels were hijacked, 202 were boarded, 22 were fired upon and a further 28 reported attempted attacks.

Nigerian pirates were particularly violent, killing one crew member, and kidnapped 36 people for ransom.

“The single biggest reason for the drop in worldwide piracy is the decrease in Somali piracy off the coast of East Africa,” said Pottengal Mukundan, Director of IMB, whose Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) has monitored world piracy since 1991.

IMB says in its latest report that Somali pirates have been deterred by a combination of factors, including the key role of international navies, the hardening of vessels, the use of private armed security teams, and the stabilising influence of Somalia’s central government.

 “It is imperative to continue combined international efforts to tackle Somali piracy. Any complacency at this stage could re-kindle pirate activity,” warned Mukundan.

 The 15 incidents attributed to Somali pirates in 2013 include two hijacked vessels, both of which were released within a day as a result of naval actions. A further eight vessels were fired upon.

These figures are the lowest since 2006, when 10 Somali attacks were recorded.

Meanwhile, West African piracy made up 19 per of attacks worldwide last year.

Nigerian pirates and armed robbers accounted for 31 of West Africa’s 51 attacks, taking 49 people hostage and kidnapping 36, more than in any year since 2008.

Nigerian pirates ventured far into waters off Gabon, Ivory Coast and Togo, where they were linked with at least five of the region’s seven reported vessel hijackings.

Off the coast of Nigeria itself, two ships were hijacked, 13 were boarded and 13 fired upon.

Malaysian waters saw the hijacking of two product tankers with 27 crew taken hostage, resulting in the theft of ships’ property and cargo.

The IMB described the attacks in India and Bangladesh as “low-level and opportunistic”.

The incidents off India have increased year on year since 2010, reaching 14 in 2013, while IMB says active patrolling by the Bangladesh Coast Guard has kept the number of incidents off Chittagong in Bangladesh at around 12 for the last few years.

The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre is the only independent 24-hour manned office receiving reports from and providing information to ships, law enforcement and governments in respect of attacks around the world.