The merchant shipping industry continues to face the threats of piracy and armed robberies, but the ICC International Maritime Bureau, in its latest report, also points to progress, including the arrest of two gangs that were terrorizing the area around the Singapore Strait. With a slight increase in activity and areas of higher concern, the group says it must reinforce the need for vigilance and that there is no room for complacency.
The ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) admits the world is far from winning the war on piracy and armed robberies despite the continued overall reduction in global incident levels over the years. Between January to September 2025, it recorded a total of 116 incidents, up from 79 in the same period last year. The incidents are the highest reported nine-month figures since 2021.
The fact that criminal gangs remain a threat to shipping is evident considering that 102 vessels reported being boarded, while nine faced attempted boardings, four were hijacked, and one was fired upon. Notably, in nearly all the incidents, perpetrators successfully gained access to the vessel, with most boarding incidents occurring at night.
Another concern is the high number of incidents where weapons were involved. In the first nine months of this year, 55 percent of the reports cited the use of a weapon, with 33 percent of the cases involving guns. IMB highlights this is the highest level since 2017.
IMB and its Piracy Reporting Center continue to focus on the dangers in the Singapore Straits, which handles nearly a third of global trade flows, and continues to be the hotspot of piracy and armed robberies. Of all the reported incidents, a total of 73 were in the Singapore Straits, the highest number recorded since 1991.
The high rate of incidents at the busy strait, however, has forced authorities into action. In July, the Indonesian Marine Police (IMP) carried out a crackdown on organized gangs targeting international vessels, leading to the arrest of 11 suspected pirates in the Riau Islands. There is finally some hope in the area which has been plagued by boardings and robberies in recent years. The IMB reports that there has been a “marked reduction in incidents” since the arrests in July.
The report also shows that the Gulf of Guinea, which a few years ago had replaced waters near Somalia as the epicenter of piracy, continues to record low numbers of incidents. In the nine-month period, 15 incidents were reported compared to 12 in the same period of 2024. Of these, 10 were armed robberies, and the remaining five were piracy incidents.
IMB highlights that the low numbers do not mean an absence of risk to crews. In the Gulf of Guinea waters, 14 crew were kidnapped while perpetrators continue to demonstrate the capability to target vessels out at sea. A case in point was in late August when the Danish-flagged product tanker Hafnia Phoenix with a crew of 13 was boarded off the coast of Ghana.
The enhanced surveillance and collaborations in the fight against piracy have improved in waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden. During the third quarter of the year, no incident was reported, a development that was, however, in part also attributed to the prevailing southwest monsoon conditions. In the first half, 26 crewmembers were taken hostage, but the events were mostly in coastal waters and involved two fishing vessels and one dhow.
“This is an important time to reinforce the need for vigilance. There can be no room for complacency, and globally, vessel owners and operators are encouraged to follow industry guidelines and report incidents promptly,” said IBM Director Michael Howlett.
