Over 50 pirate attacks have already been reported in 2015, even though Somali-based pirates have not launched a single strike
The number of people kidnapped at sea by pirates in the first quarter of 2015 tripled, compared to the same period in 2014.
The International Chamber of Commerce's International Maritime Bureau (IMB), which has been monitoring world piracy since 1991, reported that pirates took 140 seafarers hostage in the first quarter of 2015, 13 of them were assaulted and three were injured.
Over 50 pirate attacks have already been reported in 2015, even though Somali-based pirates have not launched a single strike
The number of people kidnapped at sea by pirates in the first quarter of 2015 tripled, compared to the same period in 2014.
The International Chamber of Commerce's International Maritime Bureau (IMB), which has been monitoring world piracy since 1991, reported that pirates took 140 seafarers hostage in the first quarter of 2015, 13 of them were assaulted and three were injured.
In 2014 the number of pirate attacks dropped to its lowest level in eight years, but between January and March of 2015 worldwide piracy rose 10%, compared to the same period in 2014.
A total of 54 piracy incidents were reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre. In 42 of those cases pirates managed to board the ships, and eight of the attacks resulted in hijackings.
Piracy becoming more prevalent in South East Asia
Pirates in South East Asia are launching frequent and ferocious attacks on small coastal tankers.
On average, one coastal tanker is hijacked in South East Asia every two weeks.
A total of 30 ships have been attacked in the region and six have been successfully hijacked. Most attacks are being carried out by armed gangs who target the small tankers for fuel.
Almost 40% of the 2015 attacks took place in Indonesia, where 19 vessels were boarded and two were hijacked by armed men earlier this year.
Pottengal Mukundan, director of IMB said: “The frequency of these hijackings in South East Asia is an increasing cause for concern. There’s a risk that the attacks and violence could increase if left unabated.”
The littoral states of the Malacca Straights and the South China Sea (Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore) are planning to increase joint-naval patrols and send more military vessels to the Southern reaches of the South China Sea.
Well-organised gangs of maritime criminals, who are targeting West Africa's offshore oil industry, continue to carry out violent attacks on commercial vessels in the region.
One gang of pirates murdered a seafarer during the hijacking of a fishing vessel in Ghana and a group of Nigerian pirates kidnapped five sailors, in two separate incidents, earlier this year.
Mr Mukundan told the Telegraph:“We’ve seen one example of a tanker of 40,000 tonnes been hijacked and the pirates making three ship to ship transfers of oil as it sailed along the region's coast to take all of its cargo.
"There’s an established underground economy in West Africa where the oil can easily be sold into and pirates are becoming very well organised.”
Somali pirates kept at bay
The IMB report reveals that none of the 2015 attacks were carried out by Somalis.
When worldwide piracy peaked in 2011, Somali-based maritime criminals were at their most active, they attacked 237 ships and successfully hijacked 28.
But the frequency of there attacks has decreased dramatically over the last four years due to a united effort by international navies.
However, the IMB are still advising shipmasters to remain wary when sailing off the Horn of Africa. Mr Mukundan explained: “Somali pirates have not been able to hijack ocean-going vessels. However, they have not gone away.
"There was one instance in the area where a small skiff was seen with a 20ft boarding ladder on it. There is no reason for having that other than to get on a ship.
“The situation ashore in Somalia is very fragile and a change in that or just one successful attack could spark off more attacks."
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