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International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Center News

08 Nov 2012

Somali Counter-piracy Offensive Paying Off

Piracy off the Somali Coast falls to lowest levels in years as result of tough measures on land & at sea. As Kenyan Defense Forces continue to weaken Al-Shabaab on the ground in Somalia, new reports indicates Somali pirates off the coast have similarly been weakened this year. According to the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Center, “The number of ships signaling attacks by Somali pirates has fallen this year [2012] to its lowest since 2009.” For example, only one ship has reported an attempted attack by Somali pirates from July 2012 to September 2012, compared with 36 incidents in the same three month period last year. Kenya has taken drastic action to combat piracy in the past decade.

24 Apr 2012

Piracy Dropped Worldwide in First Quarter

Sea piracy worldwide dropped 28 percent in the first quarter of the year as attacks fell sharply in Somalia’s waters thanks to international naval patrols. Pirate attacks intensified, however, in Nigeria and Indonesia. The number of worldwide attacks from January to March dipped to 102 from 142 cases in the same period in 2011, according to the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur. It also said 11 vessels were hijacked and 212 crew members taken hostage, compared with 18 ships seized and 344 people taken hostage a year earlier. In Somalia, there were 43 attacks, including nine vessel hijackings, compared with 97 attacks a year ago. The agency attributed the decline to “disruptive actions and pre-emptive strikes” by navies in the region.

03 Mar 2011

Iridium Developing Satellite Communications Solutions for Maritime Piracy Situations

As you know, maritime piracy has been in the news lately. As of Feb. 28, the International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Center (http://www.icc-ccs.org/home/piracy-reporting-centre/piracynewsafigures) reported that pirates were holding 33 merchant vessels and 711 crewmembers pending ransoms. In 2011 alone, these gangs captured 13 ships and 243 hostages - an average of more than one ship per week. The seafarers are being used as human shields to forestall rescue attempts by military teams, and are being subjected to increasing levels of severe mistreatment by their captors – including torture and even execution. Despite the presence of scores of warships from multiple navies…

20 Aug 2008

Pirates Seize Tanker off Somalia's Coast

Armed pirates seized a Malaysian palm oil tanker with 39 crew off the coast of — the fourth hijacking in a month, reports said.It was reported that the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center in , said the center received a distress signal late about the raid on the MT Bunga Melati Dua and immediately notified Western naval ships patrolling the area. An international terrorism task force dispatched a warship to intercept the tanker, which was heading toward territorial waters. Source:  AP

23 Apr 2008

VLCC Attacked off Aden

A Japanese VLCC was reportedly hit by a rocket propelled grenade launched from a small boat 270 miles off the coast of . There appear to have been no injuries and no fire or explosion. A leak was temporarily patched by the crew and the vessel is said to have continued her ballast voyage from to the Saudi Arabian Red Sea. The Chairman of INTERTANKO’s main governing body, meeting on Monday in , voiced the opinion of the whole of the Association’s Council, when he said that this regrettable incident highlights the real concerns felt by tanker owners that such an attack can happen to a vessel at sea on a major international trade route.

18 Mar 2005

Coalition Maritime Forces Intercept Hijacked Vessel

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Munro (WHEC 724), working with British ships HMS Invincible (R05) and HMS Nottingham (D91) in the Gulf of Aden, intercepted a hijacked Thai fishing vessel at around noon March 17. Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (COMUSNAVCENT) received telephone reports from the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, concerning the hijacking of Thai-flagged fishing vessel Sirichai Nava 12 by three Somali crew members the evening of March 16, as well as a fax indicating that the hijackers demanded $800,000 in ransom for the vessel’s crew. Commander, Combined Task Force (CTF) 150…