West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, lower piracy incident numbers notwithstanding, still poses “significant risks” for seafarers, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) warns in its latest piracy and armed robbery against ships report.
The report covers the first six months of the year and points to the Singapore Strait as the world’s piracy and armed robbery hotspot with 57 incidents in the timeframe under review – up from 15 incidents for the same period last year. The 98 nautical mile long strait between the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca all told accounted for over 60% of all globally reported incidents, according to the IMB, a division of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Commercial Crime Services.
Globally, piracy and armed robbery reached 90 reported incidents in the first half of 2025, a 50% increase compared to the same period last year and the highest number of reported incidents for corresponding periods since 2020. Seventy-nine vessels were boarded along with six attempted attacks, four hijackings and one vessel fired at. As far as ships’ crews are concerned, 40 were taken hostage, 16 kidnapped, five threatened, three assaulted and the same number injured.
A “significant concern” for the IMB is the 95% success rate of boardings in the Singapore Strait. Although relatively low-level incidents, the risk is worsened by continued use of guns and knives in 34 of 57 reported incidents.
“The waterway is a critical shipping route with ships carrying roughly 30% of global trade. The rise in incidents is concerning as it puts the safety of seafarers and the security of international commerce at risk,” was how IMB Director Michael Howlett reacted to the latest numbers.
The Gulf of Guinea remains an area for extreme caution. Twelve incidents and 87% of all kidnappings happened in the Gulf of Guinea between January and June this year.
“Incidents in the Gulf of Guinea continue to remain at low levels with regional authorities commended for their efforts and encouraged to sustain them. Twelve incidents were reported in H1 2025, compared to 10 and 14 in the same period over the past two years,” the IMB said.
“While this trend is worth aspiring to, crew safety and wellbeing are not yet guaranteed. The region accounts for 87 percent of the number of crew kidnapped globally in H1 2025. The IMB continues to encourage all seafarers to exercise caution while in these waters and continues to follow the recommended practices in the latest editions of the industry led BMP.”
The IMB acknowledged strong cooperation from the West African authorities and international navies – especially the Danish, Italian, Russian, Spanish and Portuguese Navies – in the Gulf of Guinea in order to improve maritime security.
Off Africa’s east coast, the IMB has it “while no new incidents have been reported off Somalia since April 2025, Somali waters maintain a continued threat of potential piratical incidents, particularly as the southwest monsoon subsides in the coming months”.
The IMB noted that from 1 January to 30 June 2025, three vessels were hijacked in the waters off Somalia:
On 7 February 2025, a Yemeni flagged Dhow, Al Najma No. 481 was boarded and hijacked by six armed perpetrators while underway off Somalia during night hours. The crew and one security guard were taken hostage. The guard was later released. Reports indicated that the perpetrators left the dhow on or before 13 February after stealing the crew personal effects and small boats belonging to the dhow.
On 17 February 2025, a Yemeni flagged Fishing Vessel, Saytuun 2 was boarded and hijacked by six armed perpetrators while underway off Garmaal, North of Eyl, Somalia. The perpetrators took hostage the captain and four crew members and released the remaining crew. On 23 February 2025, a Spanish naval warship identified, intercepted and boarded the hijacked fishing vessel. The crew indicated that the perpetrators had left the vessel. All crew safe.
On 16 March 2025, a Yemeni flagged Fishing Vessel, Al-Hidaya 1, was boarded and hijacked by armed hijackers while underway off Durdura, Somalia. The perpetrators took eight crew members hostage. On 20 March, the hijackers abandoned the Fishing Vessel.
The international navies patrolling these waters continue to coordinate and liaise with merchant and fishing fleets to identify and apprehend pirate action groups. Although three Somali piracy incidents have been recorded, several hijackings of dhows and fishing may have gone unreported.
“Recent incidents demonstrate the continued capability and capacity of the Somali pirates to target vessels in and off Somalia,” with past incidents recorded over 1000 nautical miles from the Somali coast.
The IMB noted positive action taken by international navies in the Gulf of Aden, and off the eastern/southern Somali coast, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and other areas, including pre-emptive and disruptive counter piracy tactics, resulted in a drop in the number of attacks.
The IMB said it was also aware of the non-piracy related targeting of vessels by Houthi militants in the Gulf of Aden/Red Sea/Bab El Mandeb waters particularly off Yemen using drones and missiles.
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