A look into the Piracy Problem in the Maritime Industry 2025
The threat of piracy in the sea has consistently been an issue that the maritime industry has been trying to address. Various steps have been implemented by the industry as a response to the piracy concern, such as additional crew training programs to give them the skills needed to handle any piracy incidents that may occur. Advanced surveillance has also been deployed on ships with state-of-the-art technology that includes improved satellite tracking and automated identification systems with real-time monitoring. Collaboration with nations and regional organizations, among others, is also being done, sharing information to deter pirate threats. Even with these measures being implemented, there is a need to take more proactive measures to lower the risks of attacks.
During the first nine months of last year, there were 99 incidents that were reported, up from 90 that were reported in 2023, around the surrounding of the Gulf of Guinea, as well as Southeast Asia in the Singapore Strait. These regions continue to be an issue for the vessels that are operating there. The coast of Somalia has also seen a resurgence of pirate activity that is a growing concern as well. In the Gulf of Guinea, the first 9 months of 2024 saw 21 reported incidents of piracy, with the unfortunate statistic of having the largest crew kidnappings globally. The Singapore Strait in the Southeast Asian region also had 33 incidents reported, with vessels seeing the highest number of armed robberies. (Ship Universe, 2024)
While the industry takes the steps to improve their technologies and protocols to defend against the growing piracy concern, the pirates have unfortunately been finding ways to fight back. On March 25, 2020, for example, the MT Scarabe was off the coast of Nigeria, when a group of pirates came upon them. When attempting to board the vessel using a skiff, they used a 10-meter-long aluminum ladder, which they raised and set up alongside the vessel which was moving at high speeds. For many years now, pirates have been using skiffs, which are very small boats that use sails or oars. They would use these skiffs, which give them better maneuverability and endurance, to attack unsuspecting vessels hundreds of nautical miles from shore, without the need of their mother vessel. Each year they manage to get ahead of the industry’s attempts to thwart piracy, and the implementation of the new protocols and tech is the first step in combating the pirates’ ability to evolve and adapt to their defenses. (Morizur, 2020)
That being said, while the regions aforementioned are hot spots where piracy still runs rampant, there has been a decrease over the decades on a Global scale. Regardless, the economic consequence of piracy is felt in the industry, with bulk and oil carriers having to divert their routes to avoid hot spot areas, costing millions in additional fuel costs. Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency, has stated that global piracy is a growth industry, netting hundreds of millions of euros since the start of the new millennium. Vessels passing through hot spots would do so with armed escorts and security teams that would defend against any pirate attacks that may occur. (Rogers, 2024)
While piracy has gone down, the industry continues to implement their new measures and technologies to ensure it continues to go down. ICC Secretary General, John W.H. Denton AO, stated, “While we welcome the reduction of reported incidents, the ongoing threats to crew safety remain a significant concern. Safeguarding routes and ensuring the security of seafarers, who are essential to maintaining global commerce, is vital.” (Safety4Sea, 2025) Among the new technological implementations, design considerations such as smoother surfaces to reduce pirate boardings, as well as water cannon systems, long-range acoustic devices that emit powerful sound waves to deter pirate attacks, and enhanced surveillance technologies like drones, among other things, will hopefully continue to assist in lowering the piracy problem.
References
Morizur, F. (2020, April 22). Sea Piracy in 2025: Piracy 2.0? Retrieved from The Maritime Executive: https://www.maritime-executive.com/blog/sea-piracy-in-2025-piracy-2-0
Rogers, P. (2024, May 1). Piracy and maritime crime: Addressing the risks for the maritime industry. Retrieved from WTW: https://www.wtwco.com/en-gb/insights/2024/05/piracy-and-maritime-crime-addressing-the-risks-for-the-maritime-industry
Safety4Sea. (2025, January 14). IMB Piracy Report January-December 2024. Retrieved from Safety4Sea: https://safety4sea.com/imb-piracy-report-january-december-2024/
Ship Universe. (2024, December 26). Maritime Piracy in 2025: Emerging Trends and Strategic Responses. Retrieved from SU Ship Universe: https://www.shipuniverse.com/news/maritime-piracy-in-2025-emerging-trends-and-strategic-responses/