Piracy in the Indian Ocean and Singapore Strait Sparks Concerns Over Worldwide Shipping Pathways
Mogadishu (AX) — The resurgence of pirate activity in the Indian Ocean alongside a surge of armed robberies in the Singapore Strait has reignited international apprehension regarding maritime safety. These notorious acts now pose a renewed threat to crucial global shipping avenues. Alerts from the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) and the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP ISC) have startled ship operators. They advised boosting ship defenses in these bustling waters.
On October 22, EUNAVFOR’s Operation Atalanta identified two armed Somali pirate factions setting sail from near Hobyo. This gang of 13 pirates, taking advantage of calmer post-monsoon conditions, has rekindled operations. Ever resourceful, these pirates have shifted from using small skiffs to seizing larger dhows, turning them into base ships, effectively broadening their operational scope to target ships up to 800 nautical miles off Somalia.
Martin Kelly of EOS Risk Group predicts piracy could see a sharp rise as maritime traffic picks up following seasonal weather changes. “The dynamics in the region have evolved,” he remarked, explaining how Somali pirates have adopted new strategies to evade dense naval patrols close to shore. Significant events like the MV Ruen hijacking in December 2023 and the MV Abdullah release in March 2024, for ransom, highlight the ongoing peril in the seas.
Black flag motifs reappear in the Singapore Strait as well. ReCAAP ISC recorded three theft incidents within mere hours on October 18, particularly in the Phillip Channel near Indonesia. These armed marauders struck the Nyon and Aspasia Luck, pilfering spare engine components. They were later seen aboard the Maran Spirit, but nothing was reported missing. The count of piracy acts in the Malacca and Singapore Straits climbed to 39 in 2024, marking the continued menace in this critical, yet narrow waterway.
Despite the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) celebrating a three-decade low in pirate incidents globally, pockets of danger remain. Somali piracy, though reduced from its notorious heights of the early 2000s, is still a tangled threat influenced by the lingering discord in the Horn of Africa. The IMB notes over 100 crew members have faced captivity in Somali waters this year, with violence against sailors increasing.
The revival of piracy in these waters spells a broader economic and logistical blow to global commerce. Shipping firms increasingly reroute voyages around the Cape of Good Hope to dodge the perilous Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where Houthi aggression further spikes security issues. Such detours add vast distances to voyages, inflating fuel prices and causing holdups in the global flow of goods.
The economic burden of piracy, once pegged at $37 billion annually, still looms over industries worldwide. Authorities in the maritime sector call for more robust patrols and alertness as piracy remains a serious hazard to the safety of global seas.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
