Piracy Drops in 2011

Piracy attacks have dropped for the first time in five years, with 439 incidents in 2011 compared with 445 in 2010, an International Maritime Bureau annual piracy report said.

Pirate attacks against vessels operating off the coast of Somalia on Africa’s East Coast and in the Gulf of Guinea on Africa's West Coast accounted for 63 percent of the reported incidents.

The 802 crewmembers taken hostage in 2011 also marks a decrease from the four-year high of 1,181 in 2010. Overall in 2011, there were 45 vessels hijacked, 176 vessels boarded, 113 vessels fired upon and 105 reported attempted attacks. Eight crewmembers were killed throughout the year, the same number as 2010.

Somali pirates continue to account for more than half the attacks. But while the overall number of Somali incidents increased from 219 in 2010 to 237 in 2011, the number of successful hijackings decreased from 49 to 28.

Somali pirate attacks were concentrated within the juncture of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden. However, 2011 marked the first hijacking by Somali pirates of an anchored vessel, which occurred in Oman’s Salalah port when pirates hijacked tanker Fairchem Bogey. http://breakbulk.com/piracy/bold-pirates-hijack-anchored-vessel The pirates released the vessel and its crew of 21 sailors earlier this month.

The IMB report said overall figures for Somali piracy could have been much higher if it were not for the continued efforts of international naval forces. In the fourth quarter of 2011 alone, pre-emptive strikes by international navies disrupted at least 20 pirate action groups before they could become a threat to commercial fleets. The fourth quarter of 2010 saw 90 incidents and 19 vessels hijacked; in 2011, those numbers fell to 31 and four, respectively.

The IMB attributes the decrease to pre-emptive naval strikes, the hardening of vessels in line with best management practices and the deterrent effect of privately armed guards.

Photo shows Indian tanker Fairchem Bogey that was released from Somali pirate control on Jan. 12, 2012, for US$8 million ransom. Courtesy of EU NAVFOR.