In the first quarter of this year, acts of piracy against There were 33 ships compared to 27 in the corresponding period of 2019. 2023. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB), in its latest report Quarterly Report on Accidents, reports that in the first three months of 2019, the 24 ships boarded in 2024, as well as in the same last year, while two ships were seized (one in the first quarter of 2023) and one ship was subject to of gunshots. In addition, 35 seafarers from the crews of the Attacked ships were taken hostage, nine were kidnapped and a seafarer was threatened.

The report highlights a worrying resurgence of Somali piracy, with attacks leading to the seizure of two ships, boarding a ship, attempting to board of a unit and the explosion of gunfire at a ship. The IMB specified that all of these incidents were attributed to Somali pirates who targeted ships in sailing at a great distance from the Somali coast. In particular, the On 12 March, a bulk carrier was attacked while it was in about 550 nautical miles from Mogadishu while underway from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates and the 23 crew members They were taken hostage by over 20 Somali pirates.

"The resumption of Somali pirate activity," he said. the Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Commerce Commerce, John Denton - is worrisome and now more than It is never essential to protect trade, safeguard the seafarers and the safety of seafarers who keep moving trade. All measures must be taken. stressed - in order to ensure the free and uninterrupted flow of of goods through international supply chains'.

In this regard, the IMB praised several timely actions authorities, including a 40-hour operation conducted on March 15 by the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean which is culminated in the capture of 35 Somali pirates and the release of a previously seized vessel and its 17 crew members. In addition, at the end of January, the Seychelles Coast Guard intervened to rescue a seized fishing boat and its six crew members, which led to the arrest of three suspected Somali pirates.

On the other hand, the number of accidents is relatively low occurred in the waters of the Gulf of Guinea, with six reported accidents in the region in the first quarter of 2024 compared to five in the same period last year.

Finally, the report points to an increase in low-level incidents. level in the waters of Bangladesh and the Singapore Strait, However, these attacks continue to pose a threat to the safety of the crews, with five seafarers taken hostage in Three separate incidents occurred in January.