It is necessary to buy international logistics insurance – the risk of piracy is increasing
In 2023, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the shipping industry has diminished, but the complex international political landscape and piracy activities continue to disrupt the operational ecosystem of the maritime sector. Recently, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) released its 2023 annual maritime security report.
According to information from the piracy and armed robbery module of the IMO’s Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS), the IMO received reports of 150 piracy and armed robbery incidents in 2023. In comparison, 131 incidents were reported in 2022, marking an approximate 15% increase in security incidents worldwide in 2023.
As shown in the figure, the regions with the highest number of piracy and armed robbery incidents in 2023 are the Strait of Malacca and Singapore (85 incidents), West Africa (22 incidents), the South China Sea (14 incidents), and the South Pacific Ocean (14 incidents). These are followed by the Indian Ocean (5 incidents), the Caribbean Sea (4 incidents), the Arabian Sea (2 incidents), East Africa (2 incidents), the South Atlantic Ocean (1 incident), and the Mediterranean Sea (1 incident).
Source: IMO
The IMO reported that the number of incidents in the Gulf of Guinea (West Africa) in 2023 increased by 1 compared to the 21 reported in 2022, representing an increase of approximately 5%. In 2023, the number of incidents involving hostage-taking/kidnapping of crew members increased by 3 to a total of 5 incidents, with 68 crew members reported as hostages/kidnapped. Approximately 18% of incidents in this region occurred in international waters, while 82% occurred in port areas.
The incidents in the Strait of Malacca and Singapore increased from 72 reported in 2022 to 85 in 2023. About 74% of the incidents in this region targeted vessels transiting the straits, whereas globally, about 47% of attacks targeted vessels underway in 2023.
In the South China Sea, the number of incidents increased by 10 from the 4 reported to the IMO in 2022, a 250% increase, but this is similar to the 15 incidents reported in the same period in 2021.
The total number of piracy and armed robbery incidents in Latin America and the Caribbean decreased by 5 compared to the 24 reported in 2022. This total includes incidents in the Latin American Pacific region, which remained at 14, while incidents in the Latin American Atlantic region decreased by 5 to 1 in 2023. The number of incidents in the Caribbean remained consistent with the 4 reported in 2022.
Data shows that the total number of crew members hijacked/kidnapped in 2023 remains at 92, an increase from the 24 crew members in 2022. It is reported that approximately 74% of the crew members hijacked/kidnapped in 2023 were in incidents occurring in West Africa. According to the IMO’s statistics, vessels transiting these high-frequency incident areas should remain vigilant, and crew members should be mentally prepared in advance. Appropriate preventive measures should be implemented, especially in areas prone to attacks, to effectively ensure maritime safety.
From 1984 to the end of December 2023, the total number of reported actual or attempted piracy and armed robbery incidents to the IMO has risen to 8,868.
