We have obtained the attached piracy and armed robbery report for the January – September 2022 from International Maritime Bureau (IMB) as well as the below summary. For details, please refer to the attached information from IMB.

 

According to IMB, Ninety vessels have reported incidents to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre in the first nine month of 2022. Under the definitions of piracy and armed robbery at sea, 85 vessels were boarded, four reported attempted attacks, and one vessel hijacked.

 

Thirty-eight crews were directly affected in these 90 attacks, with 27 taken hostage, six crew assaulted and five threatened.

 

The majority of the successful incidents were reported while vessels were anchored.

Status when Attacked	ATTEMPTED	BOARDED	HIJACKED	Grand Total
ANCHORED	3	37		40
BERTHED	1	12		13
STEAMING		36	1	37
Grand Total	4	85	1	90

 

Regions where incidents reported.

Region	ATTEMPTED	BOARDED	HIJACKED	Grand Total
AFRICA	1	2		3
(Gulf of Guinea)	1	11	1	13
AMERICA	1	17		18
INDIAN SUB-CONT		8		8
SE ASIA	1	47		48
Grand Total	4	85	1	90

Gulf of Guinea

Reported incidents in the Gulf of Guinea continue to be at an all-time low with zero crew reported kidnapped. While the decline is welcome, the sustained and continued efforts of the coastal authorities and the presence of the international navies is essential to safeguard seafarers and long-term regional and international shipping and trade. The IMB continues to encourage all crews to adhere to the industry best practices while in these waters and report all incidents in as timely a manner as possible.

 

A total of 13 incidents have been reported in the first nine months of 2022 – of these 11 are under the definition of armed robbery and two viewed as piracy.

 

Asia (Singapore Straits)

Thirty-one incidents were reported in these waters – an increase over the previous two years. In all the reported incidents the vessels were boarded successfully while underway and during the hours of darkness. The incidents are low level and opportunistic in nature, however reports indicate the perpetrators are armed with knives or guns and crews continue to remain at risk. Several vessels boarded were over 100,000 DWT with one being over 300,000 DWT adding to the risk of incidents occurring in one of the worlds most congested waterway.

 

Bangladesh

Bulk carriers and tankers reported incidents while they were berthed or at anchor. The coastal authorities were responsive and were able to retrieve and return to the vessels the stolen properties. Vessels are encouraged to keep a good look out while in these waters and report incidents to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre as soon as possible.

 

Caribbean, Central and South America

The number of reports from Callao anchorage in Peru has dropped from 15 in the first nine months of 2021 to eight in the same period of 2022. Additionally, five incidents have been reported at Macapa Anchorage, Brazil, including one on 30 August, where six security guards and duty crews were assaulted and tied up by perpetrators who boarded an anchored bulk carrier.