Commercial shipping is once again facing growing concern over piracy off Somalia after two vessels were hijacked in less than a week.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported that a cargo ship located around 6 nautical miles northeast of Garacad, Somalia, had been taken over by unauthorised persons and redirected into Somali territorial waters.
The incident followed the hijacking of the Palau-flagged tanker Honour 25 on 21 April. According to reports cited by security officials, the tanker was taken by six gunmen around 30 nautical miles offshore Somalia while carrying 17 crew and a cargo of 18,500 barrels of oil.
UKMTO said the tanker had been moved south within Somali territorial waters after being taken over.
Following the second hijacking, UKMTO warned of increased pirate activity and advised vessels in the area to transit with caution and report any suspicious movements.
The Joint Maritime Information Center has raised its threat level for the Somali Coast and Somali Basin to “substantial”, meaning an attack is considered a strong possibility.
JMIC also reported the hijacking of a Somali-flagged fishing vessel near Xaafuun on 23 April and an attempted armed boarding around 83 nautical miles off Eyl, indicating possible Pirate Action Group activity in the Somali Basin.
Somali piracy was a major threat to international shipping between 2008 and 2011, peaking in 2011 with more than 200 reported attacks in the region. At the time, pirates typically hijacked vessels and held crews for ransom.
A resurgence would come at an already difficult moment for shipping, with the region facing multiple maritime security risks linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the US naval blockade in the Arabian Sea and wider instability around the Gulf and Red Sea.
