News
In the first nine months of 2024, reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery fell to the lowest levels since 1994, according to the latest report by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB)’s Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC). Despite the lowest reported incidents in three decades, IMB and its Piracy Reporting Centre warns that crew safety remains at risk.
The IMB reported 79 incidents for the period of January-September, down from 99 incidents in the same period last year. This marks a significant overall reduction and the lowest reported numbers since 1994.
From January to September, 62 vessels were boarded, six were hijacked while nine faced attempted attacks and two were fired upon. In 86% of the incidents, perpetrators successfully gained access to the vessel with most incidents occurring at night.
Violence towards crew members remains concerning, with 111 crew taken hostage, 11 kidnapped and three threatened. Perpetrators were armed with weapons, guns, and knives in 45 of the reported incidents.
