by Mattia Micheli, SeaNewsEditor

The Ocean is not mankind's natural habitat. Despite this, many human civilisations grew close to the sea, some even becoming “Ocean nomads,” such as the Hoklo in China, the Bajau in the Philippines, and the Maori in New Zealand. 

The necessity of transporting goods across the seas has historically contributed to shaping global power balances and continues to do so today. In addition, the growth of sophisticated technologies has mitigated the challenges of operating in the ocean environment. 

Simultaneously, the invention of sophisticated tools, the growing importance of naval trade, and the legal status of the ocean as res nullius (things belonging to no one) have transformed the seas into zones of competition, often violently. 

Since the creation of merchant marines, piracy has resulted in individuals attempting to steal merchandise. 

In people's imagination, piracy is often linked to scenes from the early 18th-century Gulf of Mexico involving figures like Benjamin Hornigold, Edward "Blackbeard" Teach, and Captain James Kidd. However, it's a much older phenomenon—consider that Caius Julius Caesar was once captured by pirates. 

The question is: does piracy still exist today? 

Piracy in modern times 

Unfortunately, piracy still exists in the age of containerised trade. It’s especially common in the Global South, where the poorest states, with inefficient navies, struggle to combat it effectively. 

Until the 19th-century, the target raided a vessel to steal the goods. Modern piracy differs from the past; stealing an entire container requires specific equipment, such as cranes or large vessels, which are tactically challenging to use in such scenarios. Even discharging containers to transfer stolen goods onto small pirate boats is time-consuming and difficult to resell.  

Straight of Singapore 

According to the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ship in Asia (ReCAAP) data, piracy attacks are most common in the Strait of Singapore.  

These robberies occur mainly at night, with small boats, by less organised gangs. The target isn’t hijacking the crew but stealing small-value objects.  

Gulf of Guinea 

The West African Coast has seen a positive impact from the close international cooperation across the area during the last few years. 

Data reported by the International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB PRC) reports that the attacks were 46% less in 2021 than in 2022. 

However, hijacking and theft are still common, indicating that the oceans close to the Gulf of Guinea are far from considered safe for naval trade. 

Horn of Africa 

Somali piracy is perhaps the most famous in modern piracy, thanks to movies like “Captain Philips”. 

In the waters off Somalia, the inefficiency of local navies allowed a “golden age” of piracy, now being countered by missions sponsored by the EU and the US. 

Despite this, the current situation in Somalia remains complicated, with four many groups of pirates in front of the East Coast of Africa.  

• The NVCG (National Volunteer Coast Guard) is focused on robberies. The victims are small boats close to the city of Kismayu in the southern part of the country. 
• The Marka group is composed of a few poorly equipped elements without a sophisticated organisation. It operates close to the city of Marka, a few miles north of Kismayu.  
• The Puntland group consists mainly of poorly trained and organised fishermen from the separatist region of Puntland. 
• The Somali Marines: they’re probably the most organised, with a paramilitary structure, ranking officers, and sophisticated tactics. They have advanced technology and training. 

As proof of how that area can still be dangerous, since November 2023, there have been recorded 20 hijackings or attempted hijackings in the Somalian Gulf.

The resurgence of this phenomenon may be linked to the region's new situation, with its old and new security issues and development problems. 

South America 

The pirate crews in South America are less common and organised than elsewhere. Nevertheless, they are often more armed and violent. 

According to IMB PRC, piracy significantly decreased in South America between 2017 and 2022.  

However, even if piracy in South America is declining, the problem of armed robberies still exists, and the pirates tend to be heavily armed and violent. Most accidents tend to take place during the night and when the vessels are anchored. 

For instance, in 2022, seven crews were taken hostage by pirates in South America, highlighting the ongoing dangers for navigation in areas such as the anchorages of Callao in Peru and Macapoa in Brazil.

Despite the downward attack trend, piracy remains a security concern in this region.

Piracy in 2024

In a recent report, the IMB revealed a significant drop in piracy and armed robbery incidents in the first nine months of 2024, reaching the lowest level since 1994.

There were 79 incidents, down from 99 in the same period last year. Among these, 62 ships were boarded, six were hijacked, and nine attempted attacks occurred.

Despite this reduction, the IMB warns that ship crew safety remains a concern.