A renewed threat surfaced over the weekend, adding to the pressure the shipping industry currently faces, after reports of fresh hijackings and attempted boardings off Somalia.

On 26 April, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said a cargo ship located northeast of Garacad, Somalia, had been hijacked and redirected into Somali territorial waters.

A few days earlier, on 21 April, reports confirmed the seizure of tanker Honour 25, when six gunmen boarded the vessel and later manoeuvred it south into Somali territorial waters.

Shortly after, the UKMTO also recorded the hijacking of a Somali-flagged fishing vessel on 23 April.

Against that backdrop, an advisory note from the Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC) updated the threat level for the Somali Coast and Somali Basin to “Substantial”. The notice referred to an active Pirate Action Group and cited the three incidents happening within 72 hours.

Shipping analysts noted that these incidents are unfolding at a particularly challenging juncture for regional maritime security.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, combined with heightened risks associated with transiting the Suez Canal, is adding further complexity to the operating environment.

A rise in piracy incidents could place additional constraints on the free movement of vessels along the African coastline.