Muhammad Abbas Hassan
Maritime transport is the backbone of international trade and the global economy. Around 80 percent of global trade by volume and over 70 percent of global trade by value are carried by sea and are handled by ports worldwide. These shares are even higher in the case of most developing countries.
However, Maritime piracy affects major shipping lanes and puts at risk the lives of seafarers and merchant seamen from all over the world, of whom hundreds are taken as captives every year. Piracy tactics have centered on hijackings and kidnappings in order to obtain large ransoms. As a consequence, millions of dollars are paid in ransom payments to pirates.
The multiple incidents of large-scale piracy incidents near the Somalian coast prompted the world navies to form coalitions against the menace. The international efforts have yielded drastic results and a global trend of decline in maritime piracy is witnessed.
In its annual report, International Maritime Bureau (IMB) stated that a total of 180 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships took place in 2017. In 2016 the number of reported incidents was 191. This year’s numbers are the lowest since 1995 when 188 reports were received. Out of the 180 vessels attacked, 42 were product/chemical tankers, 38 bulk carrier, 23 container ships and 77 of the vessels fall under the miscellaneous category. Furthermore, 136 vessels were boarded, 6 were hijacked, 22 were attempted attacks that were deterred and 16 vessels were fired upon.
The report further highlights that a total of 175 personal became victims of the piracy incidents out of which 91 crew members were taken hostage, 75 were kidnapped, 6 men were injured and 3 lost their lives.
Building upon the report, it is easy to deduce that despite declining trends in numbers, there are areas that remain vulnerable like the Gulf of Guinea, off Somalia and around Southeast Asia due to the Maritime blindness.
Even though the year 2017 witnessed an overall drop of piracy events, Asia, on the other hand, is seeing an increase in the number of incidents. The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) in its annual report for 2017 highlighted that there was a 19 percent increase in the number of incidents over 2016 figures. This is in line with the report released by IMB which indicated the Asian region as a global hotspot for maritime piracy.
In a statement released by ReCAAP ISC it was stated that “While the number of incidents in 2017 continues to be among the lowest in the past decade, the increase that occurred over the last year is a reminder that there is no room for complacency in the fight against piracy and armed robbery against ships, and underscores the need for enhanced vigilance among all stakeholders,”
With the global numbers declining and the maritime incident numbers rising in Asia, it should be alarming for the whole region. With China working on it magnum opus Belt Road initiative and India Japan joining hands for their Asia – Africa Growth Corridor, one thing is clear that safe oceans with no room for maritime blindness are the key to put an end to piracy. Unless this is done on priority bases, the ocean will remain home to pirates.