IMB Reports Record-Low Piracy Figures but Warns of Somali Resurgence

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) of the ICC reported that between January and September 2026, 51 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were recorded worldwide, the lowest figure for that period since 1992. The number represents a sharp drop from the 116 cases reported in the same period of 2025.

Of the total cases, 36 vessels were boarded, eight were hijacked, four were fired upon, and there were three attempted boardings. In 86% of incidents, perpetrators managed to gain access to the vessels, mostly during nighttime hours, and weapons were detected in 53% of cases. Despite the overall decline in incidents, the number of crew members directly affected rose to 105, compared with 72 in the same period of 2025.

The report highlights a resurgence of Somali pirate activity, responsible for all eight hijackings recorded globally and 94% of crew members taken hostage worldwide. Most of the hijacked vessels were released with their crews reported safe, although Puntland authorities reported in late September that five crew members died and another five were injured before the release of the Palau-flagged tanker Honour 25, hijacked on April 21, 2026. The IMB noted that this activity is not comparable in scale or scope to the deep-water piracy that characterized the 2008-2013 period off the coast of Somalia. IMB Director Michael Howlett stated that the recent increase in Somali piracy is a reminder that the threat persists despite historically low incident levels, and emphasized that strict compliance with the Best Management Practices (BMP) remains one of the most effective measures to deter hijackings and protect crews.

The Gulf of Guinea recorded just two incidents between January and September 2026, with no cases in the final quarter of the period, which the IMB attributed to sustained efforts by coastal states. In the Singapore Strait, incidents fell to 13, down from 73 in the same period of 2025, although risks persist: two crew members were taken hostage, another two were threatened, and one was injured, with firearms or knives present in more than 69% of cases and all attacked vessels successfully boarded.

In the Indonesian archipelago, six incidents were reported, down from nine in the same period of 2025, with weapons detected in one case and one crew member taken hostage. The Philippines, by contrast, showed an increase with nine anchored vessels boarded, six in Manila and three in Batangas, compared with no incidents recorded in the first nine months of 2025; two crew members were taken hostage and weapons were reported in five of the cases.

According to additional data cited by Baird Maritime, the IMB had recorded 137 incidents worldwide during all of 2025, compared with 116 in 2024, of which the Singapore Strait accounted for 80 cases.