State of Piracy 2019

THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2019 | i
2019
REPORT
Supported by the Global Maritime Crime Programme

(GMCP) of UNODC.
2019
Author:
Lydelle Joubert
Design & Layout:

Liz Allen
For Comments and Questions on the Report:

[email protected]
Citation:
The State of Maritime Piracy 2019, One Earth Future, Broomfield CO, USA 2020
Supported by the Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) of UNODC.
Cover photo by Ministry of Defence Spain.

Boarding team from Spanish Navy Patrol Boat SERVIOLA (P71) boarding hijacked vessel Blue Marlin off the coast of Equatorial Guinea in May 2019.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................... IV
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................... 1
Data Sources.......................................................................................................................................1
State Of Maritime Piracy 2019: Incident Types..........................................................................1
PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS

IN EAST AFRICA 2019............................................................................ 3
Main Messages...................................................................................................................................3
Overview: East Africa Incidents......................................................................................................4
Overview: East Africa Human Cost...............................................................................................5
Al-Shabab............................................................................................................................................. 7
Conflict in Yemen...............................................................................................................................7
Eritrea....................................................................................................................................................7
Iran–KSA Coalition Conflict.............................................................................................................7
Robbery and Attempted Robbery at Ports and Anchorages....................................................8
Siraj Hostages......................................................................................................................................8
Prosecutions........................................................................................................................................8
The UNODC’s Global Maritime Crime Programme in East Africa..........................................8

IN WEST AFRICA 2019. . ......................................................................... 9
Main Messages...................................................................................................................................9
Overview: West Africa Incidents....................................................................................................10
Overview: West Africa Human Cost..............................................................................................11
West Africa: Crew Held Hostage....................................................................................................12
Trends: West Africa............................................................................................................................12
Hijacking ..............................................................................................................................................12
Kidnapping...........................................................................................................................................13
Robberies at Ports and Anchorages...............................................................................................15
Arrests And Prosecutions.................................................................................................................17
Robbery of Boats in Rivers State ...................................................................................................17
PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN ASIA 2019............ 18

Main Messages...................................................................................................................................18
Overview: Incidents in Asia 2019..................................................................................................19
Overview: Asia Human Cost............................................................................................................20
Kidnapping in the Sulu Sea..............................................................................................................21
Kidnapping in the Bangladeshi Sundarbans.................................................................................22
Robbery and Attempted Robbery in the Singapore and Malacca Straits..............................22
Robbery and Attempted Robbery at Anchorages.......................................................................23
Arrests...................................................................................................................................................23
iv | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2019
PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2019.................................... 24
Main Messages...................................................................................................................................24
Overview: Incidents in Latin America and the Caribbean 2019.............................................25
Overview: Latin America and the Caribbean Human Cost.......................................................26
Trends....................................................................................................................................................27
Kidnapping of Fishermen in Trinidad.............................................................................................27
Engine Theft in Trinidad....................................................................................................................27
Attacks on Fishermen off Guyana and Suriname........................................................................27
Attacks off Mexico ........................................................................................................................... 27
Robbery and Attempted Robbery at Anchorages.......................................................................28
Yacht Incidents....................................................................................................................................28
ENDNOTES................................................................................................... 30
THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2019 | v
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• IN 2019, THE GULF OF GUINEA REMAINED THE AREA WORST AFFECTED BY PIRACY AND MARITIME
ROBBERY OF VESSELS WORLDWIDE. Although the number of incidents decreased from 2018, a 60 percent increase
in the number of crew members kidnapped was reported in 2019, with a total of 164.
• The Yemeni-flagged fishing dhow Al Azham was hijacked to be used as a mothership in an attack on fishing vessels off
the coast of Somalia in April 2019. EUNAVFOR intercepted the hijacked dhow, arrested the pirates, and released the 23
hostages onboard. The hijacking underlined that THE THREAT OF PIRACY OFF SOMALIA IS NOT ERADICATED,
ONLY SUPPRESSED.
• THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN REMAINED THE SAME IN 2019 AS IN
2018. Violent kidnapping and armed robbery incidents against fishing vessels, yachts, and a cargo vessel were reported
in Guyana, Trinidad, and Panama, and included the murders of four fishermen and one captain of a motor yacht. Several
crew members were also seriously injured, and female crew were sexually assaulted.
• KIDNAPPINGS OF CREW ON FISHING VESSELS BY ABU SAYYAF AND ASSOCIATED GROUPS CONTINUED
IN THE SULU SEA, as did kidnappings off the Bangladeshi portion of the Sundarbans by criminal gangs. Robbery and
attempted robbery of commercial vessels, but especially of tugs towing barges, increased in the Straits of Malacca and
Singapore in 2019, with 34 reported incidents.
OVERVIEW OVERVIEW
TOTAL INCIDENTS OF TOTAL SEAFARERS
PIRACY/ROBBERY BY REGION EXPOSED TO
(2019) PIRACY/ROBBERY (2019)
[12] East Africa

[270] East Africa
[98] West Africa
[1,689] West Africa
[89] Asia
[1,503] Asia
[84] Latin America &
[783] Latin America &
the Caribbean
the Caribbean
THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2019 | 1
INTRODUCTION
At the time of writing, the world is in turmoil due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The shipping industry has been impacted in a
myriad of ways. Thousands of seafarers, unable to disembark for crew changes, are languishing at sea. Seafarers are only paid
while on contract, and when their contracts inevitably end and they are forced into lockdowns, they and their families lose
income. Hundreds of elderly passengers on cruise ships have been infected, leading to several deaths during quarantines outside
ports, while port authorities around the world refuse to allow vessels to dock. With less demand for goods, all vessels have been
impacted, from oil tankers to container ships. The only thing that does not seem to be affected is the threat of maritime piracy and
armed robbery of ships. Kidnapping of crew members continues in the Gulf of Guinea and the Sulu Sea, as does robbery on ships
in the Straits of Singapore and Malacca and at anchorages around the world.
The State of Maritime Piracy 2019 marks the tenth year that One Earth Future Foundation has assessed the human cost of maritime
piracy. Over the last ten years the report has evolved from being first a project of Oceans Beyond Piracy to now belonging to the
Stable Seas program. Our focus has expanded from piracy off the coast of Somalia to piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, Southeast Asia,
and finally Latin America and the Caribbean. What has remained constant is our goal to explain and quantify the magnitude of
these crimes and the profound impact piracy and armed robbery of ships have had on stakeholders and, most importantly, its
victims, and our belief that ending violence at sea is possible.
HISTORICAL VIEW OF PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY 2010 TO 2018
Stable Seas wishes to acknowledge and thank our funding partner, the Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) at the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, for their contribution to The State of Maritime Piracy 2019. The Stable Seas program is grateful
to have the excellent support and cooperation of the GMCP.
Data Sources
Incident data were collected from several sources which included maritime authorities and other maritime role-players as well as
media reports. We’d like to give special thanks to the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau (ICC’s
IMB), the International Maritime Organization, and the information center of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating
Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia, from whom most of the information was derived. Den Norske Krigsforsikring for
Skib and independent sources also contributed incident data to the Stable Seas dataset.
State Of Maritime Piracy 2019: Incident Types

Hijacking
Ships are hijacked to ransom crew; to steal the oil cargo, ship stores, or crew possessions; or to use the vessel as a mothership in
the hijackings of other vessels. Hijacking for cargo theft often requires complicity of a variety of actors. Ships carrying petroleum
products are targeted and attacked. Once the vessel is hijacked, the crew is often forced to navigate to a remote location where
parts of the cargo are transferred to a smaller tanker or a storage facility on land. The stolen cargo is then sold on the black market
or blended with legitimate refined products.
2 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2019
DEFINITION OF PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS, 1982: 61) defines piracy as:
(a) any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers
of a private ship or a private aircraft, and directed:
(i) on the high seas, against another ship or aircraft, or against persons or property on board such ship or aircraft;
(ii) against a ship, aircraft, persons or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any State;
(b) any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship
or aircraft;
(c) any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described in subparagraph (a) or (b).
Resolution A.1025(26) (Annex, paragraph 2.2) on IMO’s Code of Practice for the investigation of the Crimes of Piracy and Armed
Robbery Against Ships defines armed robbery against ships as:
(a) any illegal act of violence or detention or any act of depredation, or threat thereof, other than an act of piracy, committed
for private ends and directed against a ship or against persons or property on board such a ship, within a State’s internal waters,
archipelagic waters and territorial sea;
(b) any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described above.
Kidnapping
In West Africa and Asia, perpetrators board ships with intent to kidnap crew members. Hostages are taken to land, where they are
held during ransom negotiations. Off the coast of Somalia, pirates steer hijacked vessels toward a coastline where they will hold
both the vessel and its crew captive for an extended period of time until a ransom is paid. Somali pirates have also been known
to use motherships to launch attacks farther out at sea. Private armed security teams (PASTs) on vessels, patrols by local and
international actors, and efforts on land have had positive effects in combating the crime.
Armed Robbery
Armed robbery occurs when perpetrators are reportedly armed and attempt to steal ship stores and/or crew belongings. These
incidents can occur on ships that are underway or anchored, both at anchorages or ports and at sea. In West Africa, failed hijackings
or kidnap-for-ransom attacks may also lead to armed robberies.
Robbery
Robbery describes incidents where the perpetrators were reportedly unarmed and attempted to steal ship stores and/or crew
belongings. This type of incident frequently occurs aboard ships that are at anchor or drifting close to a port or anchorage. These
instances in general pose a minor threat to the crew.
Failed Attack/Boarding
Failed attacks and boardings refer to incidents in which pirates or armed robbers were thwarted by self-protective actions taken
by crew, embarked security teams, or naval intervention.
Suspicious Approaches
Suspicious approaches include cases where a ship reports a close encounter or a direct approach from another vessel which is
threatening in nature. The perceived threat is determined by the ship’s master or PAST based on the actions of the approaching
vessel, or from observation of weapons or ladders.

IN EAST AFRICA 2019
MAIN MESSAGES
• Twelve incidents of piracy and robbery of ships were recorded in East Africa in 2019. One incident of hijacking was reported, during
which the Yemeni fishing dhow Al Azham was hijacked to be used as a mothership in attacks on two other fishing vessels, both of
which were unsuccessful.
• Seven incidents of robbery and attempted robbery at ports and anchorages were reported: three at Nacala Anchorages,
Mozambique; two at Kandla Port and Anchorage, India; one at Port of Diego Suarez in Antsiranana, Madagascar; and one at
Mbaraki Wharf in Mombasa, Kenya.
• Suspicious approaches reported in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden are often not linked to piracy; rather, they are
more closely associated with the conflict in Yemen, fishing vessels and trolling skiffs operating in the area, and smuggling activity.
• Several other maritime security incidents unrelated to piracy were reported in this region in 2019. An attack on a fishing whaler
southwest of Mogadishu was claimed by al-Shabab. Vessels were intercepted and detained by Eritrean forces and the Houthis
in the southern Red Sea, and by Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz. The Houthis also used remotely controlled water-borne
improvised explosive devices against Saudi vessels, and sea mines in their port approaches. Tankers sustained damage from
explosions in the Gulf of Oman and allegedly in the Red Sea, which were related to the conflict between Iran and the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia coalition.
IRAN
PA K I S TA N
Q ATA R
INDIA
UAE
SAUDI
ARABIA OMAN
SUDAN
YEMEN
ERITREA
DJIBOUTI
MARITIME SECURITY
INCIDENTS IN EAST AFRICA,
2019
SOMALIA Piracy and Armed Robbery
Al Shabab Attacks
Seizures - Eritrea
K E N YA
WBEID & Mines - Houthi
Vessels Detained - Houthis
Mines & Explosive Devices
Seizures - Iran
TA N Z A N I A
MOZAMBIQUE
MADAGASCAR
EAST
EAST AFRICA
EAST
AFRICA INCIDENTS
AFRICA OVERVIEW
INCIDENTS
INCIDENTS OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW: EAST AFRICA INCIDENTS
EAST
EAST AFRICA
AFRICA EAST
EAST AFRICA
EAST AFRICA
AFRICA EAST AFRICA
EAST AFRICA
TOTAL INCIDENTS OF PIRACY/ROBBERY
PIRACY/ROBBERY
PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS
INCIDENTS
INCIDENTS PIRACY/ROBBERY
INCIDENTS
PIRACY/ROBBERY BY TYPE (2019)
BY TYPE
BY TYPE (2019)
(2019) BY LOCATION
BY LOCATION (2019)
(2019)
(2015 - 2019)
12 TOTAL 12 TOTAL
INCIDENTS
INCIDENTS
[5] Robbery
[5] Robbery [10] Territorial
[4] Failed
[4] Failed Attack
Attack [2] International
[16] 2015 [2] Armed Robbery
[2] Armed Robbery
[27] 2016 [5] Robbery
[1] Hijacking
[1] Hijacking
[54] 2017 [4] Failed Attack
[10][9]Territorial
2018 [2] Armed Robbery
[2] [12]
International EAST AFRICA
ery
2019 EAST [1] Hijacking
AFRICA
BY VESSEL TYPE (2019) EAST AFRICA
EAST AFRICA EAST AFRICA EAST AFRICA
BY VESSEL MOVEMENT (2019)
PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS ROBBERY & ATTEMPTED
BY VESSEL MOVEMENT (2019) BY VESSEL TYPE (2019) ROBBERIES AT PORTS/
DENTS ANCHORAGES (2019)
19)
12 TOTAL
12 TOTAL INCIDENTS
INCIDENTS
7 TOTAL
INCIDENTS
[5] Anchored [6] Tanker

[3] Steaming [2] Fishing Vessel [3] Nacala Anchorages,
[1] Bulk Carrier Mozambique
l [2] Berthed
[1] Cargo Vessel [2] Kandla Port &
[2] Drifting Anchorage, India
[1] OSV
[1] Port of Diego,
[1] Dhow Antsiranana,
Madagascar
[1] Mbaraki Wharf,
Mombasa, Kenya
[112] Robbery
[100] Failed Attack
[35] Armed Robbery
OVERVIEW: EAST AFRICA HUMAN[23]
COST
Hijacking
EAST AFRICA HUMAN COST
EAST AFRICA EAST AFRICA EAST AFRICA

TOTAL SEAFARERS SEAFARERS EXPOSED TO
KNOWN NATIONALITIES of Seafarers Exposed to
EXPOSED TO PIRACY/ROBBERY
Piracy/Armed RobberyIncidents (2019)
EAST AFRICA
PIRACY/ROBBERY BY INCIDENT TYPE (2019)
(2015 - 2019)
INVOLVING WEAPONS (2019)
India
57%
es 12%
Yemen
23%
101
Philippin
rers
[306] 2015
Seafa
[306] 2015
[545] 2016
[545] 2016
[1,102] 2017
Russia 4% [1,102] 2017
[175] 2018
[270] 2019 EAST AFRICA Romania 3% [175] 2018
EAST AFRICA
EAST HUMAN
AFRICA HUMANCOST
COST Sri Lanka 1% [270] 2019
EAST AFRICA
EAST AFRICA
EAST AFRICA EAST
EASTAFRICA
AFRICA EAST AFRICA
S SEAFARERS
SEAFARERS EXPOSED
EXPOSED TOTO SEAFARERSEXPOSED
SEAFARERS EXPOSEDTOTO PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS
PIRACY/ROBBERY
PIRACY/ROBBERY PIRACY/ROBBERYVIOLENCE
PIRACY/ROBBERY VIOLENCE INVOLVING WEAPONS (2019)
BY INCIDENT
BY INCIDENT TYPE
TYPE (2019)
(2019) (2019)
(2019)
270 TOTAL 83 12
SEAFARERS SEAFARERS INCIDENTS
[112] Robbery [60] Threatened

[112] Robbery
[100] Failed Attack [3] Guns
[23] Hostages (Long Term)
[100]
[35]Failed
ArmedAttack
Robbery [9] Unknown
[35][23]
Armed Robbery
Hijacking
[23] Hijacking
EAST AFRICA
EAST AFRICA EAST AFRICA
CREW HELD HOSTAGE BY SHIP, NUMBER, AND LENGTH OF TIME (2019)
SHIP NAME: Ship Type
SIRAJ*: Fishing Dhow

AL AZHAM: Fishing Dhow
25 20 15 10 5 0 500 1000 1500 2000
Number of Crew Number of Days in Captivity

Kidnapped/Held Hostage
*Siraj hijacking took place 03/23/2015
Piracy in the Western Indian Ocean

PERCENTAGE OF PRIVATE ARMED
On 1 May 2019, the geographical boundaries of the high-risk area had been SECURITY TEAMS DEPLOYED ON
amended by the Round Table of international shipping associations and the Oil SHIPS IN 2019, BY REGION
Companies International Marine Forum to reflect the current threat level off the
coast of Somalia.1 Masters of ships are encouraged to continue to implement best 48%
Private Armed Security
Teams Deployed
management practices (BMP5) for mitigating security threats in the region.2
Private Armed Security
RED
Teams Not Deployed
The hijacking of the Yemeni fishing dhow Al Azham3 on 19 April was the only hijacking SEA 52%
reported off the coast of Somalia in 2019. Five armed men hijacked Al Azham near
the village of Cadale, northeast of Mogadishu, Somalia. Two days later the Al Azham
was used as a mothership in an attack on the Korean fishing vessel Adria 242 nm 33% GULF
southeast of Mogadishu. Adria was approached by two skiffs, each of which had OF ADEN
eight to ten men on board who were armed with automatic weapons and RPGs.
The fishing vessel Txori Argi came to Adria’s defense, after which the pirates fired on 67%
72%
them. The PAST on board Txori Argi returned fire, which led to the pirates’ retreat.
28%
ARABIAN
EUNAVFOR dispatched a maritime patrol aircraft and conducted a search in the SEA
area, identifying Al Azham as the mothership. On 23 April, EUNAVFOR’s flagship

ESPS Navarra intercepted Al Azham and apprehended five suspected pirates. The
23 hostages aboard Al Azham were subsequently released.4 The suspects were INDIAN
50%
transferred to Seychellois authorities on 25 April 2019,5 in accordance with a transfer OCEAN
agreement between Seychelles and the European Union with support from the UN
26%
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), to stand trial in a court in Victoria, Seychelles.
50%
They appeared in court on 29 April 2019 and reappeared on 7 June 2019.6 Two of
SOMALI
the suspects had previously been arrested. One suspect was acquitted by the sitting COAST 74%
supreme court judge in the Seychelles and repatriated by the UNODC to Mogadishu
in December 2018. The second was convicted in the Seychelles, appealed the
conviction, and was acquitted and repatriated to Somalia.7 16%
INDIAN
COAST
Seychelles condemned the early release of 19 convicted pirates who had been
84%
sentenced in Seychelles to serve sentences of 30, 36, and 42 years for piracy. The
pirates were transferred to ‘Somaliland’ in 2012 to serve the remainders of their
Source: EU NAVFOR
On 23 April, EU NAVFOR’s flagship ESPS NAVARRA intercepted and boarded the hijacked dhow Al Azham. Photo: EU NAVFOR.
sentences,8 but were released in August 2019 in breach of articles 5 and 7 of the memorandum of understanding between
Somaliland and Seychelles. The Chair of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia expressed concern with regard to
the decision and emphasized the importance of upholding agreements between parties in the region to prevent piracy from once
again escalating in the Western Indian Ocean.9
Several suspicious approaches were reported in 2019 in the Gulf of Aden and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, where skiffs are often reported
to break off some attacks at great distances. Ladders are also sighted at times at unlikely distances. In the absence of aggressive
attacks or approaches, it is unlikely that these incidents are linked to piracy; rather, they are more closely associated with the
conflict in Yemen, fishing vessels operating in the area, and smuggling activity.
Several maritime security incidents linked to conflict in the region impacted vessels in the western Indian Ocean, southern Red Sea
and the Gulf of Oman in 2019.
Al-Shabab
An attack on 3 April 2019 on a fishing vessel southwest of Mogadishu, during which a fisherman was killed, was claimed by al-
Shabab.10 The Lower Shabelle area was seized by al-Shabab shortly before the attacks.11 In 2018, attacks on ships by al-Shabab
were also reported in this region. In a similar attack in July 2018 off Lower Shabelle, the landing craft Alpha Kirawira came under
mortar attack near the Port of Baraawe in Somalia.12, 13
Conflict in Yemen
In recent months, several attacks off Yemen have been linked to the conflict in Yemen. In 2019, the Houthis targeted ships in the
southern Red Sea with remotely controlled water-borne improvised explosive devices (WBIEDs) and sea mines. Seizures of vessels
by the Houthis were also reported.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)-led coalition forces reported that they intercepted and disarmed four WBIEDs launched from
Yemen by Houthi rebels on the coast north of Hodeidah. The rebels turned local speed boats into WBIEDS.14 Unconfirmed reports
also stated that Houthis launched an attack on the port of Midi, Yemen, on 12 October 2019 and that eight soldiers from the
KSA-led coalition and a reporter were killed in the attacks.15 On 17 September 2019, a marine mine was disarmed near a port in
Haimah, Hodeidah.16
The Houthis seized three vessels during two incidents. On 15 November 2019 the South Korean-flagged tug Woongjin T-1100,
towing the oil platform Woongjin G-16 with 16 crew members on board, strayed into Yemeni water due to bad weather. They were
underway from Jeddah, KSA, to Berbera, Somalia, at the time. They were seized west of Kamaran Island, northwest of Hodeidah,
by Houthi militants and taken to the port of Saleef in Yemen. On 17 November 2019, the Saudi Arabian tug Rabigh 3 was seized
west of Kamaran Island. The vessels were released on 20 November 2019.17
Eritrea
Two incidents initially reported as piracy in the southern Red Sea were connected to Eritrean forces. During the first, on 19
September 2019, the yacht Silver Moon was seized by six men in a speedboat, presumably Eritrean forces, near uninhabited Harmil
Island, Eritrea. The yacht was released shortly after.18
Piracy and robbery of ships have traditionally been very rare on the Eritrean coast as the Eritrean defense force has the highest
number of active military personnel in Africa, and although they are not substantial, does have naval patrol capabilities limited to
coastal patrol and interception operations. The UAE also has a military presence in the country.19 In the last decade, no hijackings
were reported off the coast of Eritrea, but in 2011 more than a dozen suspicious approaches and attacks where armed men fired
on vessels were reported off Assab.20 It is not clear if they were connected to Somali piracy or Yemeni forces.
In the second incident, on 30 October 2019, two fishing vessels were boarded in the southern Red Sea near Yemen.21 Some Yemeni
fishermen have licenses to fish in Eritrean waters, and Yemeni fishermen without licenses are often intercepted by Eritrea’s Coast
Guard. It is estimated that 202 Yemeni fishermen were detained in Eritrea in 2018.22
Iran–KSA Coalition Conflict

The year 2019 was earmarked by tension between Iran and KSA in the Strait of Hormuz which caught several tankers in the middle
experiencing damage by sea mines, explosions, and seizures.
On 12 May 2019, two tankers and two smaller vessels sustained damage from sea mines at the Port of Fujairah. The US blamed
Iran for the attack, while Iran denied responsibility.23
Three tankers, Front Altair, Kokuka Courageous24, and Sabiti,25 experienced explosions between June and October 2019 off Iran
and Saudi Arabia, most likely from limpet mines attached to the ships’ hulls.
Three British-owned tankers were seized off Iran by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) in 2019. The
Panamanian-flagged product tanker Riah, seized on 13 July 2019 in the Strait of Hormuz, was released on 25 July 2019. The British-
flagged tanker Stena Impero was seized on 19 July 201926 and released on 23 September 2019.27 The Liberian-flagged crude oil
tanker Mesdar was seized on 19 July 2019 and released a couple of hours later.
Robbery and Attempted Robbery at Ports and Anchorages

Seven robberies and attempted robberies at ports and anchorages were reported in the region in 2019, all resulting in minor theft. In
2019, two robberies and an attempted robbery were reported at Nacala’s outer and inner anchorages in Mozambique, where robbers
stole ships’ stores. In 2018 and 2019, incidents at these anchorages took place between 20:30 and 23:55 LT. Two or three robbers
usually approach in a small boat, boarding via the anchor chain and hawse pipe (the pipe through which an anchor cable passes).
Siraj Hostages
One of the remaining Iranian hostages from the fishing vessel Siraj was released on 21 September 2019, after years in captivity. The
Hostage Support Partnership (HSP), conducted the negotiations for his release with the local community and delivered him safely
to the Iranian Embassy in Ethiopia. The Siraj Captain had become very ill and was released on humanitarian grounds.28 The Iranian
fishing vessel Siraj, along with another fishing vessel, Jaber, had been hijacked by a criminal gang at Ceel Huur in the Mudug region
of Somalia on 23 March 2015. In August 2015, Jaber slipped its moorings and escaped. Since then, eight crew members of the Siraj
have died in captivity and eight have been released.29
Three hostages from the Siraj remain in captivity. In November 2019, the pirate group holding them, led by Karani, was attacked
by a rival group in Hobyo. According to the Hostage Support Partnership (HSP), two of the three hostages were seriously injured
during the attack. At the time of last contact with the HSP, their situation was dire. The pirates are contacting the families of the
hostages directly with ransom demands, but the families are in no financial position to pay. The International Seafarers’ Welfare
and Assistance Network are supporting the families of the hostages and supported the release of the hostage with funding for
travel from the Piracy Survivor Family Fund. 30
Prosecutions
The INTERPOL database31 of piracy suspects produced some results identifying piracy suspects arriving as refugees in Europe and the
US. One such suspect is Abdi Yusuf Hassan, who entered the US in New York on 15 September 2015.32 He was charged on 21 February
2019 in the US District Court Eastern District of New York33 with kidnapping and other counts for his alleged role in the abduction
of the journalist Michael Scott Moore, who was kidnapped in January 2012 in Somalia. Mohamed Tahlil Mohamed is listed as a co-
defendant in the case. Moore was released on 23 September 2014 on payment of a ransom. Moore was held hostage by the pirate
group on the fishing vessel Naham 3 for some time. The Naham 3 was hijacked off Hobyo, Somalia, on 26 March 2012.34
The UNODC’s Global Maritime Crime Programme in East Africa

The UNODC’s Global Maritime Crime Programme has had several initiatives in the region to counter the resurgence of piracy and to
build Somalia’s maritime law enforcement capabilities, such as training for prison officers as well as vocational training for inmates.
Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) training for Somali boarding teams in Berbera, Bosasso, and Mogadishu were also delivered.35

IN WEST AFRICA 2019
MAIN MESSAGES
• The Gulf of Guinea was the area most affected by piracy and maritime robbery worldwide in 2019. Although fewer
incidents were reported compared to 2018, a 60 percent increase in the number of crew members kidnapped was
reported in 2019. Nigeria is at the epicenter of this problem in the Gulf of Guinea, and as in recent years, kidnapped crew
members were held hostage in the Niger Delta in 2019.
• In 2019, the range of attacks with the intent to hijack vessels or kidnap crew extended from Côte d’Ivoire in the west to
Gabon in the south and as far as 170 nautical miles off the coast. Attacks were often violent: five deaths of crew members
and navy personnel were recorded.
• Four vessels were hijacked, and 164 crew members were kidnapped during 30 incidents. Crew were kidnapped from
vessels off Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria, Togo, and Cameroon. A high concentration of violent incidents was
recorded off Brass and Bonny, Nigeria, and off Idenau and Douala Anchorage, Cameroon.
• In total, 43 incidents were reported at ports and at anchorages. High numbers of incidents of robbery and attempted
robbery were also reported at Lagos Anchorages, Nigeria. Two hijackings were reported at Lomé Anchorage, Togo, and
crew members were kidnapped from anchorages at Bonny, Nigeria; Cotonou, Benin; and Douala and Limboh, Cameroon.
• In total, 26 suspects were arrested for piracy and armed robbery in the region in 2019; 8 suspects were arrested for
robbery of vessels in Nigeria and Ghana, and 18 for attempted hijacking off Equatorial Guinea and Togo.
GUINEA
BENIN
SIERRA
LEONE TOGO NIGERIA
CÔTE
D'IVOIRE GHANA
LIBERIA
CAMEROON
SÃO TOMÉ
& PRÍNCIPE GABON
E Q U AT O R I A L
GUINEA CONGO
INCIDENTS OF PIRACY AND ARMED DRC
ROBBERY OF VESSELS IN WEST
AFRICA, 2019
ANGOLA
WEST
WEST
OVERVIEW: WEST
AFRICA
WEST AFRICA
AFRICA
AFRICA
INCIDENTS
INCIDENTS
INCIDENTS
OVERVIEW
INCIDENTS OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
WEST
WEST AFRICA
AFRICA WEST WEST
WEST AFRICA
AFRICA
AFRICA WEST
WEST AFRICA
AFRICA
PIRACY/ROBBERY
INCIDENTS
INCIDENTS
PIRACY/ROBBERY BY
BY TYPE
BY TYPE TYPE (2019)
(2019)
(2019) BY LOCATION
BY LOCATION (2019)
(2019)
(2015 - 2019)
98 TOTAL 98 TOTAL
INCIDENTS INCIDENTS
[36][36] Failed
Failed Attack
Attack
[68] Territorial
[30][30] Kidnapping
Kidnapping
[30] International
[14][14] Armed
Armed Robbery
Robbery
[12] Robbery
[12] Robbery
[54] 2015 [4] Hijacking
[4] Hijacking
[95] 2016 [2] Suspicious
[2] Suspicious Approach
Approach
[97] 2017
WEST AFRICA
[112] 2018
[98] 2019 WEST AFRICA
WEST AFRICA PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS
WEST AFRICA WEST AFRICA
BY VESSEL TYPE (2019)
PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS
BY VESSEL TYPE (2019)
BY VESSEL TYPE (2019) BY VESSEL MOVEMENT (2019)
The Gulf of Guinea was

the area most affected
by piracy and maritime 98 TOTAL
INCIDENTS
robbery worldwide in
2019. Although fewer 98 TOTAL
INCIDENTS
incidents were reported [40] Tanker

compared to 2018, [11] Fishing Vessel
there was a 60 percent
[40] Tanker [10] Bulk Carrier
[10] OSV
increase [11]
in Fishing
the Vesselof
number
[10] Bulk Carrier
[46] Steaming
[7] Cargo Ship
crew members [36] Anchored
[10] OSV reported [7] Container Ship
kidnapped.
[7] Cargo Ship [10] Berthed [6] Passenger Boat
[7] Container Ship [6] Drifting [4] Ro-Ro/Landing Craft
[6] Passenger Boat [3] Other
[4] Ro-Ro/Landing Craft
[3] Other
TIME OF ROBBERIES & ATTEMPTED ROBBERY & ATTEMPTED ROBBERIES
ROBBERIES AT PORTS/ANCHORAGES AT PORTS/ANCHORAGES (2019)
00:00
23:00 7 01:00
22:00 02:00
21:00
6
5 03:00 [14] Lagos Port Terminal & Anchorages,Nigeria
20:00
4
04:00 [4] Port of Douala and Anchorage, Cameroon
3
19:00 2 05:00 [4] Onne Port Terminal, Nigeria

1
18:00 06:00
[3] Conakry Anchorage, Guinea
43 TOTAL [3] Pointe Noire Anchorages, Republic of the Congo
17:00 07:00 INCIDENTS
16:00 08:00
[3] Sekondi Port & Takoradi Anchorage, Ghana
15:00 09:00
[12] Other
14:00 10:00
13:00 11:00
12:00
[164] Kidnapped
[62] Hostage (Short Term)
[33] Hostage (Long Term) THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2019 | 11
[12] Injured
[5] Killed
WEST
OVERVIEW: WEST AFRICA AFRICACOST
HUMAN HUMAN COST
WEST AFRICA WEST AFRICA WEST AFRICA

TOTAL SEAFARERS SEAFARERS EXPOSED TO
EXPOSED TO KNOWN NATIONALITIES of Seafarers Exposed to
PIRACY/ROBBERY
PIRACY/ROBBERY BY INCIDENT TYPE (2019) Piracy/Armed RobberyIncidents (2019)
(2015 - 2019)
es
India
Philippin
22%
9%
17%
%
7%
Nigeria
Russia 9
%
%
Romania
China 6
Latvia 5
563rers
Seafa
Georgia 4%
[1,225] 2015
Other 21%
[1,921] 2016 [1,225] 2015
[1,726] 2017 [1,921] 2016
[2,012] 2018 [1,726] 2017
WESTAFRICA
WEST AFRICA HUMANCOST
[1,689] HUMAN
2019 COST [2,012] 2018
[1,689] 2019
A WEST AFRICA WESTAFRICA
WEST AFRICA WEST AFRICA WEST AFRICA
S SEAFARERS EXPOSED TO SEAFARERS EXPOSED TO PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS
PIRACY/ROBBERY PIRACY/ROBBERY VIOLENCE INVOLVING WEAPONS (2019)
Y BY INCIDENT TYPE (2019) (2019)
1,689 TOTAL
1,074
98
SEAFARERS INCIDENTS
SEAFARERS
[642]
[642]Failed
FailedAttack
Attack [62] Guns
[510]
[510]Kidnapping
Kidnapping [798] Threatened [2] Knives/Machetes
[235]
[235]Armed
ArmedRobbery
Robbery [164] Kidnapped [1] Metal Pipe
[194] Robbery
[194] Robbery [62] Hostage (Short Term)
[1] Rocket Propelled Grenade
[64]
[64]Hijacking
Hijacking [33] Hostage (Long Term)
[32] Unknown
[44]
[44]Suspicious
SuspiciousApproach
Approach [12] Injured
[5] Killed
A WEST AFRICA
WEST AFRICA
WEST AFRICA
MSC MANDY: Container Ship Number of Crew
LAETITIA V: Landing Craft
DONNA SIMOP: General Cargo Ship
Fishing Vessel
Fishing Vessel Number of Days in Captivity
Fishing Vessel
REHOBOTH: General Cargo Ship
HISTRIA IVORY: Product Tanker
E FRANCIS: OSV
AUSTRHEIM: Ro-ro/Passenger Ship
CONTSHIP OAK: General Cargo Vessel
APECUS: Product Tanker
QUEEN ESTHER: General Cargo Ship
AGIA ELENI: Fishing Vessel
PAKSOY-1: General Cargo Ship
Bulk Carrier
MARMALAITA: General Cargo Ship
NAVIGATOR CAPRICORN: LPG
Tanker
SAINT NICOLAS: Fishing Vessel
Passenger Boat
BONITA: Bulk Carrier
ELKA ARISTOTLE: Product Tanker
EMMANUEL MARINE: Passenger Boat
PACIFIC WARDEN: OSV
NAVE CONSTELLATION: VLCC
DUKE: Tanker
GUOJI 867: Fishing Vessel
GUOJI 838: Fishing Vessel
RENOVATION: Landing Craft
HAPPY LADY: Product Tanker
20 15 10 5 0 20 40 60 80 100
INCIDENTS PER MONTH

JAN FEB MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
1 2 3 4 5+

West Africa: Crew Held Hostage
PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS SEAFARERS HELD HOSTAGE
• Hostages kept for one day or less on a hijacked vessel:INVOLVING
62 WEAPONS (2019) (2019)
• Hostages held for more than one day on a hijacked vessel: 33 (Captivity, where
release could be confirmed, ranged from one to four days.)
• Crew members kidnapped: 164 (A considerable increase. Durations of captivity

ranged from 2 days to more than 84 days for cases where release could be 259
SEAFARERS
confirmed.) The average time of captivity was 34 days.
Trends: West Africa [62] Guns [164] Kidnapped

[2] Knives/Machetes [62] Held Hostage for ≤ 1 day
In 2019, 98 incidents of piracy and robbery of vessels were recorded in thePipe
[1] Metal Gulf of Guinea,
[33] Held Hostage for > 1 day
compared to 112 incidents in 2018. Although fewer total incidents [1]were reported,
Rocket Propelledslightly
Grenade
more hijacking and kidnapping incidents were reported in 2019, and a 60 percent increase in kidnapping of crew were reported
[32] Unknown
in 2019.36 A lower number of unsuccessful attacks were reported in 2019, as pirates and armed robbers became more effective in
their operations.
Hijacking
In contrast to kidnapping incidents, the highest concentration of successful hijacking incidents in the last ten years in the Gulf of
Guinea occurred off Togo and Benin.
Four vessels were hijacked in 2019 in the Gulf of Guinea—three tankers and a tug. The tanker Maria Soltin was hijacked off Lagos,
Nigeria;37 the tug Charis off Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea;38 and the tanker G Dona I at Lomé Anchorage, Togo.39 There is some
discrepancy around the location of the hijacking of the tanker Danman, which was somewhere between Lomé, Togo, and the
Côte d’Ivoire border with Ghana.40 The commonality between the hijacked vessels is that they are all flagged in Gulf of Guinea
countries—Nigeria (3) and Togo (1)—and where it could be determined, managed by Gulf of Guinea companies. This is likely
because local vessels’ routines and operations are known to criminals in the area.
In recent years vessels have been hijacked to steal oil cargo,

to serve as motherships to attack other vessels, to ransom the
vessel and crew, or to rob the crew. Cargo is often transferred
to smaller tankers. Vessels are hijacked while at anchor at
anchorages, while drifting, or while underway. Hijackers attack
vessels from speedboats in groups of up to 18 pirates. They often
shoot at the bridge with automatic weapons. Communication and
navigation equipment are destroyed, vessels ransacked, and crew
possessions stolen during the attacks.
None of the three tanker hijackings in 2019 resulted in oil theft

or ransom. Pirates abandoned Maria Soltin on 5 April 2019, four
days after hijacking it, upon sighting an approaching Spanish navy
vessel. Crew property was, however, stolen. The Togolese navy
Spanish patrol boats from the Serviola in a joint operation with the
intercepted the tanker G Dona 1, hijacked on 12 May 2019, and
Guinean frigate Wele Nzas, approaching the semi-submersible heavy lift
arrested six Nigerian and two Togolese pirates. The tug, Charis, ship, Blue Marlin boarded by pirates on 5 May 2019. Ten pirates were
was hijacked in May 2019 to be used as a mothership to attack arrested. Photo: Ministry of Defence Spain.
the heavy load carrier Blue Marlin. The tanker Danman, hijacked
on 12 August 2019, was abandoned after it ran out of fuel.
Kidnapping
In the last decade kidnapping incidents have been concentrated off Brass and Bonny, Nigeria. In 2019, 30 kidnapping incidents
were recorded in the Gulf of Guinea from as far as Togo to Gabon in the south. At least half of the successful kidnapping incidents
were on vessels that have a permanent presence in the Gulf of Guinea, such as cargo ships, coastal tankers, OSVs, fishing vessels,
and ro-ro passenger vessels. The other half were on visiting commercial vessels—tankers, container ships, bulk carriers, and cargo
vessels. Indigenous companies also do not often employ PAST due to the huge associated cost, which averages between $30,000
and $50,000 per trip.41 Two-thirds of incidents in the Gulf of Guinea were recorded in territorial waters, of which almost a third (9)
were recorded in the territorial waters of Cameroon, most likely as it borders Nigeria and is in close proximity to the Niger Delta.
Incidents in Cameroon are concentrated off Idenau and at Douala Anchorage. Five of the kidnapping incidents off Cameroon were
from fishing vessels.
Nigerian pirate groups operate and find safe haven in the Niger Delta, with several kidnapped crew members held in captivity in
the Delta in 2019. Crew from the bulk carrier Bonita, the very large crude carrier (VLCC) Nave Constellation, and the tanker Duke,
among others, were held captive in the Delta during 2019.
A hostage’s account of the attack and kidnapping of 18 Indians and one Turkish national from VLCC Nave Constellation on 3
December 2019, 66 nm south of Bonny Offshore Terminal, held some interesting detail, though the accuracy is hard to verify. The
vessel, with a freeboard of 8.4 meters and a crew of 26, was fully laden at the time of the attack and was outbound to India at
13.3 knots.42 43 According to this crew member, armed security was hired to escort the vessel from Bonny Offshore Terminal but
they never arrived and the vessel departed without them on 3 December. The slow speed, low freeboard, and absence of armed
security all left the Nave Constellation vulnerable to a pirate attack.
Just after 7:00 p.m. six armed pirates approached and boarded the vessel with a ladder. They stole the contents of the safe in the
captain’s cabin and kidnapped the 18 crew members and the wife of one of the crew. The pirate boat took several hours to reach
a river, where they waited until dark. Due to the high number of hostages taken in this event and the kidnapping incident involving
the tanker Duke later in December 2019, it was speculated that a mothership was used in the kidnappings by the pirates. In this
account, it was indicated that the pirates covered the hostages with a tarpaulin as they came closer to shore, making it likely that a
large speedboat was used as a pirate vessel. They arrived at a camp where 40 pirates were present and were housed in makeshift
sheds. On the second day of captivity, a rival gang tried to steal the hostages and a firefight ensued. The hostages were instructed
to run. For some time they changed locations every night. On the eleventh day they reached a place where they stayed until the
end of their captivity. At the time of their release on 21 December 2019, the hostages were dropped near Port Harcourt; from
there the military escorted them to a hotel. They were held captive for 18 days by the pirate group. Three of the crew contracted
malaria during captivity.44
Locally operated general cargo vessels are targeted in the Calabar River in Nigeria. Crew members of three vessels were kidnapped
in 2019. Some vessels are also targeted more than once. On 9 February 2019 one crew member was kidnapped from the
Cameroonian-flagged general cargo ship Donna Simop/Dona Samoa close to Parrot Island on the Calabar River in Onne, Nigeria.45
Four crew members and a passenger had been kidnapped from the same vessel in September 2017 close to the same location.46 The
general cargo ship Queen Esther, also a Cameroonian-flagged vessel, was attacked on the river on 10 June 2019. Four Cameroonian
crew members were kidnapped.47 The São Tomé and Príncipe–flagged general cargo ship Rehoboth was targeted on 2 March 2019
in the Calabar River, 8 nm south of Calabar. In another kidnapping incident off the coast of Calabar, four Cameroonian nationals
and a Nigerian were kidnapped from the ro-ro passenger vessel Austrheim.48 The Austrheim regularly ferries passengers between
Tiko, Cameroon, and Calabar, Nigeria. At the time of the incident there were 44 passengers and 9 crew on board. It is likely that
the same group is involved in these kidnappings.
Fishing vessels are targeted off Idenau, Cameroon. Seven fishing vessels were attacked in this area in 2019. Fourteen fishermen
were kidnapped from five vessels. Five of the seven vessels are operated by Asian fishing companies flagged to and operating from
Gulf of Guinea countries. This is a pattern repeated from 2018. Eighteen Cameroonian and Chinese fishermen were kidnapped
from five Cameroonian fishing vessels off Idenau, Cameroon, on 23 November 2018, as well. These incidents are likely to have been
executed by the same group. Crew members were also kidnapped from cargo ships and bulk carriers at Douala Port and Anchorage
in 2019. Four crew members were kidnapped from the general cargo vessel Contship Oak at Douala Anchorage, Cameroon in
March 2019.49
Nigerian authorities argue that kidnapping incidents are exaggerated and are often related to other crimes, such as oil smuggling.
They claimed that the kidnapping of six of the crew from the tanker Apecus on 19 April 2019 was staged.50 The crew members were
held in the Niger Delta and released on 26 June 2019 after a payment of ransom. The Nigerian Navy claims that the incident was
connected to conflict between parties in an illegal oil transaction involving Osimili Adah, the managing director of Petrogress, Inc.,
in Nigeria. Allegedly the plan was to move stolen crude oil with the Petrogress tankers MT Apecus and MT Invictus from Nigeria to
Ghana. Adah and 17 accomplices were arrested for smuggling.51
Several aspects of this case support the Nigerian Navy’s version of events. On 17 January 2015 the product tanker MT Mariam was
hijacked off Bayelsa, Nigeria, after which its cargo was transferred to the pirate vessel MT Invictus.52 MT Takoradi (name changed
to Optimus in 2014), another vessel of the same company, was held in connection with illegal bunkering in 2012.
According to several independent sources, one of the other crimes that leads to piracy and armed robbery on locally operated
vessels in Nigeria is extortion schemes resulting in the kidnapping of crew when owners fail to pay protection money, or “blessings,”
as it is locally known.
The Nigerian Federal Executive Council’s Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, or Deep Blue
Project, aims to reduce piracy and armed robbery of ships and other crimes in Nigeria’s territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea.
New assets, including six interceptor boats, were procured for the project.53
The “Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy and Enhance Maritime Security off the Coast of West Africa including the Gulf of Guinea
(BMP West Africa),” published in March 2020, aims to help ships plan voyages and detect, avoid, deter, delay, and report attacks.54
Robberies at Ports and Anchorages

Although most incidents at ports and anchorages in the region can be classified as small-scale theft, violent robberies, hijackings,
and kidnappings were also reported in 2019. Vessels were hijacked at Lomé Anchorage, Togo, and crew members were kidnapped
from anchorages at Bonny, Nigeria; Cotonou, Benin; and Douala and Limboh, Cameroon.
Lagos Anchorages and Port Complex

The Lagos Port Complex saw an increase in traffic early in 2019, which further increased congestion in port; a total of 213 ships with
a total tonnage of 6,778,397 berthed in Apapa and Lagos ports.55 Longer times spent at anchor while waiting to enter congested
ports lead to increased rates of robbery at ports and at anchorages.
In 2019, the number of incidents at Lagos Anchorages (11) and the Lagos Port Complex (3) was lower than in the previous year,
with incidents at the port complex totaling less than a third of the number of 2018 incidents. While only one of the robberies at
the anchorages was successful, the three robberies at the port complex were all successful. Crew members were assaulted during
two of the armed robberies at the port complex, while robbers fired at the crew during an attack at Apapa Bulk Oil Plant. At Lagos
Port, robbers gained access to vessels through the open waterfront using small boats and canoes, and boarded vessels with a rope
attached to a hook.
The Lagos Secure Anchorage Area (SAA), located 10 nautical miles southwest of the entrance to the Lagos port channel, was an
initiative to counter armed robbery of vessels waiting off Lagos to enter port. The SAA was operated by a private company, OMS
Limited, on behalf of the navy. Security at the anchorage was effective, but came at a cost to shipowners56 ($2,500 for the first day
and $1,500 thereafter).57 In October 2019, the Nigerian Ports Authority decided to dismantle the SAA.58 What will become of OMS
Limited’s personnel after the dismantling of the SAA is a concern.
At Lagos Anchorages, vessels are usually boarded by between three and ten robbers armed with knives who approach in small
wooden boats at night or when vessels are engaged in ship-to-ship operations. Robbers board via the anchor chain and hawse pipe
or by a hook attached to a rope. Fuel and ship property are stolen. Crew may be threatened in such incidents.
Onne Port, Nigeria
The Federal Ocean Terminal and the Federal Lighter Terminal located at Onne Port in Rivers State recorded one robbery and three
attempted robbery incidents in 2019. Robbers gain access to vessels berthed at the terminals by using speedboats or canoes fitted
with outboard engines, then steal ship property. The actual number of incidents is likely higher than reported. According to vessel
masters, port access control and watchkeeping at night need improving. Four suspects were arrested while robbing two vessels
at Onne in 2019.
Douala Port and Anchorage, Cameroon

In August 2019, the government of Cameroon announced that placement of free armed security guards on board vessels at the
Douala anchorage would be available after 21 crew members were kidnapped there during three attacks in 2019.59 Two general
cargo vessels and a bulk carrier were targeted at night.
Conakry Anchorage, Guinea

Three night-time robberies took place at Conakry Anchorage in 2019. A bulk carrier, product tanker, and container ship were
targeted. During two of the incidents, four robbers armed with guns boarded and took the crew hostage, ransacked crew cabins,
and stole ship stores, cash, and crew possessions. The master was injured during one of these incidents, and in another, crew
members were locked in a cabin before the robbers escaped.
Pointe-Noire Anchorage, Congo

During three robberies at night at Pointe-Noire Anchorage, Congo, ship stores were stolen. None of these incidents were violent.
Sekondi Port and Takoradi Anchorage, Ghana

An increase in robberies was seen at Takoradi Anchorage beginning in early 2019, half of which were successful. On 23 March
2019, laptops valued at $4,200 were stolen from the UK-flagged pipe-layer Seven Pacific. A blue speedboat with the inscription
PM Princess Marine was involved in the theft, as it was seen in proximity to the vessel at the time of the robbery. According to the
owner of PM Princess Marine, she rented the boat out early in March 2019 to be used to supply food and drinks to vessels at the
Takoradi Anchorage. Two suspects have since been arrested, but three suspects remain at large. It is suspected that the group was
also responsible for other robberies at the anchorage.60 No robberies have been reported since the arrests.
Cotonou Anchorage, Benin

On 2 November 2019, nine of the crew were kidnapped from the bulk carrier Bonita while it was at anchor waiting to enter port
to discharge cargo. Five incidents were also recorded in 2018 at the same anchorage during which two tankers were hijacked. As
the method of attack was so similar, the same group was likely responsible for all attacks. In November 2019 Benin’s government
decided to provide armed security onboard vessels at Cotonou.61 In April 2019, the government announced the establishment of
a National Center for Maritime Control to house a surveillance system incorporating coastal radar, once acquired, to safeguard the
nation’s land and sea borders and fight against piracy and other maritime crime in its EEZ.62
Arrests And Prosecutions

Over the past several years, few criminals have been arrested for piracy and robbery of vessels in Nigeria; even less evidence of
successful prosecutions is available. In June 2019 President Buhari signed the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences
Act 2019 into law.63 The hope is that the bill will encourage arrests and facilitate the prosecution of pirates in Nigeria. The UNODC,
in cooperation with INTERPOL, aided criminal justice practitioners in the areas of technical support and capacity building during
simulated piracy trials in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo.64
On 12 May 2019 the Togolese navy intercepted the hijacked chemical tanker G Dona 1 and arrested six suspects from Nigeria, and
two from Togo. The suspects will be prosecuted in a special court in Togo.65
Piracy suspect Itoruboemi Benson Lobia, allegedly the kingpin behind the kidnapping of crew from the FWN Rapide in April 2018,
was extradited from South Africa to the Netherlands in early December 2019. He was arrested at O.R. Tambo International Airport
in Johannesburg in November 2018.66
Robbery of Boats in Rivers State

According to a community leader at a stakeholder meeting, criminals are operating from Oluama community in the Asari-Toru Local
Government Area.67 From there they attack deep-water and artisanal fishing and passenger boats in the riverine areas of Bonny,
Abonnema, Bille, Bakana,68 Okrika, Port Harcourt, Andoni, Opopo, Degema, and Soku in Rivers State. Robbers attack passenger
boats in this state, stealing property, cash, fish, and at times even the boat engines. People have been shot at, injured, and killed,
and women fishers were sexually assaulted. During two incidents, two police officers, a boat driver, and four immigration officers
were kidnapped. The Nigerian Navy rescued the immigration officers on 13 November 2019.69 Some of these attacks may be
politically motivated as many victims are politicians and members of security forces. The community has called for daily patrols of
the waterways.
PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN ASIA 2019

MAIN MESSAGES
• In 2019, Stable Seas recorded 89 incidents in Asia, which is nine fewer than the number reported in 2018.
• Kidnapping incidents remained at six in 2019. All of these kidnappings were from fishing vessels; three off Sabah, Malaysia,
and three off the Bangladeshi portion of the Sundarbans.
• The kidnappings of 12 fishermen from two fishing vessels off Sabah, Malaysia, in 2019 emphasize that the threat of
kidnapping in the Sulu and Celebes seas remains. Crews of vessels are urged to remain vigilant when transiting the area,
and when possible, to re-route ships away from this area. Best management practices to deter piracy and kidnapping
should also be implemented.
• The number of robberies and attempted robberies dropped significantly in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS)
between 2016 and 2018, mainly due to an increase in patrols by littoral states. Seven incidents were recorded in 2018. Of
concern is the high number of robberies and attempted robberies reported in the SOMS in 2019. Seventeen incidents of
robbery and attempted robbery of tugs towing barges were recorded, and one of a dredger towed by a barge, with more
incidents recorded close to Tanjung Piai, Johor. Attacks on 16 bulk carriers and tankers while underway in the SOMS were
also recorded.
• Almost half of robbery and attempted robbery incidents reported in Asia in 2019 occurred when vessels were at anchor.
While high numbers of incidents in previous years were reported at Muara Berau Anchorage, Samarinda, Indonesia, and
Chittagong/Kutubdia Anchorages, Bangladesh, no incidents were reported at either of these locations in 2019. In total, 37
incidents were reported at ports and anchorages. Six incidents were reported at Belawan Port and Anchorage, Indonesia.
• At least 11 suspects were arrested by law enforcement officers of Indonesia and Malaysia in 2019 for crimes related to
piracy and robbery of vessels.
CHINA
BANGLADESH
M YA N M A R
INDIA
THAILAND
CAMBODIA
VIETNAM PHILIPPINES
SRI
LANKA
M A L AY S I A
MARITIME SECURITY
INCIDENTS IN ASIA, 2019
Piracy and Armed Robbery

Arakan Army Attacks
INDONESIA
OVERVIEW: INCIDENTS IN ASIA 2019

In 2019, 89 incidents of piracy and armed robbery were recorded in Asia. For the purposes of this report, Stable Seas defines the
ASIA
ASIA
Asia region as the area from the easternASIAINCIDENTS
ofINCIDENTS
INCIDENTS
coast OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
India to theOVERVIEW
Banda Sea in Indonesia. Incidents occurring on the west coast of India
have been included in the East Africa region of this report.
ASIA
ASIA ASIA
ASIAASIA ASIA
ASIA
PIRACY/ROBBERY
INCIDENTS
INCIDENTS
PIRACY/ROBBERY BYBY BY TYPE
TYPE
TYPE (2019)
(2019)
(2019) BY LOCATION
BY LOCATION (2019)
(2019)
(2015 - 2019)
89 TOTAL 89 TOTAL
INCIDENTS INCIDENTS
[38] Failed Attack

[199] 2015 [78] Territorial
[33] Robbery
[199] 2015 [129] 2016Robbery [10] International
[12] Armed
[129] 2016 [99] 2017 [1] Internal Waters
[6] Kidnapping
[99] 2017 [98] 2018
[98] 2018 [89] 2019
[89] 2019
ASIA
ASIA ASIA
ASIA
ASIA
ASIA ASIAASIA
ASIA
PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS
BY BY
VESSEL TYPE
VESSEL (2019)
TYPE (2019) VESSEL
BY BY MOVEMENT
VESSEL MOVEMENT(2019)
(2019)
While incidents of piracy
and armed robbery in
Asia dropped slightly
from 2018, kidnapping
remains a threat in
89 TOTAL
the Sulu and Celebes 89 TOTAL
INCIDENTS INCIDENTS
seas, and nearly half of

robbery and attempted
robberies occured when [29] Tanker
vessels were at anchor. [38] Steaming
[23] Bulk Carrier
[38] Anchored
[21] Tugboat
[8] Berthed
[6] Fishing Vessel
[5] Drifting
[5] Container Ship
[4] Cargo Vessel
ASIA
[1] Yacht
TIME OF ROBBERIES & ATTEMPTED
ROBBERIES AT PORTS/ANCHORAGES
23:00
00:00
6
01:00 ASIA
22:00 02:00
ROBBERY & ATTEMPTED ROBBERIES

5
21:00 03:00
AT PORTS/ANCHORAGES (2019)
4
20:00 04:00
3
2
19:00
1
05:00
[6] Belawan Port and Anchorage, Indonesia
18:00 06:00 [3] Taboneo Anchorage, Indonesia
[3] Cigading Port and Anchorages, Indonesia
17:00 07:00
[3] Batangas Alpha Anchorage, Philippines
37 TOTAL
16:00 08:00
INCIDENTS [3] Manila Port and Anchorages, Philippines
15:00 09:00
[19] Other
14:00 10:00
13:00 11:00
12:00
[84] Threatened
[693] Failed Attack
[46] Kidnapped
[547] Robbery
OVERVIEW: ASIA HUMAN COST [205] Armed Robbery
[7] Hostage (short term)
[6] Assaulted
[58] Kidnapping
A total of 1,503 seafarers were exposed to piracy and armed robbery in Asia in 2019, which is a 13 percent
[3] Injured
decrease from 2018.
ASIA ASIA ASIA ASIA: KNO

TOTAL SEAFARERS
PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS SEAFARERS EXPOSED TO
EXPOSED TO
INVOLVING PIRACY/ROBBERY
WEAPONS (2019) PIRACY/ROBBERY
(2015 - 2019) BY INCIDENT TYPE (2019)Piracy/Armed Robbery Incidents (2019)
PhPilhipilpipinpines
es
8%
483%
%
India 17
sh 8%
%
iaa2176%
raain6e%6%
sh 6%
35a5rers
%
Inhdin
Banglad
Russia 5
Seaf
Banglade
CUhkin
C
[3,674] 2015
[2,283] 2016
[1,908] 2017 [3,674] 2015
[1,730] 2018 Ukraine 3%
[2,283] 2016
Other 5%
[1,503] 2019 [1,908] 2017
ASIA HUMAN
ASIA
ASIA
COST
HUMAN COST [1,730] 2018
ASIA
[1,503] 2019
ASIA
ASIA ASIA
ASIA ASIA
S SEAFARERS EXPOSED
SEAFARERS EXPOSEDTOTO SEAFARERS EXPOSED TO PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS
OBBERY PIRACY/ROBBERY
PIRACY/ROBBERY PIRACY/ROBBERY VIOLENCE INVOLVING WEAPONS (2019)
BY INCIDENT
BY INCIDENT TYPE
TYPE (2019)
(2019) (2019)
89
1,503 TOTAL 146 INCIDENTS
SEAFARERS
SEAFARERS
[84] Threatened [67] Unknown

[693]
[693] Failed
Failed Attack
Attack [17] Knives/Long Knives
[46] Kidnapped
[547] Robbery
[547] Robbery [5] Guns
[205]
[205] Armed
Armed Robbery
Robbery [6] Assaulted
[58] Kidnapping
[58] Kidnapping [3] Injured
ASIA
ASIA
ASIA
SRI DEWI 1: Fishing Trawler*

SN 259/4/F: Fishing Trawler*
SULU SEAS
SA/232/5/F: Fishing Boat

SA/5699/C: Fishing Boat
SN3384/F: Fishing Boat
SUNDARBANS
Fishing Trawler Unknown
Ma Babar Doa: Fishing Trawler Unknown
Johir Uddin: Fishing Trawler Unknown
*kidnappings occurred in 2018 20 15 10 5 0 30 60 90 120 150

• In 2019, 46 crew members from six separate kidnapping incidents were held hostage in Asia. All of the victims were
fishermen. Three incidents took place off Sabah, Malaysia, and three in and off the coast of the Bangladeshi Sundarbans.
• In 2019, crew members kidnapped in the Sulu Sea were held hostage for between 3 and 115 days (under four months)
in the Philippines.
• In 22 of the 89 incidents it was reported that assailants were armed. Weapons included iron rods, knives, machetes or
long knives, and firearms, some with grenade launchers.
• Hostages kept for one day or less: 7
• Hostages held for more than one day and confirmed as released: 12
• Hostages still in captivity from 2019: 0
• Hostages kidnapped in 2018 and released in 2019: 2
• Two hostages kidnapped in 2018 also died as a result of injuries sustained during rescue operations in 2019.
Kidnapping in the Sulu Sea

Although the threat of kidnapping by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) remains high in the Sulu Sea, 2019 saw levels of kidnapping
activity well below the peak of such activity in 2016. Slow vessels with a low freeboard, such as fishing vessels, tugboats, small
passenger boats, and yachts, are at higher risk, although crew were also kidnapped from two bulk carriers and a heavy load carrier
in recent years. Fishing vessels attacked in the last five years in the Sulu Sea had Indonesian, Filipino, and Malay crew. All fishing
boats involved were artisanal fishing vessels working from small harbors in the Sulu Sea. In 2018 and 2019 kidnapping incidents
on boats were confined to fishing vessels. All incidents over this time period were reported in the area between Tambisan Island
and Semporna, Sabah, Malaysia.
Two of the three victims kidnapped off Pegasus Reef from the Malaysian-flagged fishing vessel SN 259/4/F on 5 December 2018
by the ASG under sub-leader Majan Sahidjuan, alias Apo Mike, appeared in a video on Facebook on 14 February 2019. In the video
the kidnappers threaten to behead the hostages unless ransom is paid.70 On 5 April 2019, the Philippines Joint Task Force Sulu
launched an attack on the ASG fighters holding the hostages on Simisa Island, 8 nm to the east of Jolo Island, Sulu. In an effort to
escape, one hostage drowned and the other was saved by Philippines marines as the two attempted to swim across the channel to
Bangalao Island. The third hostage died in hospital due to injuries sustained from a bullet wound during the rescue.71
Twelve crew members were kidnapped in 2019, all from Malaysian-flagged fishing vessels. Nine crew from the fishing vessels
SA/232/5/F and SA/5699/C who had been kidnapped en route from Tambisan to Semporna, Sabah, on 18 June 2019 were released
three days later.72 According to authorities, they were most likely kidnapped by Mameh, a Malaysian criminal group73 which likely
intended to hand them over to ASG for part of the ransom money. Facts surrounding the incident are not clear.
On 23 September 2019, just before noon, two fishing vessels were fishing about 50 meters from each other approximately 6.3
nm north of Tambisan Island in Sabah, Malaysia, when seven masked men armed with automatic weapons approached in two
pump boats painted green and blue with red stripes. The fishing vessels were boarded and crew possessions,74 cell phones, and
documentation were stolen. Three Indonesian fishermen were kidnapped from one of the fishing vessels, the Malaysian-flagged
fishing boat SN3384/F. The kidnappers fled in the direction of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines.75
The fishermen were initially held by ASG sub-leader Salip Mura, and on 4 November 2019 were transferred to an ASG veteran in
maritime kidnapping, Majan Sahidjuan,76 who has also been linked to kidnappings of crew from several other vessels in recent
years. With him was a group of 50 to 60 ASG members. Three of the kidnapper-leaders, Majan Sahidjuan, Salip Mura, and Sibih
Pisih, were on the Eastern Sabah Security Command’s most wanted list. Sibih was killed in a military operation in November 2019
and replaced by one “Mokong,” who is reportedly the son of ASG leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan.77
Two hostages from the fishing boat SN3384/F were rescued by the military on 22 December 2019 and the last hostage was rescued
on 15 January 2020.78
Kidnapping in the Bangladeshi Sundarbans

Bahinis, or gangs, are kidnapping fishermen in and off the coast of the Bangladeshi Sundarbans. Although the Bangladeshi
government’s initiative to rehabilitate bahinis has led to a decline in the number of fishermen kidnapped in the Sundarbans
since 2015, sporadic incidents of kidnapping for ransom persist.79
On 15 March 2019, 16 fishermen were kidnapped from their boat near Jahajkhari in the Sundarbans. The kidnappers also took their
fish, fuel, and fishing nets. A ransom was demanded for their release.80 Eighteen fishermen were also kidnapped from the trawlers Ma
Badar Doa and Johir Uddin on 26 August 2019 off Nijhum Dwip, Bangladesh. They were taken along with the two trawlers.81
Robbery and Attempted Robbery in the Singapore and Malacca Straits

High numbers of incidents of robbery and attempted robbery occurred in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) in
2019, with a sharp increase from 2018. Sixteen incidents where bulk carriers and tankers were boarded while underway have
been reported since September 2019. Robbers were armed with knives, and during one attack, guns. In a few incidents, crew
members were bound. Most of the robberies were unsuccessful, but usually ship stores and equipment are targeted.
Robbery of tugs towing barges continued in the SOMS in 2019, with a higher number of incidents close to Tanjung Piai, Johor.
Groups of 3 to 11 men, often armed with knives, board the barges from sampans while underway. In 17 cases, barges were
targeted, and in one case, a dredger towed by a tug. Mostly scrap metal is stolen from the barges, but at times, also tools and
equipment, and in one case, cargo from a container on the barge. Typically no crew are present on the barges and as a result, no
confrontation between perpetrators and crew takes place. Often the masters of the tugs were aware of having perpetrators on
the barge but decided to continue the journey regardless. In several cases, the masters reported the incidents to the Singapore
Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS). Upon arrival of the Singapore Police Coast Guard, the Singapore Navy, and the
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), perpetrators flee in their sampans.
On 3 August 2019, three Indonesian suspects were arrested 3.2 nm southeast of Kukup Island by the MMEA for allegedly
stealing scrap iron from vessels.82 The location is very close to Tanjung Piai, Johor, where most robberies of tugs towing barges
are taking place.
Two incidents where crew were assaulted were reported in the approaches to the Singapore Strait. The bulk carrier CK Bluebell
was boarded on 22 July 2019 at 04:25 LT approximately 16 nm northwest of Pulau Damar, Indonesia, in international waters, by
pirates armed with guns and other weapons.83 They approached at above 20 knots in a speedboat. Some sailors sustained minor
injuries. Crew possessions and $13,000 in cash were stolen.84
On 3 August 2019, three Indonesian suspects were arrested 3.2nm southeast of Kukup
Island by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (APMM) for allegedly stealing
scrap iron from vessels . The location is very close to Tanjung Piai, Johor were most
robberies of tugs towing barges are taking place. Photos: Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim
Malaysia
Robbery and Attempted Robbery at Anchorages

Almost half of robbery incidents in Asia during 2019 occurred when vessels were at anchor. Thirty-seven robberies and attempted
robberies were reported at ports and anchorages. During these incidents, ship stores and equipment are stolen.
In 2018 the highest number of robberies and attempted robberies were at two locations: Muara Berau Anchorage, Samarinda,
Indonesia (17), and Chittagong/Kutubdia Anchorages, Bangladesh (13). No incidents were reported at either anchorage in 2019.
The highest number of incidents at an anchorage in 2019 was reported at Belawan Port and Anchorage, Indonesia, with six
reported incidents.
Ten robberies were reported at Manila Anchorages in the Philippines during 2017. After the arrest of five robbers in their motor
banca Shyrill at Manila in January 2018,85 incidents remained low there in 2019, with three reported incidents. Container ships
were targeted in all previous incidents, a pattern that remained in 2019. Survival and safety equipment such as life rafts, immersion
suits, breathing apparatuses and cylinders, and firefighting outfits, as well as ship property, were stolen.
Five robberies and attempted robberies on tankers and bulk carriers at anchor were reported off Bandar Penawar, Johor, Malaysia,
outside the designated anchorage areas in international waters.
Arrests
Eleven robbers were arrested by coastal authorities in 2019. Seven robbers responsible for the incident on the bulk carrier Odysseas
L on 29 May 2019 at Taboneo Anchorage, Indonesia, were arrested.86
On 16 June 2019, at 03:00 LT and approximately 2.9 nm south of Teluk Ramunia, Pengerang, Malaysia, an MMEA patrol noticed
two wooden boats, both named Lima Sore, next to the tanker Ponier. The patrol found four robbers attempting to steal items from
the ship. They arrested them, but two managed to escape by jumping overboard when the MMEA patrol boat broke down. The
two were later arrested in Pulau Batam, Indonesia, by Indonesian authorities.87
PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN LATIN

AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2019
MAIN MESSAGES
• In 2019, Stable Seas recorded 84 incidents of piracy and robbery in Latin America and the Caribbean, which is one fewer
than the number reported in 2018. Only three of these incidents could be classified as piracy.
• Anchorages off Barcelona, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad represented incident hotspots in Latin America
and the Caribbean during 2019.
• In 2019, 14 fishermen were kidnapped during four incidents; three were off the southern coast of Trinidad and one was
in the Manosa River in Venezuela.
• Anchorages off Barcelona reported a high number of incidents in the early part of the year, and Callao Anchorage, Peru,
reported a high number of incidents.
• Anchorage crime against yachts made up roughly 42 percent of all cases, which is roughly the same as in 2018. In 2019,
violent incidents against yacht crews were reported off Panama.
• In 2018, a total of 14 suspects were arrested for robberies on a fishing vessel, a cargo vessel in Guyana, and yacht cruisers
in Panama. All robberies were very violent, resulting in the murders of four fishermen and one captain of a motor yacht.
Several crew members were seriously hurt and some female crew were sexually assaulted.
VIRGIN ISLANDS, BRITISH
VIRGIN ISLANDS, U.S.
CUBA DOMINICAN
ANGUILLA
REPUBLIC
SINT MAARTEN
HAITI
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
MEXICO
BELIZE GUADELOUPE
SAINT KITTS
AND NEVIS DOMINICA
HONDURAS
CARRIBEAN MARTINIQUE
NETHERLANDS SAINT VINCENT
AND THE GRENADINES
SAINT LUCIA
G U AT E M A L A CURACAO BARBADOS
E L S A LVA D O R GRENADA
NICARAGUA TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
C O S TA PA N A M A
RICA VENEZUELA
G U YA N A
FRENCH
GUIANA
SURINAME
COLOMBIA
ECUADOR
INCIDENTS OF PIRACY
BRAZIL
AND ARMED ROBBERY OF
VESSELS IN LATIN AMERICA
& THE CARIBBEAN, 2019 PERU
LATIN
LATINAMERICA
AMERICA
LATIN
OVERVIEW: &&THE
AMERICA THECARIBBEAN
CARIBBEAN
& THE
INCIDENTS IN INCIDENTS
INCIDENTS
CARIBBEAN
LATIN OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
INCIDENTS
AMERICA AND THEOVERVIEW
CARIBBEAN 2019
LATIN
LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN
AMERICA/CARIBBEAN LATIN
LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN LATIN
AMERICA/CARIBBEAN
AMERICA/CARIBBEAN
PIRACY/ROBBERY
INCIDENTS
INCIDENTS
PIRACY/ROBBERY BY BY TYPE
BYTYPE
TYPE (2019)
(2019)
(2019) BY LOCATION
BY LOCATION (2019)
(2019)
(2016 - 2019)
84 TOTAL
84 TOTAL INCIDENTS
INCIDENTS
[32] Armed Robbery [78] Territorial

[31] Robbery [3] Internal
[17] Failed Attack
[27] 2016
[3] International
[27] 2016 [4] Kidnapping [71] 2017
[71] 2017 [85] 2018
[85] 2018 [84] 2019
[84] 2019
LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN LATIN AMERICA/C
LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN LATIN
AMERICA/CARIBBEAN
PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN
PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS PIRACY/ROBBERY INCIDENTS PIRACY/ROBBERY I
BY VESSEL TYPE (2019) BY VESSEL MOVEMENT (2019) BY VESSEL TYPE (2019) BY VESSEL MOVEM
Stable Seas recorded
84 incidents of piracy
and armed robbery
in Latin America in
2019, only one fewer 84 TOTAL 84 TOTAL
INCIDENTS INCIDENTS
than 2018. However,

only 3 of these
incidents could be [35] Yacht
classified as piracy. [53] Anchored [18] Fishing Boat
[15] Drifting [12] Bulk Carrier
[11] Steaming [10] Tanker
[4] Container Ship
[5] Berthed [2] Vehicle Carrier
[2] Other
[1] OSV
TIME OF ROBBERIES & ATTEMPTED
ROBBERIES AT ANCHORAGES/PORTS
23:00
00:00
6
01:00 LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN
22:00 02:00
21:00
5
03:00 ROBBERY & ATTEMPTED ROBBERIES
20:00
4
04:00
AT PORTS/ANCHORAGES (2019)
3
2
19:00 05:00
1
18:00 06:00 [9] Callao Anchorage, Peru

17:00 07:00
[6] Barcelona Anchorages, Venezuela
16:00 08:00 24 TOTAL
[3] Port Au Prince and Anchorage. Haiti
15:00 09:00
INCIDENTS
[6] Other
14:00 10:00
13:00 11:00
12:00
[337] Armed Robbery
[222] Robbery
OVERVIEW: LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN HUMAN [527] 2016 [210]COST
Failed Attack
[854] 2017 [14] Kidnapping
InLATIN AMERICA
2019, 783 & THE
seafarers were affectedCARIBBEAN HUMAN
by piracy and[858]
armed robbery COST
2018 in Latin America and the Caribbean—75 fewer
than in 2018. This indicates a slight increase in incidents on vessels with smaller crews, such as fishing boats.
[783] 2019
LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN

TOTAL SEAFARERS
EXPOSED TO LATIN AMERICA/CA
PIRACY/ROBBERY
Piracy/Armed RobberyIncidents (2019)
(2015 - 2019) PIRACY/ROBBERY IN
INVOLVING WEAPON
es
Philippin
42%
10%
India
23%
6%
3%
338
Trinidad
Ukraine
Other 1
rers
[93]aThreatened
Se fa
[527] 2016 [16] Assaulted
[854] 2017 [14] Kidnapped
[14] Injured Mexico 3%
[858] 2018
Guyana 3%
& THE LATIN AMERICA
CARIBBEAN HUMAN
[783] 2019 &COST
THE CARIBBEAN
[8] Killed HUMAN COST
Croatia 2%
[3] Missing
BEAN LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN
LATIN
AMERICA/CARIBBEAN LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN
SEAFARERS EXPOSED TO SEAFARERS EXPOSED
SEAFARERS
PIRACY/ROBBERY TO TO
EXPOSED
INCIDENTS SEAFARERS EXPOSED TO
PIRACY/ROBBERY PIRACY/ROBBERY
INVOLVING VIOLENCE
PIRACY/ROBBERY
WEAPONS (2019) PIRACY/ROBBERY VIOLENCE
BY INCIDENT TYPE (2019) (2019) TYPE (2019)
BY INCIDENT (2019)
84
783 TOTAL INCIDENTS
SEAFARERS 169
SEAFARERS
[337] Armed Robbery [21] Guns

[222] Robbery [12] Knives/Machetes [93] Threatened
[210] Failed Attack [21] Hostage (short term)
[51] Unknown
[14] Kidnapping [16] Assaulted
[14] Kidnapped
[14] Injured
AMERICA/CARIBBEAN [8] Killed
[3] Missing
Fishing Boat
Fishing Boat LATIN AMERICA/CARIBBEAN
Fishing Boat
GERMAN 1: Fishing Boat
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Trends
Only three incidents in the Caribbean Sea and northern Atlantic Ocean can be classified as piracy.
Kidnapping of Fishermen in Trinidad

A mere 8.5 nautical miles separates Trinidad and Venezuela across the Columbus Channel. In 2019, two kidnapping incidents
involving fishermen were reported off Moruga, and one off Icacos, on the southern coast of Trinidad, and one was reported in the
Manosa River, within the internal waters of Venezuela.
Voice notes and WhatsApp messages are used by kidnappers to make contact in kidnapping cases. Ransom demands are between
$12,000 and $90,000 for each group and often include additional items such as gold jewelry, cell phones, and boat engines. Victims
are held in captivity for between three days and a month. Some officials are of the opinion that at least some of the kidnappings
are related to smuggling activity due to the short time frames in which large ransom amounts are gathered.88
During an incident on 27 January 2019, six fishermen were kidnapped by Venezuelans armed with AK-47s and AR-15s while the
fishers were catching shrimp in the Manosa River in Venezuela.89 One hostage was released on 30 January 2019, and the other five
on 7 February 2019 after ransom was paid through an intermediary.90
Engine Theft in Trinidad

Engines of at least five boats were stolen in 2019 in Trinidad, a trend that continued from 2018. After robbers steal engines,
fishermen are often left drifting at sea. When robbers are unable to remove engines, the boats are taken. Boats are sometimes
found adrift without their engines. Some of these attacks are violent. Fishermen are often violently assaulted and thrown
overboard. Several fishermen died and were injured in attacks in 2019. Not all of these attacks can be attributed to Venezuelans,
as eight Trinidadians were arrested for engine theft in 2018 and 2019.
Attacks on Fishermen off Guyana and Suriname

On 23 September 2019, suspect Nakool Manohar was charged with the murder at sea of two of the crew of 25 from a group
of fishing boats attacked off Suriname in April 2018. During the proceedings, witness tampering was a constant concern.91 In
November 2019, nine fishermen were sentenced to between 5 and 35 years of imprisonment for their part in the attacks.92
The murders have been linked to an ongoing feud between fishermen that is connected to fishing rights. Manohar, the alleged
mastermind, has also been connected to three prior incidents of robbery of fishing vessels between 2015 and 2018.93
On 5 October 2019, two fishermen—allegedly working for Manohar—and three others were involved in yet another attack off
Guyana on four fishermen on the fishing boat Sara-1 in an attempt to steal their catch. When the crew of Sara-1 recognized the
attackers, they were brutally beaten and hacked with machetes, had their hands and feet bound, and were thrown overboard. The
bodies of two of the four men were discovered on the Abary and Mahaicony foreshores. Three men have since confessed to the
murders and two are still wanted.94
Attacks off Mexico

According to the International Federation of Maritime Transport Workers, 16 attacks per month were registered on commercial
vessels off Campeche, Tabasco and Veracruz from January to September 2019, very few of which could be confirmed.95 Six incidents
of armed robbery—on a pipe-layer, an OSV, and four fishing vessels—were reported on the east coast of Mexico in 2019.
In Mexico, reports of thefts on fishing vessels of outboard motors, fish, communication equipment, diesel, and cash were noted in
2019. Masked robbers armed with guns attack fishing boats from speedboats. Fishermen are often assaulted and left at sea when
their engines are taken. Some incidents were reported off the coast of Chuburná Puerto, and three were reported off Progreso.
On 11 November 2019 the Italian-flagged OSV Remas was attacked by seven to eight perpetrators while underway off Ciudad del
Carmen. The robbers approached in two speedboats and started firing once on board. They robbed the crew and left. One crew
member was shot in the knee and another was hit over the head with a blunt instrument.96
In another attack in the same vicinity on 4 August 2019, the Malta-flagged pipe-layer Tog Mor was robbed of ship stores and
property while underway.97
It was reported by Enrique Lozano Díaz, an inspector with the International Federation of Maritime Transport Workers, that 164
robberies against oil platforms were reported in the Campeche Sound, 80 nm offshore, between the start of January and the
end of September 2019. The inspector noted that the federation insisted on having an offshore naval detachment close to the oil
platform to respond to attacks in this extensive area.98 Armed robbers approach the oil platforms in groups of boats at night, climb
the platforms, and indiscriminately steal anything they can find, from communication equipment to metal manhole covers. There
have been reports of complicity of some oil platform crew in at least some of the thefts and in creating false reports.99 Robbery
from oil platforms cannot be classified as piracy, but robbery did extend to OSVs servicing the platforms.
Robbery and Attempted Robbery at Anchorages

Venezuela Anchorages
In total, seven incidents were reported in Venezuela in 2019, which is less than half the number in 2018. All but one of these
incidents were at anchorages off Barcelona—Puerto José Anchorage and Puerto la Cruz Anchorage. In 2019, four robberies and
two attempted robberies were reported, all against tankers at anchor. Robbers were armed with knives, and a crew member was
threatened with a knife during one incident. Ship stores were stolen. All incidents were recorded from January to April 2019, after
which activity stopped abruptly.
Several factors could have contributed to this, including increased security in ports intended to prevent humanitarian aid sent from
the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao) from reaching Venezuela, or US Treasury sanctions imposed on tankers and shipping
companies transporting Venezuelan oil to Cuba (which incentivized tankers to turn off transponders in Venezuelan territorial
waters), but the most likely was the placement of members of the Venezuelan Armed Forces on 15 Petróleos de Venezuela
(PDVSA)-operated tankers amidst growing dissatisfaction amongst PDVSA officials and the fear that they might refuse to deliver
product to Cuba. This added armed security on tankers was in all likelihood the determining factor explaining why armed robberies
off Anzoátegui stopped at the end of April 2019.100
Callao Anchorage, Peru

Callao Anchorage, Peru recorded the highest number of robberies and attempted robberies in the region, with nine reported
incidents. Vehicle carriers, bulk carriers, and tankers were boarded between 00:55 and 05:20 LT by three to five men in a small boat
via the anchor chain or a rope with a hook. In one case, the men were masked. They were armed with long knives and assaulted
a crew member during one robbery and bound duty crew on two other occasions. Crew possessions and ship stores were stolen
during the seven successful attacks.
Port-au-Prince Martissant Terminal and Anchorage, Haiti

Two robberies were reported at Martissant Terminal in Port-au-Prince in 2019, which was the same number as in 2018. Robbers
boarded berthed tankers using a hook attached to a rope. Ship property was stolen in both cases. Robberies and attempted
robberies at the Port-au-Prince Anchorage went down from 11 in 2018 to one in 2019. During the incident in 2019, a crew member
was held hostage by robbers with guns and long knives. They escaped with ship property.
Yacht Incidents
The highest number of incidents in Latin America and the Caribbean by vessel type in 2019 were against yachts. In total, 35
incidents were reported. One crew member was killed, four injured, and three assaulted, and five were threatened and twelve
held at gunpoint.
The majority of incidents recorded were at night while vessels were anchored, and in a high number of the incidents, dinghies
and outboard motors were stolen. Robbers approach the yachts with small boats or by swimming from shore to yachts at anchor.
Robbers often rob vessels without being detected, while owners are asleep or on land.
While yachts were mostly anchored or berthed during the execution of each robbery, cases were reported where yachts were
boarded while underway. In April 2019, the yacht Sylph was fired at while underway 15 nm northeast of the Hibiscus oil platform
off Trinidad and Tobago.101
In 2019, attacks off the Panama coast turned violent. During five of the eight reported incidents, crew members were assaulted,
raped, or held at gunpoint, and a crew member was killed. During some incidents, robbers seemed to be under the influence of
drugs, and in another they demanded drugs. Groups of up to eight men armed with guns and knives approached vessels at anchor
during the night. They held crew at gunpoint and ransacked yachts, stealing cash, phones, computers, electronics, licenses, and
dinghies. Attackers were arrested following two of the incidents. One of these arrests was after the murder of Alan Culverwell on
his motor yacht, Aqua Lobo, near Morodub island in May 2019.102
The following anchorages recorded more than three incidents each:
• Anchorages off the south coast of Panama—Portobelo, Linton Bay, and Nombre de Dios (6)
• Río Dulce, Guatemala (4)
• Canouan, Charlestown Bay, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (5)
• Roatán, Honduras (3)

ENDNOTES 20 Lydelle Joubert, Stable Seas Database compiled from incident

date sourced from the International Maritime Bureau,
International Maritime Organization, Regional Cooperation
1 United Nations Security Council, “The Situation with
Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against
Respect to Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea off the Coast
ships in Asia, piracy reporting organizations, maritime security
of Somalia,” S/2019/867, 8 November 2019, https://www.
companies, maritime insurance companies, shipping companies,
securitycouncilreport.org/‌un-documents/piracy/.
and media.
2 BIMCO, ICS, IGP&I Clubs, INTERTANKO and OCIMF, “Best
21 CRIFM, MARSEC Weekly Report, 28 October to 3 November
Management Practices to Deter Piracy and Enhance Maritime
2019.
Security in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and Arabian
Sea,” Version 5, June 2018, https://www.maritimeglobalsecurity. 22 A.M. Al-Fareh, “The Impact of the War in Yemen on Artisanal
org/media/1046/bmp-west-africa.pdf. Fishing in the Red Sea,” LSE Middle East Centre Report,
December 2018.
3 Lee Willett, “Naval Forces Free Seafarers Following Somali Pirate
Attacks,” Safety at Sea, 25 April 2019, https://safetyatsea.net/ 23 Chris Stephen, “Tankers Improvise to Avoid Gulf Tensions,”
news/2019/naval-forces-free-seafarers-following-somali-pirate- Petroleum Economist, 2 August 2019, https://www.petroleum-
attacks/. economist.com/articles/midstream-downstream/tankers/2019/
tankers-improvise-to-avoid-gulf-tensions.
4 EUNAVFOR, “Piracy Attack Deterred off the Coast of Somalia,” 24
April 2019, https://eunavfor.eu/piracy-attack-deterred-off-the- 24 MSCHOA, Industry Releasable threat bulletin 015 (to IRTA 1 Jun
coast-of-somalia/. 19), 14 June 2019.
5 EUNAVFOR, “ESPS Navarra Delivers Suspected Pirates to 25 DNK, IOC Monthly Threat Assessment November 2019.
Seychellois Authorities,” 26 April 2019, https://eunavfor.eu/esps- 26 DNK, IOC Monthly Threat Assessments, August 2019.
navarra-delivers-suspected-pirates-to-seychellois-authorities/.
27 DNK, IOC Monthly Threat Assessments, October 2019.
6 EUNAVFOR, “Defense Lawyer Appointed to Represent Suspected
Pirates at Court,” 7 June 2019, https://eunavfor.eu/defense- 28 “Iranian Hostage Freed by Somali Pirates after Four Years,” BBC
lawyer-appointed-to-represent-suspected-pirates-at-court/. News, 21 September 2019, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-
africa-49782075.
7 Author communication with Pooja Bissoonauthsing, UNODC, 15
May 2020. 29 Lydelle Joubert, State of Piracy 2018, Stable Seas, 2019, https://
stableseas.org/publications/maritime-terrorism/state-piracy-
8 “Somaliland Condemned for Handing 19 Convicted Pirates to 2018-human-cost.
Somalia,” East African Business Week, 22 August 2019, https://
www.busiweek.com/somaliland-condemned-for-handing-19- 30 Author communication with John Steed, Hostage Support
convicted-pirates-to-somalia/. Partnership, 4 June 2020.
9 UNSC, “The Situation with Respect to Piracy and Armed Robbery 31 UNSC, S/2019/867.
at Sea off the Coast of Somalia,” S/2019/867. 32 Amy Forliti, “US Citizen Charged in Kidnapping of Journalist
10 Author communication with Simon Church, Director MSCHOA in Somalia,” AP News, 21 February 2019, https://apnews.
and J2 team, EUNAVFOR, 29 May 2020. com/518d9921b0794faf917fbf56b1320b41.
11 Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre Madagascar, 33 United States v. Hassan, 18-cr-603 (ARR), (E.D.N.Y. Nov. 1, 2019),
“Act Somalie des Bateax de Pencheurs Attaques au Sud de https://casetext.com/case/united-states-v-hassan-21.
Mogadiscio,” April 2019. 34 Lydelle Joubert, Stable Seas Database.
12 EOS Risk Group, Maritime Security Intelligence Report, 12-24 35 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Global Maritime
July 2018. Crime Programme Annual Report 2018, January 2019, https://
13 Den Norske Krigsforsikring for Skib (DNK), IOC Monthly Threat www.unodc.org/documents/Maritime_crime/20190131_-_
Assessment August 2018, 31 July 2018. GMCP_Annual_Report_2018.pdf.
14 Author communication with Simon Church, Director MSCHOA 36 Lydelle Joubert, Stable Seas Database.
and J2 team, EUNAVFOR, 29 May 2020. 37 The International Chamber of Commerce and International
15 DNK, IOC Monthly Threat Assessments May–November 2019. Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Centre, “Live Piracy Report”.
16 Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre Madagascar 38 Author communications with EOS Risk, May 2019.
(CRIFM), MARSEC Weekly Report, 14 to 20 September 2019. 39 “La Marine Togolaise met en Enchec une Attaque Pirate aux
17 DNK, IOC Monthly Threat Assessment December 2019. Larges des Cotes du Togo,” Lome Infos,13 May 2019, https://
www.lomeinfos.com/la-marine-togolaise-met-en-echec-une-
18 CRIFM, MARSEC Weekly Report, 28 October to 3 November attaque-pirate-aux-larges-des-cotes-du-togo/.
2019.
40 Global Dryad, “Breaking News: Possible Hijack of a Vessel,”
19 “Chapter Nine: Sub-Saharan Africa,” The Military Balance 119, Twitter, 13 August 2019, https://twitter.com/GlobalDryad/
no. 1 (2019): 438-502, DOI: 10.1080/04597222.2019.1561035. status/1161279231449583616/photo/1.
41 “NPA Moves To End $133.28m Secure Anchorage Area 62 Serge Adanlao, “Protection de la Façade Maritime du Bénin
Fees,” Economic Confidential, 1 November 2019, https:// avec des Radars Appropriés,” Fisheries Committee for the West
economicconfidential.com/2019/11/npa-secure-anchorage- Central Gulf of Guinea, 8 November 2019, https://fcwc-fish.
area-fees/ org/autres-actualites/protection-de-la-facade-maritime-
du-benin-avec-des-radars-appropries-aux-grands-maux-les-
42 Sam Chambers, “19 Crew Kidnapped from HK-flagged VLCC
grands-remedes-le-gouvernement-anticipe-sur-les-actes-de-
off Nigeria,” Splash 247, 4 December 2029, https://splash247.
-piraterie?lang=fr.
com/19-crew-kidnapped-from-hk-flagged-vlcc-off-nigeria/
63 Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea,
43 DNK, IOC Monthly Threat Assessment December 2019.
“Maritime Safety: Nigeria on Path of Progress with Anti-Piracy
44 Nitasha Natu, “Mumbai: Pirates Forced 18 Indian Seafarers Law—UN,” 10 October 2019.
to Camp Near Crocodile-infested Swamp in Nigeria,” Times
64 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Global Maritime
of India, 14 January 2020, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.
Crime Programme Annual Report 2019.
com/city/mumbai/mumbai-pirates-forced-18-indian-
seafarers-to-camp-near-crocodile-infested-swamp-in-nigeria/ 65 Author communications with Quentin Burlot, Legal Expert, UN
articleshow/73239638.cms Office on Drugs and Crime, 25 October 2019.
45 DNK, IOC Monthly Threat Assessment March 2019. 66 Okafor-Yarwood et. al., Stable Seas: Gulf of Guinea.
46 “Six Feared Dead in Nigerian Sea Pirates Attack,” Insurance 67 Victor Edozie, “Fishing Threatened in Rivers as Bandits Take Over
Marine News, 26 September 2017. Waterways,” Daily Trust, 3 March 2020, https://www.dailytrust.
com.ng/fishing-threatened-in-rivers-as-bandits-take-over-
47 DNK IOC Monthly Threat Assessment July 2019.
waterways.html.
48 Independent Source.
68 “Boat Drivers Want Navy, Marine Police on Rivers Waterways,”
49 Author communications with Robert Aponte, Praesidium The Tide, November 2019, http://www.thetidenewsonline.
International, April 2019. com/2019/11/08/boat-drivers-want-navy-marine-police-on-
50 International Maritime Organization, “Global Integrated Shipping rivers-waterways/
Information System (GISIS),” https://gisis.imo.org/Public/Default. 69 ICC International Maritime Bureau, Piracy and Armed Robbery
aspx. Against Ships: Report for the Period 1 January–31 December
51 Ifesinachi Okafor-Yarwood, Maisie Pigeon, Alex Amling, Charles 2019, January 2020.
Ridgway, Ibukun Adewumi, and Lydelle Joubert, Stable Seas: 70 “Sayyaf Militant in Sabah Raids Slain in Sulu,” Mindanao
Gulf of Guinea, Stable Seas, 16 April 2020, https://stableseas. Examiner, 10 March 2019, https://mindanaoexaminer.com/
org/‌publications/violence-gulf-guinea. sayyaf-militant-in-sabah-raids-slain-in-sulu/.
52 Lydelle Joubert, Amahlo/Suritec Piracy Report, March 2017. 71 Jim Gomez, “Hostage Escapes Militants in Philippines,” Stuff
53 Okafor-Yarwood et. al., Stable Seas: Gulf of Guinea. (New Zealand), 6 April 2019, https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/
asia/111852055/hostage-escapes-militants-in-philippines.
54 ICS, BIMCO, IGP&I Clubs, INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO, and
OCIMF, “Best Management Practices to Deter Piracy and 72 ReCAAP ISC, “Weekly Report 25 June to 1 July 2019.”
Enhance Maritime Security off the Coast of West Africa including 73 Roel Pareno, “Westmincom: Malaysian Group Likely Behind
the Gulf of Guinea,” Version 1, March 2020, https://www. Abduction off Sabah,” Philippine Star, 19 June 2019, https://
maritimeglobalsecurity.org/media/1046/bmp-west-africa.pdf. www.philstar.com/nation/2019/06/19/1927801/westmincom-
55 “Why Lagos Ports May Never be Free from Congestion,” Hellenic malaysian-group-likely-behind-abduction-sabah.
Shipping News, 23 April 2019. 74 “3 Nelayan Indonesia Diculik 7 Pria Bersenjata de Peraran
56 “Safe Anchorage Area: NPA vs OMSL,” The Maritime Hub blog, Malaysia,” Sindo News, 24 September 2019, https://sumut.
28 October 2019, https://themaritimehub.com/‌safe-anchorage- sindonews.com/read/4426/1/3-nelayan-indonesia-diculik-7-pria-
area-our-opinion/. bersenjata-di-perairan-malaysia-1569305384.
57 “NPA Moves To End $133.28m Secure Anchorage Area Fees,” 75 ReCAAP ISC, “Weekly Report 17 to 23 September 2019.”
Economic Confidential. 76 Zam Yusa, “Philippine Army in Hot Pursuit of Sayyaf Holding Indo
58 Okafor-Yarwood et. al., Stable Seas: Gulf of Guinea. Hostages,” Daily Express, 6 November 2019.
59 Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region, “Monthly 77 Zam Yusa, “IS Philippines Acting Emir’s Son ‘Mokong’ Now Holds
Maritime Security Update,” September 2019. Indo Hostages,” Daily Express, 15 December 2019, http://www.
dailyexpress.com.my/news/144948/is-philippines-acting-emir-s-
60 Kwame Acheampong, “Takoradi’s Most Wanted Sea Robber son-mokong-now-holds-indo-hostages/.
Jailed,” Starr FM, 9 August 2019, https://starrfm.com.
gh/2019/08/takoradis-most-wanted-sea-robber-jailed/. 78 Zam Yusa, “Abu Sayyaf’s Last Indonesian Hostage Rescued in
Sulu,” Daily Express, 15 January 2020, http://www.dailyexpress.
61 “Benin Scales Up Piracy Preventing Measures in Cotonou Port,” com.my/news/146358/breaking-last-remaining-indonesian-
XinhuaNet, 7 November 2019, http://www.xinhuanet.com/ hostage-rescued-in-sulu/.
english/2019-11/07/c_138536961.htm.
79 Jay Benson, Curtis Bell, Gayathri Iyer, Lydelle Joubert, Maisie
Pigeon, M.J. Rahman, Asyura Salleh, Michael Van Ginkel, and 95 “‘An International Alert has been Issued’ Mexico Gulf
M.A. Wahab, Stable Seas: Bay of Bengal, Stable Seas, 16 March Pirates Attack 16 Ships Every Month,” The Mazatlan Post, 16
2020, https://stableseas.org/publications/stable-seas-bay- November 2019, https://themazatlanpost.com/2019/11/16/an-
bengal-maritime-security. international-alert-has-been-issued-mexico-gulf-pirates-attack-
16-ships-every-month/.
80 Sumon Shikdar, “16 Fishermen Hijacked from the Bay of Bengal,”
Dhaka Tribune, 17 March 2019, https://www.dhakatribune.com/ 96 “2 Wounded When Pirates Attack Italian Ship in Gulf of
bangladesh/nation/2019/03/17/16-fishermen-hijacked-from- Mexico,” Mexico Daily News, 13 November 2019, https://
the-bay-of-bengal. mexiconewsdaily.com/news/2-wounded-when-pirates-attack-
italian-ship/.
81 Multanur Rahman Manna, “18 Fishermen Abducted in Hatia,”
Observer Bangladesh, 27 August 2019, https://www.observerbd. 97 IMO GISIS.
com/details.php?id=214427. 98 “Urgent Measures Need to be Taken to Stop Campeche Pirate
82 “Tiga Sekawan Ditahan Bersama Lebih 2 Tan Besi Kapal,” Maritim Attacks on Oil Platforms,” Maritime Herald, 20 November 2019,
Malaysia, 4 August 2019. https://www.maritimeherald.com/2019/urgent-measures-need-
to-be-taken-to-stop-campeche-pirate-attacks-on-oil-platforms/.
83 IMO GISIS.
99 Johanna Look, “Investigation Finds That Workers Behind
84 “Korean Ship Attacked by Pirates Near Singapore Strait,”
at Least One ‘Pirate’ Attack Against Mexican Oil Platform,”
Yonhap News, 22 July 2019, https://en.yna.co.kr/view/
MARSEC Review, 9 January 2020, https://www.marsecreview.
AEN20190722003300315.
com/2020/01/investigation-finds-that-workers-likely-behind-at-
85 ReCAAP ISC, “Weekly Report 16 to 22 January 2018.” least-one-pirate-attack-against-mexican-oil-platform/.
86 The International Chamber of Commerce and International 100 Lydelle Joubert, “Why the Sudden Drop in Armed Robbery of
Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Centre, “Live Piracy Report”. Ships off Venezuela?” Center for International Maritime Security,
87 ReCAAP ISC, “Weekly Report 18 to 24 June 2019.” 1 April 2020, http://cimsec.org/why-the-sudden-drop-in-piracy-
off-venezuela/43275.
88 Clint Chan Tack, “Young: ‘I Have the Evidence,’” Newsday, 23
October 2019, https://newsday.co.tt/2019/10/23/young-i-have- 101 Yacht Services Association of Trinidad & Tobago, Facebook post,
the-evidence/. 14 April 2019.
89 Trinidad and Tabago Ministry of National Security, 102 Ben Leahy, “Kiwi Man Alan Culverwell Shot Dead by Pirates
“Current Situation of Trinidad and Tobago Nationals Being on Boat in Panama,” New Zealand Herald, 3 May 2019,
Abducted in Venezuela,” press release, 1 February 2019, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_
http://www.nationalsecurity.gov.tt/‌Portals/0/Media%20 id=1&objectid=‌12227565&fbclid=‌IwAR3VT4Tkt9MoWvKe
Release%20-%20Current%20Situation%20of%20Trinidad%20 tORg43rZ2lWimMWwW6ArvAiBQOOpaK9Eja3sgpDPwA0.
and%‌20Tobago%‌20Nationals%20being%20abducted%20in%20
Venezuela%2001.02.2019.pdf?ver=2019-06-17-134501-663.
90 “Kidnapped Fishermen Released After Ransom Paid in USD,
Gold,” Loop News Trinidad and Tabago, 7 February 2019, http://
www.looptt.com/content/kidnapped-fishermen-released-after-
ransom-paid-usd-gold.
91 “Two Committed to Face Trial Over Murder of Fishermen in
Pirate Attack,” Stabroek News, 24 September 2019, https://
www.stabroeknews.com/2019/09/24/news/guyana/two-
committed-to-face-trial-over-murder-of-fishermen-in-pirate-
attack/.
92 “Nine Found Guilty in Suriname of Murdering Guyanese
Fishermen Last Year,” Stabroek News, 25 November 2019,
https://www.stabroeknews.com/2019/11/25/news/guyana/
nine-found-guilty-in-suriname-of-murdering-guyanese-
fishermen-last-year/.
93 Feona Morrison, “Suspect in Recent Deadly Pirate Attack
Remanded,” Kaieteur News, 12 May 2018, https://www.
kaieteurnewsonline.com/2018/05/12/suspect-in-recent-deadly-
pirate-attack-remanded/.
94 “2 Charged for Killing Corentyne Fishermen,” Guyana Times, 31
October 2019, https://issuu.com/‌gytimes/‌docs/guyana_times_
thursday_october_31__2019.
ONE EARTH FUTURE

oneearthfuture.org
One Earth Future (OEF) is a self-funded, private operating foundation seeking to create a more peaceful world through
collaborative, data-driven initiatives. OEF focuses on enhancing maritime cooperation, creating sustainable jobs in fragile
economies, and research which actively contributes to thought leadership on global issues. As an operating foundation, OEF
provides strategic, financial, and administrative support allowing its programs to focus deeply on complex problems and to
create constructive alternatives to violent conflict.
STABLE SEAS
stableseas.org
Stable Seas, a program of One Earth Future, engages the international security community with novel research on illicit maritime
activities such as piracy and armed robbery, trafficking and smuggling in persons, IUU (illegal/unregulated/unreported) fishing,
and illicit trades in weapons, drugs, and other contraband. These activities perpetuate organized political violence and reinforce
each other to threaten economic development and the welfare of coastal populations.
CONTACT US
303.533.1715 [email protected] 525 Zang St. Broomfield, CO 8 0021

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THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2019 | i

Supported by the Global Maritime Crime Programme

Design & Layout:

For Comments and Questions on the Report:

Supported by the Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) of UNODC.

Cover photo by Ministry of Defence Spain.

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN ASIA 2019............ 18

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN

[12] East Africa

HISTORICAL VIEW OF PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY 2010 TO 2018

State Of Maritime Piracy 2019: Incident Types

DEFINITION OF PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS

SOMALIA Piracy and Armed Robbery

Vessels Detained - Houthis

Mines & Explosive Devices

[5] Anchored [6] Tanker

EAST AFRICA EAST AFRICA EAST AFRICA

[112] Robbery [60] Threatened

SIRAJ*: Fishing Dhow

Number of Crew Number of Days in Captivity

Piracy in the Western Indian Ocean

area, identifying Al Azham as the mothership. On 23 April, EUNAVFOR’s flagship

Iran–KSA Coalition Conflict

Robbery and Attempted Robbery at Ports and Anchorages

The UNODC’s Global Maritime Crime Programme in East Africa

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS

The Gulf of Guinea was

incidents were reported [40] Tanker

19:00 2 05:00 [4] Onne Port Terminal, Nigeria

WEST AFRICA WEST AFRICA WEST AFRICA

INCIDENTS PER MONTH

WEST AFRICA WEST AFRICA

• Crew members kidnapped: 164 (A considerable increase. Durations of captivity

confirmed.) The average time of captivity was 34 days.

Trends: West Africa [62] Guns [164] Kidnapped

In recent years vessels have been hijacked to steal oil cargo,

None of the three tanker hijackings in 2019 resulted in oil theft

Robberies at Ports and Anchorages

Lagos Anchorages and Port Complex

Douala Port and Anchorage, Cameroon

Conakry Anchorage, Guinea

Pointe-Noire Anchorage, Congo

Sekondi Port and Takoradi Anchorage, Ghana

Cotonou Anchorage, Benin

Arrests And Prosecutions

Robbery of Boats in Rivers State

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN ASIA 2019

Piracy and Armed Robbery

OVERVIEW: INCIDENTS IN ASIA 2019

[38] Failed Attack

seas, and nearly half of

ROBBERY & ATTEMPTED ROBBERIES

ASIA ASIA ASIA ASIA: KNO

[84] Threatened [67] Unknown

SRI DEWI 1: Fishing Trawler*

SA/232/5/F: Fishing Boat

Fishing Trawler Unknown