Gulf of Guinea a piracy hotspot, says IMB

The Gulf of Guinea saw a spike in piracy incidents in 2020, according to a new report, with 195 cases recorded up from 162 the prior year.

The situation has become so perilous that container shipping giant Maersk now says military assistance is needed to ensure the security of vessels operating in the area.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) annual piracy report for 2020 also recorded the highest ever number of crew kidnapped in a year at 135, 95 per cent of them seized whilst operating in the Gulf of Guinea.

IMB – part of the International Chamber of Commerce – said that 2020 overall saw three hijacked vessels, 11 vessels fired upon, 20 attempted attacks, and 161 vessels boarded, with an increase in armed robbery activity also seen in the Singapore Straits.

“Incidents in the Gulf of Guinea are particularly dangerous as over 80 per cent of attackers were armed with guns,” said the IMB. All three vessel hijackings and nine of the 11 vessels fired upon in 2020 related to this region.