Recent Hijackings Raise Alarm Over Somali Piracy Resurgence
In the past week, three vessels have been hijacked off the Somali coast, prompting renewed concerns about a resurgence of piracy in the Horn of Africa. This development adds further challenges to the global shipping industry.
The merchant vessel Sward was seized on 26 April, following the capture of a dhow the previous day. These incidents came shortly after the 21 April hijacking of Honour 25, a motor tanker carrying 18,000 barrels of oil, as reported by the Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO), the tracking service affiliated with the EU’s naval force.
The MSCIO issued a statement on Monday, noting:
“All incidents remain ongoing … Vessels operating in the area are strongly advised to maintain heightened vigilance … particularly within 150NM [nautical miles] of the Somali coast between Mogadishu and Hafun where feasible.”
Background on Somali Piracy Trends
Somali piracy surged in the late 2000s, reaching a peak in 2011 with 212 recorded attacks, according to data from the EU naval force. Pirates became increasingly bold, conducting raids as far as 2,271 miles from the Somali coast into the Indian Ocean.
Subsequently, an international naval coalition significantly reduced the frequency of attacks, bringing them down to only a few incidents annually from 2014 onward. However, recent reports indicate a resurgence in piracy activities.
Impact on Global Shipping Amid Regional Instability
This increase in piracy represents an additional strain on global shipping, which is already affected by the near-total closure of the Bab el Mandeb strait by Iran and attacks by Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi rebels in the same area. The Bab el Mandeb strait is a critical maritime chokepoint that ships must pass through to exit the Red Sea, a major shipping route, with many vessels continuing around the Horn of Africa.
Details of the Sward Hijacking
Sward, a cement carrier, departed from the port of Suez, Egypt, on 13 April, bound for Mombasa, Kenya. It was captured by pirates approximately 11 kilometers (6 nautical miles) from the Somali port town of Garacad. The ship had 17 crew members onboard, including 15 Syrians and two Indians, according to three security officials from Puntland, an autonomous region of Somalia.
The hijacking occurred shortly after 8 pm on Sunday. Pirates navigated the vessel toward the coast and anchored it in a remote area near Garacad. Six armed pirates and an unarmed interpreter fluent in English and Arabic boarded the ship.
“He’s not only speaking with the crew but also dealing with the owner of the ship,”
one security official stated. Another official remarked simply,
“The interpreter is in charge.”
By Tuesday morning, four additional armed pirates had boarded Sward, increasing the total number of pirates onboard to 20, according to the officials.
Analysis of Piracy Networks and Capabilities
Jethro Norman, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, explained that pirates have exploited the diversion of international naval resources to the Red Sea to counter Houthi attacks, as well as the stretched capacity of Puntland’s Emirati-backed security forces.
“Pirate networks are testing the waters again and they are better equipped than the last generation. GPS, satellite communications and hijacked dhow motherships let them operate hundreds of miles offshore.”
Additionally, a third Puntland security official reported that a shipment of khat, a narcotic stimulant commonly used in the Horn of Africa, was delivered by a small boat to the pirates aboard the cement carrier on Tuesday morning. The khat had been transported approximately 150 miles from the inland city of Galkayo on Monday, indicating that the pirates maintain a land-based network and may be preparing for a prolonged siege at sea.
