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The State of Maritime Piracy 2014

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rsz_maritimeAlbany attended the launch of Oceans Beyond Piracy’s fifth instalment of its annual ‘State of Maritime Piracy’ report this week in London. The 2014 publication examines both the human and economic costs of maritime piracy in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea. Exclusive to this edition is an additional analysis of the South East Asian region, which witnessed a total of 185 pirate attacks last year- the highest rate of attacks out of the three regions under review. These waters are a new and especially dangerous target for piracy-related crimes, and merit increased attention from the maritime community.

According to the report, seafarers continue to bear the brunt of piracy: approximately 5,009 were attacked in 2014. The economic costs are also a pressing matter, with an estimated total of $3.3 billion in damages calculated. These were the key topics addressed in the event’s Q&A session hosted by experts from the shipping industry. Another concern raised was the chronic under-reporting of crimes- particularly in the Gulf of Guinea. The absence of prosecutions in the region is a significant problem for the maritime industry, as it prevents a complete understanding of the problem and the threats that seafarers face.

A significant conclusion from the report highlighted that the degree of violence in each region is unique. Off the coast of Somalia, the whole crew is the main target for kidnap and ransom. Violent attacks and robbery dominate piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, whilst seafarers in South East Asia mainly face the threat of theft and occasional violence. This demonstrates the need for the maritime community to have flexible security frameworks in place in order to effectively navigate in any dangerous environment.

The report recognizes that maritime piracy continues to be a global threat to seafarers which shows no sign of abating. In order to address the evolving challenges of region-specific contexts and local piracy models, a vigilant, cooperative, and sustained response is required by all actors across the maritime sector. Albany provides reputation management and communications support to Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs). For more information on these services, please contact Paul Gibbins on paul@albanyassociates.com

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Ella Edey is a Research Intern at Albany Associates


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