Somalia piracy surge: hijackings return to key shipping lanes

Piracy is flaring up again off the Somali coast, with a string of fresh incidents and two confirmed hijackings in just a few days. The Maritime Telegraph reports that the threat level is climbing fast, putting renewed pressure on shipowners, operators, and insurers navigating the region.

 

Figures from United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations highlight a worrying pattern. A cargo vessel sailing near Garacad was recently boarded by unauthorized individuals and forced toward Somali waters. It is already the second successful hijacking within a week.

 

Days earlier, the product tanker Honour 25, sailing under the Palau flag, fell into the hands of six armed attackers about 30 nautical miles offshore. The ship carried 18,500 barrels of oil and a crew of 17 before being redirected deeper along the Somali coastline. Separate reports also point to a seized fishing vessel near Xaafuun and an attempted boarding off Eyl, reinforcing concerns that pirate groups are testing the waters again.

 

The timing is far from ideal. Ongoing instability around the Strait of Hormuz and lingering risks in the Red Sea are already stretching global shipping operations. A renewed piracy hotspot off Somalia adds another layer of uncertainty and cost.

 

The last major wave of Somali piracy peaked during Somali piracy peak in 2011, when attacks exceeded 200 in a single year. The latest developments do not yet match those levels, but the trajectory is clear: piracy is back on the radar, and the industry cannot afford to ignore it.

 

Picture: AP / Farah Abdi Warsameh