Pirates: 97 incidents
The first nine months of 2021 saw the lowest number of pirate attacks since 1994, according to data from the recently released quarterly piracy report of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
According to this report, between January and September of this year there were 97 incidents, among which 85 ships were boarded, one hijacked and two shot at with firearms. In addition, there were nine other attempted attacks.
Despite these good data, the violence of some attacks remains a cause for concern. In January, a sailor was killed in the Gulf of Guinea, to which must be added another three crew members injured, two attacked, five threatened, eight taken hostage and 51 kidnapped in the first nine months of the year.
The IMB report highlights the decline in incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, currently the most dangerous area on the planet for merchant ships. 28 incidents of piracy and armed robbery were recorded in this area in the first nine months of 2021, compared to 46 in the same period of 2020.
Off the Nigerian coast, this decline was particularly notable. Only four incidents were recorded up to September, compared to 17 in the same period in 2020 or 41 in 2018. (cd)