Pirates high and dry in Somalia
Piracy’s threat to global shipping is dwindling, at least in the coastal areas of Somalia. Six international shipping organisations consider the Indian Ocean to no longer be a high-risk area, as there have been no attacks on merchant vessels off Somalia since 2018. Thus the Indian Ocean piracy high-risk area is set to come to an end on 1 January 2023.
The organisations are the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Bimco, the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA), Intercargo, Intertanko and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF).
The co-sponsors submission to the IMO said that “this announcement is a testament to 15 years of dedicated collaboration to reduce the threat of piracy in the Indian Ocean. Through a combination of efforts by military forces, political players, civil society and the shipping industry, operators and seafarers can now operate with increased confidence in these waters.” (sh)