IMB: Piracy Declined in 2024, But Seafarer Hostage-Taking is on the Rise

Piracy at sea is less common than it used to be, according to the ICC’s International Maritime Bureau, but the risk to crewmembers remains high – particularly in hotspot regions like the Singapore Strait. 

In 2024, piracy levels remained about the same as in 2023 and 2022, holding steady at about 116 incidents. Out of these run-ins, 94 attacks resulted in a boarding, six ships were hijacked and three were fired upon by pirates. 13 unsucces…