Despite a worldwide discount of piracy throughout worldwide waters in the course of the first three months of 2016, piracy within the Gulf of Guinea, together with kidnappings for ransom and sabotage, has surged, in accordance with Dryad Maritime’s Q1 2016 evaluation of reported incidents of piracy and crime in opposition to mariners.

In South East Asia there was a 50% drop in reported maritime crime in comparison with the identical interval in 2015; the bottom figures recorded by Dryad in 10 years. Similarly, the tip of Q1 2016 represents the longest interval with out assaults on MVs underway or at anchor throughout the Singapore Strait since Q1 2013. Somali piracy continues to be broadly contained with no confirmed assaults on giant service provider vessels since January 2014, regardless of some views that the pirates proceed to ‘probe.’

However, newest figures present that the Gulf of Guinea continues to blight an in any other case cautiously optimistic evaluation, in accordance with Dryad. From January to March, the area noticed a surge of commercial sabotage ashore, and offshore, the exercise of Pirate Action Groups (PAGs) working with impunity within the face of overstretched Nigerian naval patrols has surged. A complete of 14 business vessels had been attacked off Rivers and Bayelsa States, with 8 raids categorised as ‘unsuccessful’ on account of evasive maneuvering or the crew’s evasion of seize by retreating to their ship’s citadel. In 6 of those incidents, 23 crew-members had been kidnapped for ransom, which is proving a much more efficient marketing strategy for PAGs than hijacking product tankers for cargo (situations of which have fallen dramatically within the final 18 months), regardless of one unsuccessful try which was thwarted by Nigerian forces in February.

“The first three months of 2016 have visibly demonstrated the dynamic nature of maritime crime and how effective action to combat it can turn the tide in favor of the good guys,” commented Ian Millen, Chief Operating Officer, Dryad Maritime. “There are some welcome causes for optimism in certain regions, notably the Indian Ocean where Somali piracy remains broadly contained, and in Southeast Asia where we have seen a remarkable turnaround in a little over six months to deliver our lowest first quarter figures in a decade. In other areas, such as the Gulf of Guinea, the picture is a less positive one, with kidnap of crew for ransom rampant off the Niger Delta. Wider concerns, from the effects of civil war and concerns over maritime terrorism to the impact of humanitarian crises such as maritime migration, continue to focus the minds of all with duty of care responsibilities for ships, crew and passengers, but these are manageable issues with proper planning and support.”

Despite the great progress in some areas, Dryad warns that we should always keep away from complacency in any respect prices.

“Criminal enterprises are adaptable and flexible and unencumbered by ethics, morality or international corporate law,” added Millen. “No less business savvy than legitimate, law-abiding businesses, they can and will adapt to changing market conditions, finding new, less risky and more profitable ways of making their ill-gotten gains. The drop off in cargo theft and increase in kidnap activity in the Gulf of Guinea, could be one such example of this adaptability. Keeping one step ahead of the criminals is the key to what we do and how we help our clients.”

Millon continues on particular areas:

Somali Piracy

“The last disruption of a Somali pirate action group was in January 2014 and we have not seen a confirmed attack since then, despite the numerous reports of so called ‘soft approaches’ being deterred by on board security and the talking up of the threat by some commentators whose business models depend upon a continued threat. We are by no means complacent, as conditions can change quickly and we need to avoid complacency and monitor the situation carefully, but we are in a period of de-escalation and a return to industrial levels of Somali piracy is unlikely.” -Ian Millen

Southeast Asia Piracy

In Southeast Asia, regional safety forces and regulation enforcement deserve a lot credit score for the bettering state of affairs within the space, particularly for combatting product tanker hijack and the 2015 crime spree within the Singapore Strait by tackling the legal gangs at supply and by deterring those who could be tempted to work for them by schooling and simpler patrolling. It isn’t a totally optimistic image, with issues over terrorist associated, maritime kidnap within the Sulu Sea and a worsening crime state of affairs off Vietnam however, all issues thought-about, the general image is a really optimistic one. -Ian Millen

Gulf of Guinea Piracy

“By contrast, the Gulf of Guinea has not got off to a good start in 2016. Kidnap of crew for ransom off the Niger Delta continues with the criminals growing in confidence and operating with impunity as they take crew members from ships in the region from under the noses of naval forces who have neither the resources nor the capability to routinely deter the criminals’ actions outside of their territorial waters. More optimistically, however, the complex and logistically difficult product tanker hijack has unsuccessfully reared its head, thanks to the actions of the Nigerian Navy who managed to thwart such an operation in February.” -Ian Millen

Dryad Maritime full report could be discovered HERE.