Protecting ships against evolving piracy risks

With attacks in high-risk areas such as the Gulf of Aden or the Gulf of Guinea, a heightened risk of vessels being seized requires tailored piracy cover, says Richard Turner, at West P&I

There were 120 reported incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery against ships in 2023 compared to 115 in 2022, according to the annual Piracy and Armed Robbery Report from the International Chamber of Commerce's (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB). While the total numbers are fairly consistent year-on-year, it is the change in style of attack and different patterns of attacks that present the most significant new challenges - and a clear distinction must be made in how a shipowner responds and is covered.