IMB applauds global decrease in piracy

The International Maritime global Bureau (IMB) has applauded the global decrease in piracy.

The IMB stated this in its 2022 mid-year report.

The organisation also expressed optimism that it was a fresh dawn for the global maritime community.

This comes on the heels of the Bureau receiving the fewest reported incidents for the first half of the year since 1994, demonstrating its efforts to raise awareness and make the world’s seas safer.

The Gulf of Guinea declaration on the Suppression of Piracy claimed that no cases of sailors being kidnapped had occurred a year after the declaration in May 2021.

Dr. Bashir Jamoh, Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, stated that Nigeria is dedicated to maintaining the momentum of recent victories in the region’s fight against piracy.

While applauding the success, the Baltic and International Maritime Council, BIMCO, the world’s biggest direct-membership organisation for shipowners, charterers, shipbrokers, and agents, has advocated for the effective and complete deployment of Deep Blue Assets on anti-piracy tasking.

The International Maritime Bureau IMB, for its part, has certified that no vessel hijacking occurred in Nigerian seas during the first half of 2022.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) have confirmed that the first half of 2022 saw the fewest occurrences of piracy in 28 years, with only 58 documented cases compared to 68 during the same period in 2021.

Two of the 58 instances in the Gulf of Guinea were classed as piracy attacks, with none occurring in Nigerian waters. While the decrease in reported instances is positive, the IMB PRC warns against complacency.

Not only is this wonderful news for seafarers and the maritime sector, is also good news for trade, which fosters economic growth, according to IMB Director Michael Howlett.

However, risk areas are always changing, therefore the maritime industry must exercise caution. Governments and local authorities are urged to keep up their patrols that have a deterrent effect.