There were 115 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in 2022 as compared to 132 incidents in 2021.
In 2022, 107 ships were boarded, 5 attempted attacks, 2 ships hijacked and 1 fired upon. Though the number of reported incidents decreased, the risk to crew remains high. 41 crew were taken hostage, 6 crew assaulted, 6 threatened and 2 kidnapped.
The piracy attack incidents within the Gulf of Guinea region came down from 35 incidents in 2021 to 19 in 2022. In 2022, incidents in these waters were reported at up to 260nm from the coast. Though crew kidnappings have decreased from 57 in 2021 to 2 in 2022, 29 crew were kept hostage during hijacking.
In November a Ro-Ro ship was captured by pirates, around 28nm SW of Turtle Islands, Sierra Leone. All crew were taken hostage and the ship ran aground when pirates tried to navigate her through shallow waters. The crew managed to free themselves and took refuge in the citadel until the Sierra Leone authorities boarded the ship.
In mid-December, pirates fired upon a Suezmax tanker, 87nm NW of Bata, Equatorial Guinea. Both these incidents indicate that all concerned parties must maintain efforts to sustain maritime security in the region. Ships must follow industry Best Management Practice recommendations in these waters.