In 2025, incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery against ships rose to 137, up from 116 in 2024 and 120 in 2023. The figures come from the official report of the ICC International Maritime Bureau, which records an 18% year-on-year increase. The area most affected is the Singapore Strait, with 80 incidents, accounting for 58% of the global total. At the same time, there has been an escalation in armed violence and a shift in the operational methods of criminal groups.
According to the ICC, most incidents still fall into the category of low-level opportunistic attacks, but qualitative analysis points to changes in the dynamics of assaults. Over the year, 121 vessels were successfully boarded, four were hijacked and two were fired upon. Firearms were reported in 42 cases, compared with 26 the previous year, a 61% increase. The greater firepower available to criminal groups helps explain the high number of successful boardings relative to total incidents.
Crew safety presents a mixed picture. The total number of hostages fell to 46, down from 126 in 2024, but kidnappings rose from 12 to 25 cases, an increase of 108%. The data suggest a shift towards operations aimed at abducting crew members to take ashore for ransom, rather than holding them temporarily on board. This development points to a more structured criminal model focused on maximising the economic return of each operation.
The Singapore Strait remains the most dangerous area. The 80 incidents recorded in 2025 are almost double the 43 reported in 2024, an increase of 86%. The intensity of attacks along one of the world’s main maritime trade routes poses a direct risk to supply chain continuity. In this area, the use of firearms has more than tripled, rising from eight to 27 cases, signalling greater determination among local gangs and a higher propensity for armed confrontation.
However, the report highlights a sharp reduction in attacks in the second half of the year. This decline is directly linked to the arrest of two gangs by the Indonesian Maritime Police in July. The timeline shows a peak in incidents in the first half, followed by a marked contraction after the police operation, confirming the effectiveness of targeted and coordinated interventions among coastal authorities. The Indonesian case reinforces the view that intelligence-led action and regional cooperation are decisive deterrence tools.
In the Horn of Africa, the situation appears stable but fragile. Somali piracy remains contained thanks to the constant international naval presence and the application of Best Management Practices by shipping companies. However, two long-range attacks recorded in November demonstrate the persistence of operational capabilities able to strike far from the coast. Maintaining naval protection in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean is identified as a necessary condition to prevent a renewed escalation.
In the Gulf of Guinea, there has been a slight rise in attacks, from 18 to 21 cases. Although overall numbers are lower than in other areas, the region remains the most exposed in terms of kidnappings: 23 crew members were abducted in four separate incidents. The ratio between the number of incidents and the number of people kidnapped confirms a high level of criminal intensity per event, with direct implications for risk management by shipowners and insurers.
The three most serious attacks of 2025 – in terms of the use of heavy weapons, the number of kidnappings and the audacity of the operations – involved an oil tanker, a gas carrier and an ocean-going fishing vessel. On 6 November, the Maltese-flagged tanker Hellas Aphrodite was attacked 560 nautical miles off the coast while sailing from India to South Africa. This significant distance suggests the use of mother ships by the pirates, who used machine guns and RPG rocket launchers in an attempt to force the vessel to stop. The 24 crew members managed to take refuge in the secure room, the “citadel”, and sent out a distress call. The following day, the Spanish frigate ESPS Victoria, part of Operation Atalanta, freed the vessel and crew, who were unharmed.
On 3 December, the Portuguese-flagged gas carrier Cgas Saturn was attacked by a heavily armed commando around 50 miles off Equatorial Guinea. The pirates seized nine crew members and took them ashore into the rainforest to demand a ransom. One seafarer was injured during the assault. This was one of the largest kidnappings in recent years, confirming that West African pirates have resumed targeting high-value commercial vessels rather than limiting their activities to illegal fishing.
All the kidnapped seafarers were released on 29 December in what were described as stable health conditions. Among them was the Lithuanian master. The shipowner, Christiania Shipping, did not disclose whether a ransom was paid for their release, but it is highly likely that this was the case. Similar incidents show that ransom payments typically range from €50,000 to €150,000 per person, depending on rank.
Fishing vessels can also be a target for pirates, as shown by the boarding of the Chinese ocean-going fishing vessel Meng Xin 1 on 25 March. In this case too, the assault was highly violent, with pirates taking control of the vessel for several hours after boarding and abducting ten crew members. The seafarers were released on 25 April in a remote area of the Niger Delta.
The investigation into this case revealed a disturbing aspect: the complicity of some crew members. The Ghana Police arrested four individuals, including the boatswain, the cook and the second engineer of the Meng Xin 1, on charges of providing information and operational coordination to the pirates. In this case, the release was reportedly secured not through a ransom payment, but as a result of pressure exerted by the Ghanaian and Nigerian Authorities.
According to the ICC International Maritime Bureau, timely reporting remains a decisive factor. Delays in communicating suspicious approaches limit the Authorities’ response capacity and reduce the effectiveness of preventive measures. For shipping companies, this means strengthening internal reporting procedures and strictly adhering to current operational recommendations.
M.G.
