The ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has revealed a slight increase in reported incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery in the first nine months of 2025, with the highest recorded number since 1991 in the Singapore Straits. Despite the rise, IMB and its Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) highlight a continued overall reduction in global incident levels, with no significant attacks recorded.

IMB reported 116 incidents for the period of January-September 2025, up from 79 in the same period last year, the highest reported nine-month figures since 2021.

The report reveals that 102 vessels were boarded, nine faced attempted boardings, four were hijacked and one was fired upon. In 91% of incidents, perpetrators successfully gained access to the vessel with most boarding incidents occurring at night.

The threat of violence against crew remains a concern, with weapons identified in 55% of reported incidents in the first nine months of 2025. Guns were visibly carried in 33% of cases - the highest level since 2017. During this period, 43 crew members were taken hostage, 16 kidnapped, seven threatened, three assaulted and three injured.

IMB Director Michael Howlett said:

"We urge the continued use of collaborative frameworks and commend the efforts undertaken by regional authorities that has contained incident levels and enhanced security of crews and vessels globally."

In the first nine months of 2025, 15 incidents were reported in the Gulf of Guinea region, compared to 12 in the same period of 2024. Of these, 10 occurred in territorial waters, under the definition of armed robbery and the remaining five under the definition of piracy.

While incident numbers remain curbed, crew safety remains a concern. Fourteen crew were kidnapped in these waters from January to September 2025. Despite zero crew kidnappings in Q3, perpetrators continue to demonstrate the capability to target vessels out at sea. In late August, a product tanker was boarded 46nm from Ghana. Its 13 crew are safe but this and other reports underscores the need to continue adhering to the latest versions of the industry-recognised Best Management Practices.

A total of 73 incidents were reported in the Singapore Straits between January and September 2025 - the highest number recorded since 1991. Despite this overall rise, there has been a marked reduction in incidents following the arrest of two gangs in July 2025 by the Indonesian Marine Police (IMP).

IMB commends the actions of the authorities and encourages all ships to report any incidents while in these waters.

No incidents were reported in the waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden in Q3 , likely due to the prevailing southwest monsoon conditions.

IMB advises vessels to continue to adhere to guidelines as 26 crew were taken hostage from two fishing vessels and one dhow in the first six months of 2025.

"This is an important time to reinforce the need for vigilance. There can be no room for complacency and globally, vessel owners and operators are encouraged to follow industry guidelines and report incidents promptly," said Mr Howlett.

Founded in 1991, the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) serves as a crucial global, 24-hour single point of contact to report crimes of piracy and armed robbery and to provide support to ships under threat. Quick reactions and a focus on coordinating with response agencies, sending out warning broadcasts and email alerts to ships have all helped bolster security on the high seas. The data gathered by the Centre also provides key insights into the nature and state of modern piracy.

IMB encourages all shipmasters and owners to report all piracy and armed robbery incidents to the IMB PRC as a vital first step to ensuring adequate resources are allocated by authorities to tackle maritime piracy.

Download a copy of the January to September 2025 Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships report here.

Cautious optimism prevails despite uptick in reported maritime piracy attacks - ICC - International Chamber of Commerce