Somali Piracy Has Almost Been Eradicated

Antipiracy measures have had a dramatic impact on the number of attacks off the coast of Somalia over the past 5 years. Activity reached its zenith in 2009 and 2010 when 46 and 51 vessels were hijacked respectively.

The number of pirate-related incidents including boarding attempts and firing on vessels reached a high of 182 in 2010. However, collective action involving international naval patrols and new antipiracy guidelines for captains sailing in dangerous waters off the Somali coast have had a far reaching impact.

In 2012, the number of incidents involving Somali pirates fell to 32 while just 7 vessels were hijacked. The threat was almost eradicated in 2013 when just two incidents of piracy were reported. Despite this success, however, maritime security experts have stressed that all of these gains could be lost if funding for the international naval presence evaporates.