Pirate attacks have tripled in a decade, IMB report finds

The IMB piracy report reveals bulk carriers to be the vessels most likely to face attack

London, 1 May 2003 - Pirate attacks on ships have tripled in the last decade, with a reported 103 attacks in the first three months of this year, the International Maritime Bureau revealed today.

In it's quarterly report, the IMB found the number of attacks in the first three months of this year have already equalled the total number of recorded pirate attacks for the whole of 1993.

The report found that Indonesian waters continue to be the world's most dangerous, with 28 pirate attacks recorded between January and March.

Nigeria also recorded a jump in recorded attacks. Nine ships were attacked off Nigerian waters in the first quarter of this year, compared to six in 2002.

A total of 145 seafarers were reported killed, assaulted, kidnapped or missing in the first quarter of 2003, with bulk carriers nominated as the vessels most likely to face attack.

The areas above shared nearly two thirds of the total reported incidents, i.e 61 from a total of 103 actual and attempted attacks

The IMB is the maritime crime prevention division of the International Chamber of Commerce.

IMB Director Captain Pottenga l Mukundan said the Bureau's Kuala Lumpur-based Piracy Reporting Centre continued to work with local law enforcement agencies to prevent the attacks, but added more needed to be done to prosecute pirates once they are caught.

"In February, an Indian court sentenced 14 Indonesian pirates to seven years hard labour each," he said. "They were convicted for hijacking the Japanese-owned vessel, Alondra Rainbow off the coast of Indonesia in October 1999. This decision marked a rare move by a national court to assume jurisdiction over crimes committed in international waters and sets a precedent, which we hope will deter similar crimes.

"Early this year, Chinese authorities prosecuted pirates who had hijacked the tanker Siam Xanxai. The Chinese courts sentenced the pirates to between 10 and 15 years in prison.
Both the Indian and Chinese authorities should be congratulated for having taken these difficult cases through to prosecution. It is this kind of response which will deter future pirates from this trade."

In contrast, he added, Indonesian authorities recently sentenced a band of hijackers to between only two to four years imprisonment.

He added: "The focussed intelligence of the Piracy Reporting Centre can be vital to resource-strapped law enforcement agencies for the optimum utilisation of their resources."

The IMB's piracy report analyses developments in piracy and lists piracy-prone areas in SE Asia, the Indian Sub Continent, Africa, Red Sea, South and Central America and the Caribbean waters so that the crew can take preventive action.

Copies of the report priced £18 inclusive of postage can be ordered from the IMB (www.icc-ccs.org).

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact Captain Mukundan in London, on +44 208 591 3000.

View piracy map for S E Asia, Indian Sub Continent and Far East

View piracy map for Africa

View piracy map for Carribean, South and Central America