Piracy in the 21st century (commonly known asmodern piracy) has taken place in a number of waters around theglobe, including but not limited to, theGulf of Guinea,Gulf of Aden,[1]Arabian Sea,[2]Strait of Malacca,Sulu and Celebes Seas,Indian Ocean,Bay of Bengal andFalcon Lake.
Due to thecrisis in Bolivarian Venezuela, issues of piracy returned to theCaribbean in the 2010s, with the increase in pirate activity being compared topiracy off the coast of Somalia given their similar socioeconomic origins.[3] In 2016, many former fishermen turned to piracy, initially in the state ofSucre, where attacks occurred daily, often resulting in multiple killings.[4] By 2018, as Venezuelans became more desperate, fears arose that Venezuelan pirates might spread throughout Caribbean waters.[3]Many may have turned to piracy due to larger ships from other countries entering the waters of low-income countries to exploit resources like fish. Since many residents of such countries rely on fishing as their primary source of income, the depletion of aquatic resources like fish caused by these larger ships often leaves local fishermen without any means of livelihood once the ships depart permanently.
Falcon Lake is a 100-kilometre long (60 mi) reservoir constructed in 1954 along the border between the United States and Mexico that serves as a known drug smuggling route.[5]
Aturf war between rivaldrug cartels for control of the lake began in March 2010, resulting in a series ofarmed robberies and shooting incidents. All attacks were attributed to theLos Zetas cartel, occurring primarily on the Mexican side of the reservoir but within sight of theTexas shoreline. These so-calledpirates operate "fleets" of small boats used to target fishermen and smuggle drugs.[6][7]
While these events are commonly referred to as piracy, all waters of Falcon Lake are classified as either U.S. or Mexican territorial waters. As such, these activities do not meet the technical definition of piracy underArticle 101 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.[8]
Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea affects numerouscountries inWest Africa and has significant implications for the broaderinternational community. By 2011, it had become a global concern.[9][10] Pirates operating in the Gulf of Guinea are often part of heavily armed criminal enterprises that uses violent methods to steal oil cargo.[11] In 2012, theInternational Maritime Bureau, Oceans Beyond Piracy, and the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Program reported that had carried out the highest number of vessel attacks globally, with 966 seafarers affected that year.[12]
Over the first decade of the 21st century,Piracy in theGulf of Guinea has evolved significantly. Initially, smaller ships transporting employees and materials foroil companies involved inexploration were the primary targets inNigeria. Over time, however, pirates grew more aggressive and better equipped.[10] By 2014, most pirate attacks in West Africa occurred in territorial waters, terminals, and harbors rather than on the high seas. This attack pattern has complicated intervention efforts by international naval forces.
Pirates in the Gulf of Guinea operate within a well-funded and organized criminal industry, supported by establishedsupply networks. Increasingly, they utilizemotherships to launch attacks, enhancing their operational range and efficiency. Their primary aim is to steal oil cargo, with limited interest in holdingcrew members or non-oil vessels and cargo forransom. Notably, pirates in this region are infamous for their violent methods, which often involvekidnapping,torture, and the shooting of crew members. This violent approach is believed to be part of a deliberate "business model" that relies onintimidation andbrutality to achieve itsobjectives.
By 2010, 45 incidents of piracy had been reported to the UNInternational Maritime Organization, rising to 120 incidents by 2012.[9] However, many attacks remain unreported. These acts of piracy disrupt legitimate trade interests of affected countries, includingBenin,Togo,Côte d’Ivoire,Ghana,Nigeria, and theDemocratic Republic of Congo. For instance, trade through Benin’s main port, the Port ofCotonou, reportedly declined by 70% in 2012 due to piracy.[10] The economic cost of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, encompassing stolen goods, security measures, and insurance expenses, has been estimated at approximately $2 billion.[9]
According to theControl Risks Group, pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea had maintained a steady rate of around 100 attempted hijackings by mid-November 2013, ranking the region third globally for piracy incidents, behind Southeast Asia.[13]
Piracy in theIndian Ocean has posed a threat tointernational shipping since the onset of theSomali Civil War in the early1990s.[14] By 2005, manyinternational organizations have raised concerns about the increasing number of pirate attacks.[15][16] These acts of piracy disrupt the delivery of shipments, escalated shipping costs, and caused an estimated $6.6 to $6.9 billion in annual losses to global trade, according toOceans Beyond Piracy (OBP).[17] TheGerman Institute for Economic Research (DIW) noted that an industry of profiteers emerged around the piracy crisis.Insurance companies, for instance, saw significant profit increase as they raised premium rates in response to the heightened risks.[18]
The fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean was spearheaded byCombined Task Force 150, a multinational coalition task force, that established theMaritime Security Patrol Area (MSPA) within theGulf of Aden[19] and theGuardafui Channel.[20] By September 2012, the peak of piracy in the region was reportedly over.[21] The International Maritime Bureau noted that pirate attacks had dropped to a six-year low by October 2012, with only one ship attacked during the third quarter compared to thirty-six during the same period in 2011.[22]
By December 2013, the U.S.Office of Naval Intelligence reported that pirates had attacked only 9 vessels that year, with no successful hijackings.[23]Control Risks attributed this 90% decline in pirate activity from 2012 levels to several factors: the adoption of best management practices by ship owners and crews, the deployment of armed private security personnel on board vessels, the presence of significant naval forces, and the development of onshore security forces.[24]
Pirates in the Strait of Malacca nearIndonesia are typically armed withguns,knives, ormachetes. They often carry out their attacks at night, targeting ships either underway or at anchor. If a vessel sounds an alarm, the pirates usually retreat without engaging the crew.[25] Similarly, in theSingapore Straits, pirates conduct nighttime attacks on ships that are either anchored or in transit.[25]
By mid-November 2013, theControl Risks Group, reported that pirate attacks in the Strait of Malacca had reached a global high, surpassing the number of incidents in theGulf of Guinea.[13]
TheSulu andCelebes Seas, a semi- enclosed and porous maritime region spanning approximately 1 million square kilometers,[26] have been hotspots for illegal activities since the pre-colonial era.[27] These waters continue to pose significant maritime security threats to neighboring nations.
In recent years, the abduction of crew members has become the most prevalent illegal activity in the area, with many incidents attributed to the violent extremist groupAbu Sayyaf. Since March 2016, the Information Sharing Centre (ISC) of theRegional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) has reported a total of 86 abductions.[28] This has prompted the issuance of warnings to ships traversing the region.[29]
| Image | Flag (owner) | Name (class) | Crew (cargo) | Status | Date of attack | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of release | Ransom demanded | |||||
 Bangladesh | Dilruba (Fishing) | unknown (unknown) | Attacked | February 2001 | unknown | |
| n/a | n/a | |||||
| Boarded off Patharghata. In a gun fight leaving one crew member wounded, the pirates stole supplies worth $139,373. | ||||||
 Panama | Lingfield (Tanker) | unknown (classified) | Attacked | March 7, 2001 | unknown | |
| n/a | n/a | |||||
| Attacked near Bintan,Indonesia and boarded by eight pirates who, after tying up and blindfolding the ship's three senior officers, stole $11,000 from the ship's safe. | ||||||
| Panama | Jasper (Cargo) | unknown (unknown) | Attacked | March 9, 2001 | unknown | |
| n/a | n/a | |||||
| Looted of $11,000 off the coast of Kosichang,Thailand by what was suspected to be members of a Thailand organized crime organization. | ||||||
 Indonesia | Inabukwa (Cargo) | unknown (unknown) | Attacked | March 15, 2001 | unknown | |
| (2 weeks later) | n/a | |||||
| Boarded off the coast ofMalaysia and, after marooning the crew on a nearby uninhabited island, the pirates escaped with the ship's cargo of tin ingots and pepper valued at $2,170,000. The ship was recovered byFilipino authorities two weeks later, following the arrest of the pirates. | ||||||
| Panama | Marine Universal (Cargo) | unknown (unknown) | Attacked | May 2001 | unknown | |
| n/a | n/a | |||||
| Boarded by four pirates while at an anchorage inLagos Harbor,Nigeria. Armed with long knives, they took one sailor hostage, and later threw him overboard. | ||||||
.jpg) |  United States | Maersk Alabama (Cargo) | 23 (17,000 metric tons) | Hostages rescued | 2009-04-08 | unknown |
| 2009-04-12 | n/a | |||||
| Boarded by four pirates while en route toMombasa, who attacked from another hijacked vessel. After a prolonged struggle with the crew, the pirates escaped the ship via lifeboat with the captain,Richard Phillips. Philips was rescued from the lifeboat three days later byUS Navy SEALs, who killed three pirates. A fourth pirate,Abduwali Muse, was detained and convicted of hijacking and kidnapping in the United States. | ||||||
 Italy | MSC Melody (Cruise ship) | unknown (unknown) | Attacked | 2009-04-25 | unknown | |
| n/a | n/a | |||||
| About 800 kilometres (500 mi) off the coast of Somalia, pirates tried to attack an Italian cruise ship carrying nearly 1,500 people in 2009. An Israeli security team had been contracted to protect the cruise liner. Security personnel returned fire when the pirates started firing at the ship. The presence of a security team caused the pirates to turn around and abandon the attack. | ||||||
 Thailand | MV Prantalay 11, 12, and 14 (Commercial fishing boat) | unknown (unknown) | Hijacked | 2010 | unknown | |
| n/a | n/a | |||||
| The attack took place near theEEZ of India; however, the pirates took the boats and fisherman back to Somalia. The pirates held them for ransom until they received what they had asked for. | ||||||
| United States | SY Quest (Sail boat) | unknown (unknown) | Hijacked | 2011 | unknown | |
| n/a | n/a | |||||
| In February 2011 Somali pirates killed four American hostages. The pirates hijacked a sail boat from the Arabian Sea and took the people aboard hostage, including a retired couple from California. When the US Navy got too close, the pirates panicked and shot the hostages. A navy spokesperson said they did not understand why the hostages would be killed, when the pirates' motive is to hold hostages for ransom.[citation needed] | ||||||
 Bahamas(  Isle of Man) | Galaxy Leader (Cargo) | unknown (unknown) | Hijacked | 2023 | unknown | |
| (ongoing) | n/a | |||||
| In November 2023 during theGaza war, YemeniHouthis hijacked a Japanese-operated, British-owned cargo ship in the Red Sea, by landing on top of the deck from a helicopter.[30][31] The Houthis claimed the ship was Israeli, a claim that Israel denied.[31] | ||||||
 Liberia(  Monaco) | Central Park (Tanker) | 22 (phosphoric acid) | Hijacked | 26 November 2023 | unknown | |
| 26 November 2023 | n/a | |||||
| In November 2023, amid theGaza war, theCentral Park, a tanker ship owned byZodiac Maritime, was attacked in theGulf of Aden by suspectedSomali pirates. The crew of theUSS Mason (DDG-87) came to theCentral Park's assistance and captured five pirates.[32] | ||||||
 United Kingdom | Madleen (Trawler) | 12 (humanitarian aid) | Hijacked | 9 June 2025 | unknown | |
| n/a | n/a | |||||
| In June 2025, as part ofits blockade of theGaza Strip,Israel boarded and seizedMadleen ininternational waters and abducted its crew. The ship was carryinghumanitarian aid to Gaza in a civilian maritime mission organized by theFreedom Flotilla Coalition.[33] | ||||||
| United Kingdom | Handala (Trawler) | 21 (humanitarian aid) | Hijacked | 26 July 2025 | unknown | |
| n/a | n/a | |||||
| In July 2025, as part of its blockade of the Gaza Strip, Israel boarded and seizedHandala in international waters and abducted its crew. The ship was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza in a civilian maritime mission organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.[34] | ||||||
| United Kingdom | Ohwayla (Sailing Vessel) | unknown (humanitarian aid) | Hijacked | 1 October 2025 | unknown | |
| n/a | n/a | |||||
| In October 2025, as part of its blockade of the Gaza Strip, Israel boarded and seizedOhwayla in international waters and abducted its crew. The ship was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza in a civilian maritime mission organized by theveteran delegation of the Global Sumud Flotilla.[35] | ||||||
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