BBG-EU Warns Of Increased Risk Of Somali Pirate Attacks On Shipping

Bloomberg reporting that the EU's Naval force near the Horn of Africa has warned of an increased risk to merchant shipping in and around the region from an uptick in Somali pirate activity. Following a multinational operation the threat of Somali pirates had abated significantly, with no successful hijackings occuring between 2017 and 2023. However, there has been a notable uptick in recent months, with the seizure of a Bangladeshi cargo vessel on12 March the most sizeable hijacking of recent times.

• Bloomberg notes: "The increase has coincided with a spate of attacks on merchant shipping in the Red Sea that has forced a significant chunk of the global fleet to sail around the coast of Africa, rather than use the Suez Canal route, while also keeping naval forces occupied."
• While the number of piracy groups in Somalia is much lower than during the early-mid 2010's peak in pirate activity, should ships transiting round the Horn of Africa increasingly be seen as easy targets it could spur a significant uptick in attacks. A concerted US-UK-EU naval effort may be required, but this would require either reducing the deployment intended to combat Houthi attacks or diverting vessels from other theatres.