The maritime sector confronts renewed obstacles as Somali pirates resurface in the oceans, exacerbating the existing global shipping crisis.
As per a report by Reuters, the recent incident involving the Bangladeshi-owned bulk carrier, the Abdullah, underscores the growing menace.
Despite issuing distress signals, the crew couldn’t thwart the pirates from boarding the vessel and seizing the captain and second officer.
Chief Officer Atiq Ullah Khan, in an audio message to the ship’s proprietors, provided reassurance, stating, “By the grace of Allah no one has been harmed so far.”
However, the pirates confiscated the crew’s phones thereafter.
Presently, the Abdullah is anchored off the Somali coast, becoming the latest casualty in the resurgence of piracy that international navies had previously believed to be contained.
Increasing incidents and associated costs
Since November, over 20 attempted hijackings have been recorded, escalating costs for armed security personnel and insurance premiums.
Industry representatives indicate that the recent surge in piracy has also sparked concerns about potential ransom payments.
Two Somali gang members revealed that they are capitalizing on the distractions caused by Houthi strikes to resume piracy operations after nearly a decade of dormancy.
A pirate financier named Ismail Isse, who assisted in funding a prior hijacking, communicated with Reuters from Hul Anod, a coastal area in Somalia’s semi-autonomous north-eastern region of Puntland.
While the current threat level doesn’t match the severity witnessed between 2008 and 2014, regional authorities and industry sources express apprehensions about further escalation.
Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stressed the importance of addressing the issue promptly, asserting, “If we do not stop it while it’s still in its infancy, it can become the same as it was.”
International responses and deterrence efforts
Over the weekend, the Indian Navy successfully intercepted and liberated the Ruen, a vessel sailing under Malta’s flag, which might have been used as a launchpad for attacking the Abdullah.
All 35 pirates aboard surrendered, and the 17 hostages were rescued unharmed.
Cyrus Mody, deputy director of the International Chamber of Commerce’s anti-crime arm, commented on the intervention.
“This intervention does show that the risk/reward is very much against the pirates, and hopefully that will make them think a few times over,” he said.
However, a Bangladeshi foreign ministry official expressed reservations about military interventions close to the Somali coast.
The official highlighted the advantages pirates possess in these waters and indicated that the government was “not in favour of any kind of military action” to free the Abdullah.
Post Your Comments