The world's merchant fleet faced a troubling uptick in maritime piracy and armed robbery in 2025, according to the latest annual report by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), a specialist division of the International Chamber of Commerce. For the year, the IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre documented 137 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships, up from 116 in 2024 and 120 in 2023, marking a significant increase in reported attacks on global shipping lanes.

While most incidents were categorised as low-level crimes, the overall rise underscores enduring and evolving risks to seafarers, vessels and global supply chains. The IMB report records that in 2025 a total of 121 vessels were boarded, four were hijacked, two were fired upon and there were 10 attempted attacks.

Geographically, the Singapore Straits emerged as the most active hotspot, accounting for more than half of all reported incidents worldwide. With 80 reported cases in 2025 compared to 43 in the previous year, these waters have seen a notable escalation of opportunistic attacks. The increased carriage of firearms in these incidents was also highlighted, with guns reported in 27 separate events, a three-fold rise on 2024 figures.

Despite this concentration of cases in Southeast Asian waters, the report offers insights into how coordinated law enforcement action can stem volatility. In the latter half of 2025, the number of reported incidents in the Singapore Straits declined after the Indonesian Marine Police apprehended two gangs, reflecting the impact sustained and proactive maritime policing can have on reducing threats to shipping.

In contrast to the surge in Southeast Asia, piracy off the Somali coast remained largely contained, with only a small number of incidents recorded. In these rare cases, crews that were well prepared and supported by nearby naval forces were able to avert serious harm, illustrating the continuing value of persistent patrols and adherence to best management practices in high-risk waters.

The Gulf of Guinea, another historically challenging region for maritime security, recorded 21 incidents in 2025, a modest increase on 18 in 2024. The region's authorities have intensified patrol and reporting measures, and while the total number of incidents remains notable, improved cooperation and capacity building are contributing to a more structured response.

A particularly worrying human dimension of the 2025 data relates to violence against crews. The report notes 46 crew members taken hostage, 25 kidnapped, 10 threatened, four injured and three assaulted. These figures, while lower in some categories than the previous year, serve as a stark reminder that even so-called low-level incidents can have profound psychological and physical consequences for those onboard.

ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO commented that maritime trade remains "a cornerstone of real economic activity and growth," emphasising that the rise in reported incidents highlights the imperative of securing key shipping routes and protecting seafarers. He called for sustained cooperation among international partners, regional authorities, naval forces and the shipping industry to preserve safe passage at sea, an essential condition for the stability of global commerce.

The IMB continues to advocate for timely and accurate reporting of all piracy and armed robbery incidents via its Piracy Reporting Centre, noting that transparent and rapid communication enables better risk assessment and response planning across the global maritime community.

Further information: https://iccwbo.org/news-publications/report/global-maritime-piracy-and-armed-robbery-increased-in-2025/

This article represents the views of the author and not necessarily those of ICC.