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IMB director Michael Howlett said the incident demonstrates the continued capabilities of Somali pirates.
On Thursday, a global anti-piracy body said shipping vessels should remain vigilant while transiting waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden as piracy remains a threat despite a decline in attacks since 2017.
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The International Chamber of Commerce's International Maritime Bureau (IMB), in a new report released on Thursday, said a vessel was hijacked off the coast of Somalia on Dec. 14, 2023.
It said a handymax bulk carrier was boarded and hijacked by Somali pirates about 700 nautical miles east of Bosaso, a town in northeastern Somalia.
IMB Director Michael Howlett said the incident demonstrates the continued capabilities of Somali pirates.
❗THREAT UPDATE: 08 January.
— EUNAVFOR (@EUNAVFOR) January 8, 2024
The security situation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden continues to present serious concerns for maritime shipping and industry.
For the full threat update, recommendations, and more information �� #MSCHOA website https://t.co/sAqoEQjyn8 pic.twitter.com/7ThRNg5eYX
"This is a cause for concern and the IMB is once again calling for all masters and vessel owners to continue following the recommendations and reporting procedures as per the latest version of the Best Management Practices," Howlett said.
The IMB urged vessels to continue implementing the industry's best management practices and encouraged the continued stabilizing presence of navies in the region.
According to the IMB, Somali pirates tend to be well-armed with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades, and sometimes use skiffs launched from mother vessels, which may be hijacked fishing vessels or dhows.
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