Somali pirates News

Somali Piracy Revives Sharply After Years of Quiet

Somali piracy — the scourge of merchant shipping more than a decade ago — has had a resurgence this year, the industry’s main observer of the crime said. There were eight acts of piracy and hijackings in the first half …

Houthi Threat Triggers Surge in Pirate Attacks Off Somalia Coast

Attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants on the Red Sea have reinvigorated piracy networks in Somalia, with criminal groups growing in both number and force, a European naval commander said. The Yemen-based Houthis began attacking vessels in the Red Sea last …

Suspected Pirate Attack in Gulf of Aden Raises Concerns About Growing Somali Piracy

A European naval force detained six suspected pirates on Friday after they opened fire on an oil tanker traveling through the Gulf of Aden, officials said, likely part of a growing number of piracy attacks emanating from Somalia. The attack …

UKMTO Reports Hijacking Attempt of Vessel East of Yemen’s Aden

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) organization said on Friday it had received a report of a failed hijacking attempt of a vessel 195 nautical miles east of Yemen’s Aden. The vessel’s master reported being approached by a small …

Update: Fuel Tanker Hijacking Revives Fears of Somali Pirate Threat

The hijacking of a fuel tanker off Somalia’s coast shows the threat pirates still pose to one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, a risk that may also hamper the Horn of African country’s efforts to explore for offshore oil …

Pirates Demand Ransom for Oil Tanker Hijacked off Coast of Somalia

Pirates off the coast of Somalia, who hijacked an oil tanker with eight Sri Lankan crew on board, are demanding a ransom for the release of the vessel, the EU Naval Force said. The pirates seized the Comoros-flagged Aris 13 …

Somali Pirates Hijack Oil Tanker in 1st Commercial Attack in 5 Years

Pirates have hijacked an oil tanker with eight Sri Lankan crew onboard, a Somali official said on Tuesday, the first time they have successfully taken a commercial ship since 2012. The Aris 13 sent a distress call on Monday, turned …

Growing Yemen War Risk Threatens Vital Sea Routes; Premiums Likely to Jump

With Middle East giants Saudi Arabia and Iran squaring up on opposing sides in the Yemen war, the dangers to vital oil tanker and goods voyages are growing daily. Millions of barrels of oil pass through the Bab el-Mandeb and …

Most Popular Insurance Journal International Stories of 2014

Listed below are 10 of the most popular articles that appeared in the international section on Insurance Journal in 2014 in no particular order: Somali Pirates Driven Off in First Attack of 2014 – After this first setback, it was …

Alabama Trial Over Somali Pirate Attack on Maersk Cargo Ship Delayed

A judge has delayed the trial over a lawsuit filed after Somali pirates took over a U.S. cargo ship in 2009. Crew members are suing Maersk Line Ltd. and the Mobile-based Waterman Steamship Corp. over the pirate attack that was …