For many, piracy may seem like something from the past—a relic of old stories. In reality, however, incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships continue to occur at sea today. According to statistics compiled by the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB), a total of 137 piracy and armed robbery incidents were reported worldwide in 2025. This represents an increase from the previous year, meaning that, by simple calculation, such incidents are taking place somewhere in the world once every two to three days.
This article begins with the question, “What does piracy look like in the modern world?” Using the latest data from 2025 as a reference point, it outlines the current realities of modern piracy and the preparedness required in day-to-day maritime operations, organized around five key questions.
Nordic Vikings, the Wako pirates of Japan described in history textbooks, or the worlds depicted in movies and anime - when people hear the word “pirate,” the images they often associate with it tend to belong to history or to works of fiction.
In fact, there was a time when piracy was widespread in regions where state governance was limited, such as the Caribbean and the coastal areas of East Asia. However, as coastal states strengthened public order and improved the management of sea routes, such acts of piracy were gradually brought under control.
In Japan, following Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s edicts banning piracy, groups once referred to as “pirates,” including the Murakami naval forces, were compelled to submit, and organized piracy disappeared. Against this historical background, piracy came to be discussed as something belonging to the past.
In reality, however, piracy has never disappeared entirely. By changing its form and location, it continues to exist as a real threat to modern maritime traffic.
(Right photo) A small boat used by pirates to approach and board vessels.
Source: The Japanese Shipowners’ Association
The threat posed by modern piracy can be more easily understood by broadly categorizing it into two main types.
One type involves incidents that occur frequently in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Singapore Strait, where the primary objectives are unauthorised boarding at night and theft.
The other type is seen in African waters—such as the Gulf of Guinea, the Gulf of Aden, and waters off the coast of Somalia, where incidents are more likely to result in serious harm to crew members, including kidnapping and hostage-taking.
Slide 1: Major areas where modern piracy frequently occurs. Incidents are not limited to the regions shown above; cases are also reported every year in other areas, including Central and South America. See the next slide for details. (Source: The Japanese Shipowners’ Association)
Slide 2: Map showing piracy incidents reported in 2025.
Slide 3: Viewed at a global scale, incidents appear to be concentrated around Africa; however, when zooming in on the area around Singapore, it becomes clear how frequently incidents occur in that region. (Source: ICC Commercial Crime Services (IMB))
*For those viewing on a smartphone: If the slides above this text are not displayed, please check from the “View Full Article” link at the bottom of the page.
For Japan, the Malacca–Singapore Strait is an extremely important sea lane that underpins energy transportation. According to statistics from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (Agency for Natural Resources and Energy), for example, crude oil imports from the Middle East accounted for 88% of Japan’s total crude oil imports in December 2025.
In 2025, a total of 137 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported worldwide, an increase from 116 incidents in the previous year. This figure means that, on average, such incidents occur somewhere in the world once every two to three days. A breakdown of the data shows that boarding incidents accounted for 121 cases, representing the vast majority of incidents and indicating that illegal entry onto vessels occurred in most cases.
The impact of these incidents should not be underestimated. Reports include 46 hostages taken, 25 kidnappings, 10 cases involving threats, four injuries, and three assaults, showing that incidents involving violence continue to occur. In particular, the use of firearms was reported in 42 cases, a significant increase from the previous year (26 cases), highlighting the growing sophistication of pirate weaponry.
By region, Asian waters account for the largest number of incidents. In particular, the Singapore Strait saw a sharp increase to 80 cases, meaning approximately 60% of all global piracy and armed robbery incidents were concentrated in a single sea area.
The predominant pattern is so‑called unauthorised boarding incidents carried out for theft. In these cases, perpetrators approach vessels at night or while underway in small boats and illegally board from the stern using ladders or hooks. Large vessels have also become targets.
While such incidents may at first appear to be minor theft‑related cases, reports from the field indicate instances in which crew members have encountered perpetrators carrying knives or firearms and have been injured. The reality is that these situations nearly always involve a direct threat to life.
Meanwhile, in African waters such as the Gulf of Guinea, the number of reported incidents shows a moderating trend. However, serious cases involving kidnapping and long‑term detention continue to occur.
As these examples illustrate, a defining characteristic of modern piracy is that both the methods used and the nature of the risks differ significantly depending on the region.
In the news, you may hear two terms: “piracy” and “armed robbery against ships.” While they may sound like the same type of crime, the terminology actually depends on where the incident occurs.
Why Does the Terminology Matter?
This distinction is an important point because it affects who responds, how the response is carried out, and under which legal framework. The reporting channels, as well as the countries and organizations responsible for responding to an incident, differ depending on the classification. For this reason, making the correct distinction is important in actual operations.
“Piracy” generally refers to acts of violence, detention, or robbery committed for private purposes on the high seas or other areas that do not fall under the jurisdiction of any state.
This definition is established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an international legal framework.
“Armed robbery against ships” refers to acts of violence or robbery similar to piracy that occur in waters under the jurisdiction of a coastal state, such as internal waters (including ports), archipelagic waters, or territorial seas.
This classification is based on definitions established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
In Simple Terms…
Even when ships are attacked, incidents are referred to as “piracy” if they occur offshore in areas beyond any national jurisdiction, and as “armed robbery against ships” if they occur within a country’s territorial waters or near ports.
In either case, the safety of vessels is equally at risk. What matters most is that, when suspicious signs are detected, incidents are reported promptly and evidence is properly preserved.
Joint anti‑piracy training conducted by the Indonesian Navy and the Singapore Navy.
(Source: Jakarta Shimbun)
Modern piracy is not an issue that can be addressed by a single country alone. The international community has worked collectively, with governments and the shipping industry cooperating to implement a wide range of countermeasures. Japan has also actively participated in these international efforts, including dispatching units of the Japan Maritime Self‑Defense Force to conduct escort operations for vessels.
・Patrols and escort operations by national navies and coast guards: Particularly in waters off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, multinational task forces —including the Japan Maritime Self‑Defense Force— have worked in coordination, successfully achieving a significant reduction in piracy incidents.
・Information sharing and coordination: International organizations and national governments share real‑time information on piracy incidents and tactics, using this information for alerts and the planning of countermeasures.
・In 2025, BMP Maritime Security (BMP MS) was released as a comprehensive set of best practices for ship operations to address maritime threats, including piracy. The framework presents an integrated approach covering all phases from voyage planning through post‑incident response.
In addition, our company works to strengthen coordination frameworks and enhance readiness in peacetime through training conducted in cooperation with relevant organizations, including the Japan Coast Guard and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Particularly in “hot spots” such as the Singapore Strait introduced in Question 2, thoroughly implementing the following basic countermeasures is highly effective. These are important actions that seafarers can carry out as part of their daily operations to protect lives and property.
As you read through them, we invite you to imagine yourself actually onboard a vessel and to visualize how these measures would be applied in practice.
出典：IFC「Singapore Strait Recommended Measures」
A patrol vessel provided by Japan conducting maritime security operations in Indonesian territorial waters (Source: Jakarta Shimbun)
No matter how many preventive measures are put in place, it is impossible to completely eliminate the risk of encountering piracy. In actual situations, what matters most is how quickly suspicious approaches or intrusions are detected and how appropriately they are handled.
To minimize damage, vessels strengthen lookout duties to enable the early detection of suspicious boats and promptly sound alarms in the event of an abnormal situation. Crew members avoid contact with perpetrators and retreat to safe areas, and once safety is secured, report the incident to relevant authorities. Where possible, evidence such as CCTV footage and photographs is also recorded.
The risks surrounding vessels have become increasingly complex in recent years, extending beyond piracy to include severe weather and geopolitical risks.
Against this backdrop, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines established the Safety Operation Supporting Center (SOSC) in 2007. SOSC provides shore‑based support to the Company’s vessels navigating worldwide on a 24/7 basis, 365 days a year.
At sea, there are many situations in which a captain is required to make immediate decisions, such as sudden changes in the weather or the approach of suspicious vessels. In such moments, the role of SOSC is to create an environment in which decisions are not borne by the captain alone but can be addressed by sharing information and responding in coordination with colleagues on shore.
The SOSC is staffed around the clock by watch officers, including those with experience as captains, who continuously monitor a wide range of information that may affect vessel operations. This includes changes in weather and sea conditions, trends in piracy and armed robbery against ships, earthquakes and tsunamis, and geopolitical risks.
The movements of vessels navigating around the world are centrally monitored through integrated systems. When signs of potential risk are identified, timely alerts are promptly issued to the vessels concerned and to relevant parties.
In particular, in sea areas with a high risk of piracy, SOSC places strong emphasis on continuous monitoring based on the latest information. This enables early detection of warning signs or incidents, rapid identification of potentially affected vessels, and the sharing of information necessary for an initial response.
In addition, facility enhancements were implemented in 2023, establishing an environment that allows relevant stakeholders to coordinate while viewing the same information, both during normal operations and in emergency situations.
As described above, piracy continues to occur in certain sea areas today, even as its forms and methods evolve. For Japan, which relies heavily on Asian sea routes, this is by no means an issue confined to distant parts of the world.
Much of the logistics that support our daily lives depends on maritime transportation.
Maritime safety is not a topic solely for specialists, but a contemporary issue that concerns each and every one of us.
We hope this article serves as an opportunity to deepen understanding of the realities of modern piracy and to reflect on the importance of safety at sea.