During a recent webinar for Risk Intelligence, I provided a brief situational update on the current maritime security situation in the Gulf of Guinea. Many alarming headlines about the situation in the region have been published in recent months. In September, the Joint War Committee even decided to expand the Listed Area for the Gulf of Guinea significantly.
Looking at the current figures for attacks against merchant ships, however, there are no indications for an escalating security situation. Some indicators, such as an increasing number of seafarers who have been taken as hostages compared with 2019, suggest increasing problems. Comprehensive analysis of individual incidents, however, is important to separate genuine pirate attacks from incidents that are very likely linked to other illicit activities.
More details are included in the complete presentation, and you can also contact me for any further questions or comments.
