On July 6, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of the United Nations demanded the immediate and unconditional release of 44 seafarers held hostage by pirates in Somali waters.
According to sea-news.az that the supreme regulatory body, which works to ensure navigational safety at sea, has recorded 24 attempted attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden over the past three months, including actual piracy and armed robbery incidents. This statistic demonstrates an alarming increase in threats against global shipping.
According to IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, the 44 captive seafarers are being held on three different commercial vessels that were attacked in separate incidents between April and May of this year. The Secretary-General added that the captive crew members are currently facing severe shortages of food and water, as well as a real threat of violence.
In an official address to the IMO Council meeting in London this week, A. Dominguez commented on the gravity of the situation:
“These recent incidents serve as a stark reminder that the global threat of piracy and armed robbery to innocent seafarers remains high, and that urgent support for international vigilance and coordinated action is required.”
Piracy incidents increase by 17 percent globally
In addition to the rise in maritime piracy, the IMO has stated that attacking groups are increasingly using modern, destructive weapons, and the level of violence against civilian seafarers has risen sharply. According to the organization’s analytical data, maritime piracy and armed robbery incidents worldwide increased by 17 percent between 2024 and 2025, rising from 146 to 171 incidents.
It should be recalled that in 2009, 22 coastal and island states in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, including Somalia and Djibouti, adopted the IMO’s special code of conduct regarding maritime security; this document was further expanded by the Jeddah Amendment in 2017. Signatory countries have committed to working together to combat piracy, armed robbery at sea, and other transnational organized crimes.
Currently, through its “Red Sea Project,” the IMO is actively working to strengthen the national coast guard capabilities and the capacity of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen to ensure safe navigation for seafarers. A separate item regarding the protection of vital maritime transport corridors has been included in the agenda of the organization’s strategic meeting held in London this week. Secretary-General A. Dominguez has called on all member states to provide prompt support to ensure the swift release of the currently detained seafarers.
