ALBAWABA - On Friday, maritime security officials said that pirates tried to board a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker off the coast of Somalia. This was the second time this had happened in 24 hours. The ship was able to avoid the attackers by quickly changing course and moving quickly. This has led to fears that piracy will rise again after almost ten years of stability.
Security sources say the most recent attack happened in international waters near Somalia, where the ship's crew saw two fast skiffs coming up quickly.
The crew sped up the ship and told the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center, which later confirmed that the tanker was safe and that the attackers had fled.
An official from the maritime industry said that the ship was carrying an LNG cargo to an Asian port and praised the crew for acting quickly to avoid damage or injuries.
The official said that there has been a big rise in attempted hijackings in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean in the past few weeks, after years of big drops.
Another Ship Was Targeted a Day Earlier on Thursday, armed men tried to take over a commercial cargo ship in the same area. That ship also got away without any damage.
Experts say that the two attacks in a row could mean that the security threats that were common in the area in the early 2000s are coming back. International naval patrols cut down on pirate activity a lot around 2015.
The waters off Somalia, which used to be the most dangerous place in the world for piracy, have gotten a lot better thanks to international cooperation, especially the European Union's Operation Atalanta.
Worries About Less Naval Presence
Maritime experts say that the recent rise in attacks is happening at the same time as a smaller international naval presence. This is because many countries have moved their ships and other resources to the Red Sea and other trade routes that are affected by wars in Gaza and Yemen.
The UK Maritime Security Center for the Horn of Africa warned that a rise in piracy could put global trade routes at risk, especially oil and gas tankers that pass through one of the world's most important corridors connecting Asia and Europe.
Experts say that Somali pirate groups are taking advantage of weak security, fewer patrols, and worsening economic conditions in Somalia. This is forcing smaller groups to go back to committing crimes at sea.
Effect on Shipping Energy
Attacks on LNG and oil tankers are becoming more common, which is worrying because it could mean higher insurance costs, ships having to change their routes, and pressure on global energy prices. This is happening at a time when other maritime trade routes, especially the Red Sea and Black Sea, are already under strain because of geopolitical tensions.
There have been no injuries reported in the most recent attempts, but observers warn that if these incidents keep happening, they could lead to a new wave of piracy, like in the early 2010s when hijackings caused problems for global shipping.
Somalia's coastline has been getting worse for almost ten years, but it looks like pirate groups are slowly coming back. This has led to warnings that without better maritime security, the region could go back to the dangerous days of the old "piracy triangle" that stretched across the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
