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The International Maritime Bureau (IMB), a Malaysia-based arm of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), has raised fresh concerns over a renewed surge in piracy and maritime crime worldwide, warning that 2025 marked a troubling reversal in global shipping security despite gains in some hotspots.
In its latest analysis of reported incidents for 2025, the IMB recorded a total of 137 attacks against vessels, up from 116 in 2024 and 120 in 2023. While many of the incidents were described as low-level crimes, the Bureau stressed that the rising frequency, growing use of weapons and continued violence against seafarers underline the urgency of timely reporting and coordinated countermeasures.
A breakdown of the 2025 data shows that 121 vessels were boarded, four were hijacked and two were fired upon, while another 10 attacks were foiled. The IMB noted that the overall rise was accompanied by a worrying increase in the number of perpetrators carrying firearms. In 2025, guns were reported in 42 incidents, a sharp jump from 26 the previous year. The use of knives declined slightly to 33 cases, down from 39 in 2024, but remained significant.
Despite the classification of many incidents as opportunistic theft, violence against crew members persisted. The report shows that 46 seafarers were taken hostage in 2025, compared with 126 in 2024 and 73 in 2023. Kidnappings also rose markedly, with 25 crew members abducted last year, more than double the 12 recorded in 2024. In addition, 10 crew members were threatened, four injured and three assaulted during reported incidents in 2025.
Operational patterns reveal that ships underway faced the greatest risk. Of all boardings recorded, 88 involved vessels that were steaming, making them roughly three times more likely to be attacked than ships at anchor. Bulkers emerged as the most vulnerable vessel type, accounting for 50 incidents, while containerships and product tankers followed with about 20 cases each.
Geographically, Southeast Asia remained the epicentre of global maritime crime. The region accounted for 95 of all reported incidents in 2025, with the Singapore Strait alone responsible for the vast majority. IMB data shows that 75 vessels were boarded in the Strait last year, alongside five attempted attacks. Indonesia ranked second in the region, with 11 reported incidents.
More than half of all global maritime crimes in 2025 occurred in the Singapore Strait, where the IMB observed a disproportionate rise in the use of guns, increasing to 27 cases from just eight in 2024. The human cost was also evident, with 14 crew members taken hostage, eight threatened, three injured and one assaulted in the area. Nonetheless, the Bureau noted that most attacks in the Strait involved low-level theft of equipment or spare parts, with perpetrators fleeing once detected.
Encouragingly, both the IMB and regional watchdog ReCAAP reported a sharp decline in incidents in the second half of 2025 around the Singapore Strait and Indonesian waters. They attributed the improvement largely to the July 2025 arrest of two criminal gangs by the Indonesian Marine Police.
The report also highlighted steady progress in the Gulf of Guinea, long considered a global piracy hotspot. Incidents in the region remained relatively stable at 21 in 2025, compared with 18 in 2024 and 22 in 2023, reflecting the impact of sustained efforts by local authorities to curb maritime crime.
