The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of more than 90 seafarers being held captive by Somali pirate groups. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez made the call following the 20 August hijacking of the product tanker Seamull, which was boarded by six armed men who seized control of the vessel and diverted it to Bosaso, Somalia.
The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) says six vessels are currently being held by Somali pirates. The vessels are Honour 25, Sward, Eureka, Asana, Lutuf and Seamull. The vessels were hijacked between April and August, with Sward confirmed as a mothership used in the boarding of Lutuf earlier this month.
“More than 90 innocent seafarers are now being held captive, their lives subject to constant uncertainty and threat,” Dominguez said, warning that many have limited access to food, fresh water and medical care. “I demand the immediate and unconditional release of all those being held captive.
No seafarer should face violence, intimidation or exploitation simply for doing their jobs and keeping global trade moving.” The resurgence of piracy off Somalia and Yemen is adding to mounting security concerns for crews operating in the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb and Strait of Hormuz.
Dominguez urged flag and coastal States to strengthen protection for ships and crews, including through the implementation of industry Best Management Practices and relevant IMO guidance. Somali piracy reached a peak between 2008 and 2011, when hundreds of vessels were attacked and hijacked and crews were held for ransom in often appalling conditions.
Nearly 1,200 seafarers were taken hostage in 2010 alone, prompting a major international military and regulatory response. The Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), a military and civilian cooperation group that monitors shipping safety and security in the Middle East, currently rates the threat along the Somali Coast and Somali Basin as moderate, meaning an attack is possible but not likely, while the Gulf of Aden is rated substantial, indicating that an attack is likely.
“Pirate Action Groups continue to demonstrate the ability to board and divert merchant vessels in both coastal Somali waters and the Gulf of Aden under current monsoon conditions,” JMIC said.