The regulator working to ensure safety at sea has recorded 24 attempted and actual incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden region in the past three months, representing an alarming rise in threats against seafarers.
The 44 detained sailors are being held aboard three ships attacked in separate incidents that occurred in April and May, according to IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez. They now face a shortage of food and water and the constant threat of violence, he added.
“These incidents are a stark reminder that The threat that piracy and armed robbery pose to seafarers has not diminished and continues to warrant vigilance and support for coordinated action.Domínguez said in a speech to the IMO Council, which will meet this week in London.
Growing maritime threats
In addition to increasing cases of piracy and armed robbery against ships, the IMO warns that attackers are using increasingly dangerous weapons and increasing violence against innocent seafarers.
Globally, Reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea increased by 17 percent between 2024 and 2025.going from 146 incidents to 171, according to the IMO.
In 2009, 22 coastal and island States in the western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden, including Somalia, adopted the IMO Djibouti Code of Conduct, later expanded by the 2017 Jeddah Amendment, committing them to work together to combat piracy, armed robbery at sea and other transnational crimes.
Through your Red Sea ProjectIMO is also working to strengthen the capacities of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen to enforce safe navigation for seafarers.
Support for seafarers in the Strait of Hormuz
The IMO evacuated 2,500 seafarers from the Strait of Hormuz last month before being forced to suspend operations on June 25 following an attack on a container ship in the Gulf of Oman.
The agency intends to evacuate a total of 11,000 sailors stranded aboard 600 vessels stranded in the Persian Gulf due to continuing tensions over the US-Israel war against Iran and Tehran’s subsequent counterattacks across the region, where an unstable ceasefire remains in place.
At least 115 ships participated in the successful IMO evacuation. The agency is seeking renewed assurances from parties involved in the conflict before resuming evacuations.
Call for greater vigilance
Building on the IMO’s commitments to seafarers, Dominguez said the organization would continue to work alongside flag states, coastal states, regional bodies and industry to secure the release of the 44 detained seafarers.
As threats increase, Dominguez urged ship owners and operators to take all necessary precautions to protect crews and conduct thorough risk assessments before transiting the region.
This week’s IMO Council meeting in London includes an agenda item on protecting vital shipping routes, and Mr Dominguez has called for support from Member States to secure the release of detained seafarers.
