Pirate activities have reemerged along the coast of Somalia, marking a resurgence after several years of diminishing incidents.

Ships are now advised to avoid the area, be vigilant in case of a sighting, and implement counter-piracy Best Management Practices.

Adding to the evidence of renewed piracy, a recent incident occurred when an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel named Almeraj 1 was hijacked by a Somali clan militia offshore Eyl, Somalia.

Reports indicate that the militia demanded a ransom fee of US $400,000 with the threat of further such acts if the demand went unpaid.

According to maritime security consultant Ambrey, the reason given for the hijacking was the vessel/dhow allegedly performing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

“At the time of writing, the militia had taken the dhow deeper offshore, south of Socotra, with two skiffs in tow,” Ambrey said in its note on Friday, adding that “both skiffs are Somali-style, they have single outboard engines, with rounded prows, and are white-hulled.”

Ambrey described the vessel as a Jelbut-style round-stern dhow with a white and blue superstructure at the stern.

The people hijacking the dhow are armed. “While the dhow’s owner has made clear their intent towards the dhow, their intent towards other shipping is not clear,” the consultant added.

The Somali Broadcasting Corporation SBC is identifying the vessel as the ALMERAJ 1 which was hijacked near Eyl city by Somali pirates.

This incident underscores the imminent threat of piracy reaching Somalia’s coastlines, emphasizing the critical need for resolution amid escalating concerns in the Indian Ocean.

The United Nations latest report on the situation in the country illustrates that joint counter-piracy efforts have resulted in a steady decline in attacks and hijackings since 2011.

However, although piracy off the coast of Somalia has been “repressed”, the ongoing threat of resurgence remains.

The incident involving the Almeraj 1 serves as a reminder of the need for maritime security and effective enforcement of fishing laws.

The European Union developed action with the mission EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation Atalanta, which is the EU’s longest running and extraordinarily successful naval operation.

Some of the impressive figures of the operation include: 171 suspected pirates transferred to the regional authorities in view of their prosecution, whilst more than 2.3 million tons of humanitarian aid delivered by WFP vessels escorted or monitored by EU NAVFOR Atalanta.