Gulf of Aden piracy resurgence a cause for concern
Indents narrowed to the coast of Somalia
The resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden is highlighted as one of the top eight maritime risks of the third quarter of 2026 by Windward Report, which is described as the “most dangerous quarter for global shipping in recent history”.
Pirate hijacking attempts in the Somali Basin and Gulf of Aden reached give in Q3 2026, up from two in Q2 and five times the level recorded in the same quarter of 2024 and 2025.
The geography narrowed as the count rose. In the comparison quarters, attempts were spread across the Gulf of Guinea, Equatorial Guinea and Indonesia as well as the Horn of Africa. In Q3 2026, every attempt occurred off Somalia or in the Gulf of Aden.
Outcomes
◼︎ Repelled: MV GOLDEN ARSENAL and GLAMOR. GLAMOR received naval assistance under Operation Atalanta.
◼︎ Hijacked: ASANA, SEAMULL and LUTUF.
◼︎ LUTUF (IMO 9109134), reportedly carrying Turkish weapons, released by Turkish forces.
◼︎ SIBU I (IMO 9204776) released by its owners in a joint operation with Somali authorities.
◼︎ One hijacked vessel remained in pirate hands at the time of writing.
The seven other top maritime risks are listed as:
- Strait of Hormuz Conflict
- Conflict-Related Oil Slicks and Desalination Disruption
- Houthi Threats on the Bab el-Mandeb
- Russia-Ukraine Maritime War Goes Global
- Falsely-Flagged Vessels
- The Dark Fleet
- GPS Jamming
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