Piracy

Piracy and armed robbery at sea continues to threaten seafarers in regions like Gulf of Guinea, the waters of South East Asia and the waters off Somalia. The distinction between ‘piracy’ and ‘armed robbery at sea’ is a technical one, and depends on where the act was perpetrated. The act is referred to as ‘piracy’ when it occurred in international waters or outside the jurisdiction of any state, whereas it is called ‘armed robbery at sea’ when it occurred inside territorial waters or internal waters.
There are several pieces of anti-piracy guidance available, some of which overlap somewhat in terms of content and scope. The most relevant guidance has been included here, together with external links to relevant organizations playing a role in the fight against piracy.