IMO and AFP report surge in piracy off Somalia in 2026, multiple vessels and crew held
On 20 August 2026 the IMO flagged a resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters, citing the hijack of the SEAMULL and noting more than 90 seafarers held captive; AFP analysis of IMO data recorded at least 15 attacks off Somalia so far in 2026.
The desk brief
On 20 August 2026 the IMO flagged a resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters, citing the hijack of the SEAMULL and noting more than 90 seafarers held captive; AFP analysis of IMO data recorded at least 15 attacks off Somalia so far in 2026.
A renewed spike in attacks raises shipping-security premiums, route diversion and insurance costs for vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden. That would, conditionally, increase import logistics costs for East African economies reliant on those routes and pressure corporates and sovereigns with logistics-dependent balance sheets; the timing and scale of any credit or inflation effects depend on attack persistence and international naval response.
Monitor international naval deployments, Djibouti Code of Conduct meetings, and IMO updates on incidents and crew releases within the next 30 days.
Sources & verification
Developing storyFurther independent confirmation is required.
- IMO calls for urgent action as piracy resumes in the Gulf of Adenimo.org (opens in a new tab)
- Piracy attacks off Somalia surge in 2026: AFP analysis of IMO dataafpSource published (opens in a new tab)
Public references supporting this brief.