The security situation in the Gulf of Guinea is still unacceptable, with hundreds of seafarers kidnapped and held for ransom under dangerous conditions in the Niger Delta.

The piracy incidents are growing in complexity and violence: in 2021 there have been cases of pirates breaking into citadels and during the process of one such incident,

a seafarer was shot and killed. The level of violence in the area was demonstrated by the pirates who opened fire on the helicopter and RHIBs from the Danish frigate,

Esben Snare on 24 November, 2021. Five pirates were killed in the subsequent exchange of fire and one was wounded whilst the rest were captured and the skiff was sunk.  

 

In mid-2021, BIMCO launched the attached Declaration on Suppression of Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea after having consulted key stakeholders in the industry and having

taken into consideration some valid points raised by ICS. The Declaration calls for a series of concrete actions by states, emphasizing the need for short-term as well as

longer-term responses. One of the simple yet effective solutions includes modest naval intervention from non-regional forces in cooperation with Gulf of Guinea states’ navies.

This initiative should make it easier for various national parliaments to commit naval forces for antipiracy operations (as already done by the Danes and the Italians)

because it constitutes such a clear call for action from a large cross section of the shipping industry.

 

To date, there is support from over 515 shipping stakeholders including the three biggest flag states as well as some of the largest shipowners and ship managers from

around the world plus a selection of P&I Clubs and organizations such as The World Economic Forum. T

 

The Declaration has been submitted to IMO MSC by BIMCO and co-sponsored by Liberia, Panama, ITF, BIMCO, INTERMANAGER, and World Shipping Council.