Thursday July 9, 2026
London (HOL) — International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez has called for urgent international action to secure the release of 44 seafarers held captive by pirates and armed robbers in Somali waters.
The seafarers are being held aboard three detained vessels, the MT Honour 25, Eureka and Sward, which were hijacked in separate incidents between April and May off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.
“These incidents are a stark reminder that the threat posed by piracy and armed robbery to seafarers has not receded and continues to warrant vigilance and support for coordinated action,” Dominguez told the IMO Council during its meeting in London this week. “I ask for your support in securing their safe release.”
Dominguez said he remains committed to working with flag states, coastal states, regional bodies and the maritime industry to secure the seafarers’ release and end their ordeal.
He also urged shipowners and operators to take necessary precautions to protect crews, including implementing the Best Management Practices for Maritime Security and conducting thorough risk assessments before transiting the region.
The incidents come amid rising maritime security threats in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Over the past three months, the IMO has recorded 24 attempted and actual incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the region, involving increasingly dangerous weapons and escalating violence against seafarers.
Globally, reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea increased by 17% between 2024 and 2025, rising from 146 incidents to 171, according to the IMO.
The organization said it is continuing to monitor the situation and support regional anti-piracy efforts through the Djibouti Code of Conduct and its Jeddah Amendment.
The framework brings together 22 coastal and island states across the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden to strengthen maritime security cooperation.
The IMO also supports capacity-building initiatives, including the Red Sea Project.
The IMO Council is meeting for its 137th session at the organization’s headquarters in London from July 6 to 10.
The council is the IMO’s executive organ and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the organization. It includes 40 member states elected by the Assembly for two-year terms.
Its agenda includes a standing item on the protection of vital shipping lanes, allowing member states to discuss collective action on regional maritime security, anti-piracy operations and safe-passage frameworks across strategic global chokepoints.
