A troubling resurgence of piracy is unfolding off the coast of Somalia, where three vessels have been hijacked in recent weeks. This spike in maritime violence has raised fears of a return to the chaos that plagued the region in the early 2010s, further burdening a global shipping industry already strained by conflicts in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz.

The incidents began on 21 April with the seizure of the motor tanker Honour 25, which was carrying about 18,000 barrels of oil. This was followed by the hijacking of a dhow and, on 26 April, the capture of the merchant vessel Sward, a cement carrier sailing from Egypt’s port of Suez to Mombasa port, Kenya.

Sward was intercepted roughly 6 nautical miles off Garacad on Somalia’s central coastline and had 17 crew members on board, mainly Syrians and Indians.

According to the Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean, all incidents remain ongoing, with vessels still under pirate control. The agency has urged ships operating near Somalia to maintain heightened vigilance, particularly within 150 nautical miles of the coast between Mogadishu and Hafun. This warning reflects growing concern over coordinated attacks in an area once considered largely stabilized.

Piracy off Somalia surged dramatically in the late 2000s, reaching its peak in 2011 with more than 200 recorded attacks. At that time, pirate networks operated far offshore, sometimes extending over 2,000 miles into the Indian Ocean.

However, a major international naval response, led by forces including the EU’s Operation Atalanta and the multinational Combined Task Force 151, significantly reduced attacks from 2014 onwards.

The current resurgence is being linked to a combination of weakened naval focus and regional instability. Security analysts note that international attention has been diverted toward tensions in the Red Sea and Gulf regions, including disruptions near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, leaving gaps in surveillance along the Somali coast. In addition, Somali regional security forces in Puntland are reportedly overstretched.

The vessels have been moved toward remote coastal areas near Garacad after seizure. Reports indicate that armed pirates are now using more sophisticated tactics, including satellite communications, GPS navigation, and the use of hijacked dhows as “motherships” to extend their operational reach far into the Indian Ocean.

Security officials in Puntland say the Sward was boarded by multiple armed men, later reinforced to around 20 individuals, some of whom are believed to be coordinating logistics from shore.

Experts warn that piracy groups are exploiting reduced deterrence along Somalia’s 3,300-kilometre coastline. Analysts also point to criminal networks in Puntland that appear better financed and more structured than those active during the earlier piracy boom. Some groups are reportedly preparing for prolonged standoffs at sea, including supplying food and stimulants to maintain control over hijacked vessels.