Piracy & maritime security heat map
Where piracy, armed robbery, boardings and suspicious approaches against merchant ships have been reported since January 2025. Tap a shaded area to see what happened there, then check your fleet's exposure or your vessel's readiness.
Sources: UKMTO, IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, ReCAAP ISC, MSCIO, IMO GISIS, US MARAD advisories and named press reports, compiled by Palaemon Maritime. Incident positions are approximate and some reports are unconfirmed. This map shows past incidents only; it is not a forecast or a substitute for official advisories and BMP MS guidance.
Understanding the data
Reported piracy incidents
Confirmed incidents including boardings, hijackings, attempted boardings and armed robbery against vessels.
Suspicious activity
Unconfirmed approaches, loitering, or potentially hostile behaviour reported in high-risk areas.
Maritime security alerts
Official advisories, warnings and notifications from authorities and regional maritime organisations.
Regional threat centres
Each map below is the live heat map, preset to the region. Click an area for its summary, or a dot for the incident.
Gulf of Aden
Historically dangerous, with a recent re-emergence. Deep-sea operations from dhows, attacks from fast skiffs, typically to hijack the vessel and hold ship and crew for ransom. The map covers the Gulf of Aden itself, from Bab el-Mandeb east to Socotra.
Gulf of Guinea
Gangs operate from several coastal states. The usual pattern is a temporary hijack to kidnap crew, who are taken inland and held for ransom.
Southeast Asia
One of the most active hotspots. Ships in the Singapore Strait and Sulu Sea are boarded for stores, spares and valuables, with more reports of firearms.
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