Somali Pirates Seize Cargo Ship Carrying Cement in Second Hijacking within a Week ,Global Shipping Routes Under Threat

The MV Sward, flagged to St Kitts and Nevis, has been taken under pirate control off the coast of Garacad, Somalia, the second attack in under a week as the Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens global maritime disruption.

Armed pirates have seized control of a cargo vessel off Somalia’s northeastern coast in what officials are calling a significant escalation in Indian Ocean piracy ,  one that adds fresh pressure to an international shipping industry already reeling from the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.

The hijacked vessel, the MV Sward, was en route from Suez, Egypt, to the Kenyan port city of Mombasa carrying a cargo of cement. Flying the flag of St Kitts and Nevis, the ship was intercepted approximately 6 nautical miles (11 km) northeast of the Somali coastal town of Garacad ,a known piracy hotspot , on Monday.

Nine armed pirates aboard: what we know about the crew

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the vessel is confirmed hijacked. British maritime security firm Vanguard reported the Sward’s 15-person crew comprises two Indian nationals and 13 Syrian nationals. An operations officer from the Puntland Maritime Police Force confirmed to the Associated Press that nine pirates had boarded and taken control of the ship.

“The ship is currently under the control of armed men, and we are monitoring the situation,” the officer said. Vanguard added: “The vessel is currently assessed to be under pirate control and proceeding toward the Somali coastline. The Puntland Maritime Police Force has been notified.”

Second Somali hijacking in under a week , a troubling pattern

This attack is the second reported hijacking off Somalia in less than seven days. On Wednesday, an oil tanker departing from a Red Sea port in the breakaway region of Somaliland was seized in waters off Puntland while heading to the Somali capital, Mogadishu. In November, armed assailants armed with machineguns and rocket launchers attacked a commercial tanker off Mogadishu’s coast.

The Horn of Africa was previously one of the world’s most dangerous maritime corridors between 2008 and 2018, when Somali pirates terrorised international shipping. Coordinated international naval patrols and improved maritime security protocols eventually drove the threat down significantly ,but that progress is now being reversed.

WHY PIRACY IS SURGING AGAIN
Anti-piracy patrols declined from late 2023 as naval resources were redirected to counter Houthi rebel attacks on commercial shipping near the Bab al-Mandeb strait , the critical waterway linking the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea and Suez Canal. With fewer warships patrolling Somali waters, pirates have seized the opportunity.

Strait of Hormuz crisis compounds global supply chain pressure

These attacks are unfolding against one of the most severe maritime crises in recent memory. The Strait of Hormuz  through which a substantial portion of the world’s petroleum supply flows  has been effectively shut down since conflict broke out on February 28 this year. The closure has forced global oil and cargo carriers to find alternative routes, dramatically increasing costs and transit times.

Shipping companies have been rerouting vessels via the Suez Canal or taking the considerably longer Cape of Good Hope route around Southern Africa to reach markets in Asia and Europe. Some Saudi Arabian oil exports have been redirected through overland pipelines to Red Sea terminals, bypassing the strait entirely.

The convergence of Somali piracy, Red Sea instability, and the Hormuz blockage is creating a perfect storm for the global shipping industry ,with freight insurance premiums, shipping rates, and fuel surcharges all climbing as a result.

What this means for international maritime security

Security analysts warn that without a renewed multinational anti-piracy commitment in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden, vessel operators face growing exposure along routes that were considered largely safe just two years ago. Shipowners, freight operators, and insurers are being urged to review their risk assessments for transits through the western Indian Ocean, with particular attention to waters off the Puntland coast.

Read: Somalia Piracy Surge: Oil Tanker Hijacked Near Strategic Shipping Route, 17 Crew Held Hostage