Return of pirates: Shipping firms raise fear of attacks

Maritime stakeholders have warned of pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia, warning that they would hamper sea trade along the western Indian Ocean rim, including Mombasa.

Andrew Mwangura, a former secretary general of the Seafarers’ Union of Kenya, said on November 6, 2025, a Maltese-flagged tanker, Hellas Aphrodite, was attacked by the pirates.

He said the ship, which was carrying petroleum from India to South Africa, was violently attacked by pirates on board small, fast-moving skiffs — a signature of Somali pirates.

“Within minutes, the calm of the Indian Ocean was shattered by gunfire.

‘‘The 24-member crew, all civilian seafarers going about their routine voyage, were forced into the vessel’s fortified citadel, the last line of defence in the face of modern piracy,’’ Mwangura said.

The attack was the second pirate attack off Somalia in a span of five days. On November 2, four pirates attacked the Cayman Islands-flagged chemical tanker Stolt Sagaland and attempted to board the vessel 332 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, Somalia.

“It is a haunting scene, one that recalls a darker period of maritime history that many had hoped was firmly behind us,” said Mwangura.

For nearly a decade, Somali piracy was contained through international naval cooperation, improved on-board security, and a strong legal response onshore.

Mwangura is credited with having been involved in earlier negotiations for the release of seafarers taken hostage by the pirates, explained. 

The hijackings that once defined the 2008–2012 crisis — costing the global economy billions and leading to countless seafarers being held hostage — had all but disappeared.

Maritime experts warn that the latest attack on the Hellas Aphrodite has brought back the cold fear that the menace is far from gone.

‘’We have the flotilla of international navies, a government that is trying to find footing after a decade-long civil strife in the war-torn Somalia itself, and our very own Kenyan Navy that forms part of the African Union force in Somalia.

‘‘They should up their game and ensure they deter any attempts to attack vessels,’’ Joseph Tulo, a Mombasa-based import and export consultant, said.

Tulo said that more coordinated efforts are required both on land and at sea to deter, if not wipe out, piracy in and around the Horn of Africa.

According to reports, the pirates who boarded Hellas Aphrodite succeeded in boarding the vessel after firing multiple shots and an explosive projectile. 

‘’The crew remained barricaded in the citadel, maintaining limited communication with their company and international authorities. Hours later, a European Union Naval Force frigate, responded to the distress call, supported by drones and aircraft.’’

The attackers, realising the hopelessness of their situation, fled before the naval forces boarded. Miraculously, no lives were lost, and the crew was unharmed. But the incident has sent shockwaves through the maritime community, a stark reminder that piracy is a cyclical threat that revives when vigilance wanes,’’ Mwangura said.

Mwangura said that what makes this event particularly alarming is not just its brazenness but its timing. It marks one of the first successful boardings of a large commercial vessel off Somalia in more than a year, after a relatively calm period in the Western Indian Ocean. 

The global shipping industry, while aware of potential threats, had quietly shifted attention elsewhere—to the Red Sea, where Houthi attacks have disrupted vital shipping routes, and to the Gulf of Guinea, another piracy hotspot. 

He went on to state that the Horn of Africa had slipped into a false sense of security – the attack on the Hellas Aphrodite shatters that illusion.

Mwangura further sought to explain that behind the headlines lies a deeper truth about the fragile equilibrium of maritime security. 

‘’Piracy in this region never truly vanished—it was only suppressed. Years of international naval patrols, armed guards on ships, and cooperation among regional states managed to reduce incidents to near zero. Yet the root causes that fuelled the phenomenon—lawlessness in Somalia’s coastal regions, poverty, and the lure of ransom money—were never fully eradicated. When naval presence thinned, when shipping companies relaxed their guard, when global attention drifted elsewhere, the vacuum once again became an invitation,’’ he said.

Mwangura said the attack underscores the sheer courage and professionalism of seafarers who, despite facing such dangers, continue to keep the arteries of global trade open. 

Every barrel of oil, every container of goods, and every grain shipment that feeds millions moves across these same waters. 

He said the crew of the Hellas Aphrodite acted swiftly and by the book, seeking refuge and waiting for rescue rather than resisting—decisions that likely saved their lives. Their ordeal, though ending without casualties, should not be mistaken for a minor event. It is a warning shot across the bow of international complacency.

‘’It is time for the world to re-examine its posture toward maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean. Naval coordination remains critical. The European Union’s Operation Atalanta, along with allied missions from the United States, China, India, and others, proved effective in deterring pirates when consistently deployed. That multinational cooperation must be revitalised and adequately funded. But patrols alone are not enough. Shipping companies must renew their commitment to vessel hardening measures—barbed wire perimeters, citadel protocols, crew training, and real-time intelligence sharing. The cost of these precautions may seem high, but it pales in comparison to the economic and human toll of a hijacking, said Mwangura.

Equally important, Mwangura sought to state further that Somalia’s coastal governance requires sustained international support. 

Piracy, he contended, cannot be defeated solely at sea; it is born on land. 

‘’A combination of poverty, limited economic opportunity, and unpoliced coastal territories continues to make piracy an attractive venture for desperate young men. The international community must help Somalia strengthen maritime law enforcement, create jobs through legitimate fisheries, and ensure that the cycle of impunity ends. Without addressing the social fabric that sustains piracy, each naval success will only buy temporary peace,’’ pleaded Mwangura.

He said that for policymakers and the shipping industry alike, the Hellas Aphrodite incident is a call to remember the lessons of the past. 

‘’In the early 2010s, it took a coalition of over 30 nations, billions of dollars in security investments, and the bravery of thousands of sailors to bring piracy under control. Let us not allow history to repeat itself through neglect. Every attack emboldens the next. If we fail to act decisively, we risk a return to the lawless seas that once defined the Horn of Africa—a scenario neither the global economy nor the families of seafarers can afford,’’ Mwangura said.