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<\/a><\/p>\nPiracy levels are down<\/strong><\/p>\n AGCS found that piracy activity levels have declined year-on-year across Africa with 57 incidents in total during 2017, down 8% (62 incidents in 2016).<\/p>\n Africa accounts for 32% of piracy incidents globally (180 in total in 2017), second after South East Asia region.<\/p>\n The Gulf of Guinea remains the regional piracy hot spot with 36 reported incidents in 2017; accounting for 63% of African piracy incidents.<\/p>\n However, incidents off the coast of Somalia \u2013 which has seen dramatic safety improvements in recent years – increased year-on-year from two incidents in 2016 to nine in 2017.<\/p>\n “The threat of piracy remains, albeit less pronounced than in recent years,” said AGCS.<\/p>\n “Hijackings and the boarding of vessels continue, tied to inequality and the economic situation in parts of Africa and Asia. It behooves us all to understand that global economic and geopolitical conditions play on the security of shipping.”<\/p>\n Dangerous seas, Friday 13th and the unluckiest ship<\/strong><\/p>\n Almost a third of shipping losses in 2017 (30) occurred in the South of China, Indochina, Indonesia and Philippines maritime region, up 25% annually, driven by activity in Vietnamese waters.<\/p>\n This area has been the major global loss hotspot for the past decade, leading some media commentators to label it the \u201cnew Bermuda Triangle\u201d.<\/p>\n However the major loss factors are actually weather, said AGCS, and\u00a0 in November 2017 alone Typhoon Damrey caused six losses.<\/p>\n The analysis also showed that\u00a0Friday is the most dangerous day at sea \u2013 as 175 losses of 1,129 total losses reported have occurred on this day over the past decade.<\/p>\n “Friday 13th really can be unlucky \u2013 three ships were lost on this day in 2012 including Costa Concordia, the largest-ever marine insurance loss,” said AGCS.<\/p>\n “The unluckiest ship of the past year is a passenger ferry operating in the East Mediterranean and Black Sea region \u2013 it was involved in seven accidents in 12 months.”<\/p>\n