Since the beginning of the war triggered by the United States and Israel, Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz. Hundreds of ships are stuck in this waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil production usually passes. This significantly disrupts global markets and gives Tehran a major strategic leverage.
In response to geopolitical challenges, carriers are forced to adapt. Many of them must now navigate around the southern tip of Africa to continue their journey. This extends their travel time by several weeks and leads to massive expenses. According to estimates, the cost of this route change is around one million dollars per vessel.
Moreover, cargo ships are passing through a particularly sensitive maritime zone, the Somali Basin, a notorious piracy hotspot until the mid-2000s. CNN reported on Friday that Somali pirates have been taking advantage of increased traffic to hijack commercial vessels.
Three vessels have been captured according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). Two tankers and a cargo ship are currently in the hands of Somali pirates, captured between April 21 and May 2. One of the tankers was diverted off the coast of Yemen and rerouted to Somalia. Pirates are demanding ten million dollars to release one of the tankers, as reported by multiple media outlets.
“The recent acts of piracy are the result of opportunism, as international maritime routes are being altered due to geopolitical crises,” noted Somali parliamentarian Mohamed Dini in an interview with an American media outlet, warning that piracy networks are forging alliances with Houthi rebels in Yemen, who pose a constant threat to the Red Sea.
Off the Somali coast, incidents of piracy escalated in the early 2000s following the collapse of the Somali government. Thousands of sailors were captured or targeted, with pirates demanding millions of dollars in ransom. The World Bank estimates that between 2005 and 2012, the total ransom amount ranged from 339 to 413 million dollars.
Pirates attack ships in the Gulf of Aden, and even further in the Indian Ocean. During the peak year of 2011, around 212 attacks were recorded. Since then, the threat has waned, partly due to an international coalition led by NATO that has helped secure the area with regular patrols.
In January of last year, a report from Commercial Crimes Services, a branch of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), indicated that only a few incidents had been recorded in 2025. “The lack of a large-scale resurgence of Somali piracy continues to demonstrate the strong deterrent effect of a sustained naval presence,” the report stated.
[Context: The article discusses the impact of Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz on global shipping and the increase in piracy activity in the Somali Basin due to altered maritime routes. Fact Check: The reported incidents of piracy and hijackings are verified through references to the UKMTO and media reports.]
