Abstract

The threat of maritime piracy has not disappeared with the decline in Somali piracy since 2011-2012. Piracy has surged in other regions and now the tactic is to kidnap the crew for ransom. Although at present many ships employ self-defense measures, pirate attacks become more sophisticated and demonstrate a remarkable degree of success. Considering the presence and the evolution of this threat, the improvement of anti-piracy protection of vessels is increasingly important. The purpose of this survey is to track the evolution of pirate practices (character of attacks, targets, tactics, weapons and equipment), along with the evolution of anti-piracy measures, within the period 2008-2017.