In the first three months of this year, 33 merchant ships were attacked by pirates worldwide. This means there were already 20 percent more attacks than in the same period last year.
The waters of Bangladesh were the most dangerous: seven raids took place there, six near Indonesia, five each near Somalia and the Singapore Strait, and four near Angola. Around 90 percent of world trade travels via international sea routes - pirate attacks in this country indirectly cause prices to rise. The total costs of piracy are difficult to quantify, but estimates range from seven to 12 billion US dollars (around 7.5 to 12.9 billion euros) per year, according to the Institute for the World Economy (IfW) The German Navy is particularly important for protection, as its participation in international operations makes a significant contribution to curbing the danger of piracy and ensuring safety on the world's oceans, emphasized the shipping association. The IfW also confirmed that the increased naval presence in the affected regions off the Somali coast was a right step that has contributed to the decline in piracy.