During the conference, a survey was conducted where over 83 percent of the participants consider piracy a real and tangible threat to their organizations that result in increased costs, customer service issues, environmental risk and crew safety challenges.

Twenty percent responded that they have been direct victims of an attack and 53 percent believe that attacks will continue to grow over time without increased intervention.

Leading international research analysts from around the world have been recording dramatic increases in the frequency of piracy in the Gulf of Arden since over the past five years.

The International Maritime Organization has maintained that its frequency has continued to grow since 2005, claiming ‘explosive drastic increases’ way back in 2008.

The situation has now reached unprecedented levels as pirates have extended their operating area from Africa’s east coasts outwards, reaching the mouth of the Arabian Gulf and the Indian coast. In addition to the geographical reach of their activity, the pirates are also resorting to increasingly complicated modes of attack.

“Pirates are now using hijacked vessels as motherships for their attacks and crews have been held as hostages on these motherships, making cases increasingly more difficult resolve,” said Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, secretary-general of GPCA.

“Chemical and oil vessels were considered among the easiest targets for pirates as they sail from the Gulf and Red Sea, fully laden with cargo, rendering them slow and often lower to the sea’s edge making it more accessible. Today however, all ships are targeted by pirates,” said Al-Sadoun.

“MENA and GCC leaders need to collaborate and engineer a workable solution to provide businesses with an alternative passage. Piracy activities, if left undeterred, have the potential to interrupt, not only MENA but also Asian-European trade routes as well. This is not only a GCC and Gulf issue, it’s a global issue,” claimed Al-Sadoun.

Delegates at the GPCA Supply Chain Conference are highly concerned and taking actions, with 78 percent considering or having implemented preventive piracy measures. 

Yet, the membership believes that more must be done in the spirit of cooperation to protect vessels and regional economies from this threat. 

GPCA members reinforced their readiness to work with government authorities, marine forces, ministries of trade and industries, chambers of commerce and port authority representatives to mitigate this threat.

“We would also like to reach out to petrochemical producers, oil and gas companies, ship owners and insurance companies to collaborate with the industry players, who all have a vested interest in sustaining economic GDP contributions by these critical industry sectors, said Al-Sadoun.

GPCA’s Supply Chain conference highlighted the heightened concerns of its members and the need for increased action.

“Our goal is to continue to exchange key facts regarding the impact of measures taken to date, discuss and debate new improved solutions to deal with the situation and to affect safe passage of vessels and products,” said Al-Sadoun.