UpdatedGulf attacks: threat level raised for the Arabian Gulf as three more tankers are hitJMIC raised the threat level for the Arabian Gulf to SUBSTANTIAL on 18 October 2026. Since then, tankers were hit off Al Faw in Iraq, and off Bukha and Limah in Oman. The crews of the first two were reported safe.
Asia: 58% fewer piracy and robbery cases against ships in the first nine months of 2026ReCAAP ISC counted 50 cases of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia from January to September 2026, down from 120 a year earlier. Cases in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore fell from 97 to 23.
Black Sea: one seafarer dead and three missing after the ship Khoryv sank off Constanța, RomaniaThe ship Khoryv turned over and sank off Constanța on 23 October 2026. Romania's president said a drone hit it. Nine of the 13 crew were saved, one died and three are missing.
Red Sea: 14 Indian sailors safe after their yacht was hit near Zuqar Island, Indian embassy saysA yacht with 14 Indian sailors on board was hit near Zuqar Island in the southern Red Sea on 22 October 2026. India's embassy for Yemen says reports show all 14 are safe near Hodeidah. Who attacked the yacht is not confirmed.
Persian Gulf and Hormuz stay a war zone for seafarers until 5 November, new IBF list saysUnions and shipowners in the IBF have extended the warlike area in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman until 5 November 2026. Seafarers there keep a bonus, double compensation and the right to refuse to sail.
UpdatedBlack Sea: search stopped for seven seafarers missing after drones hit two tankers off RomaniaDrones hit the tankers Yara J and Wine Trader near Sulina, Romania, on 14 and 15 October. Five of Wine Trader's 12 crew were rescued. The search for the other seven has stopped, Croatia's foreign ministry said on 22 October.
NATO sends more patrol aircraft, radars and drones to the Black Sea after attacks on merchant shipsNATO said on 20 October 2026 that allies will send more patrol aircraft, radars, drones and investigators to the Black Sea. This follows a series of drone attacks on merchant ships off Romania and Bulgaria. NATO has not announced escorts for merchant ships.
Somali pirates still hold the tanker Asana and its crew after three months, as EU naval force closes four other casesThe EU's anti-piracy force off Somalia says the tanker Asana, hijacked on 17 July with up to 22 crew, is still held by pirates. Four other hijacked ships are now free, but five seafarers died when one of them was retaken.
Gulf threat level raised as IMO chief tells ships to avoid the Strait of HormuzJMIC raised the Arabian Gulf threat level to SUBSTANTIAL on 18 October after attacks on tankers off Saudi Arabia, and warned that crowded anchorages off the UAE are exposed. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said ships should avoid the Strait of Hormuz.
Piracy at lowest level since 1992, but Somali hijackings put more crew at riskThe IMB recorded 51 piracy and armed robbery incidents in January-September 2026, the lowest nine-month figure since 1992. But 105 crew were directly affected, up from 72 a year earlier, and Somali pirates carried out all eight hijackings.
Black Sea: up to 11 seafarers missing after drone strike sinks cargo ship off BulgariaThe cargo ship HS Dignity sank after a drone attack off Bulgaria on 13 October. Bulgaria ended the search on 14 October. Bulgarian officials gave ten crew missing; other reports say 11 of 16 are missing and five survived. A second ship, Chelsea 3, was also hit; all 15 crew were rescued.