Biggest Ship Seizure in the History of Maritime Piracy

The biggest ship ever seized in the history of maritime piracy is undoubtedly the Sirius Star, a Very Large Crude Carrier or VLCC owned by Saudi Arabia.

The supertanker became the target of Somali pirates in open waters, which was thought to be unusual since it was away from the usual piracy hotspots close to the Gulf of Aden.

The incident unfolded on November 15, 2008, when the tanker was sailing in the Indian Ocean and was 450 nm off the coast of Kenya. It was en route from Saudi Arabia to the United States by way of the Cape of Good Hope.

Per reports, the pirates had travelled for three to four days to intercept the tanker, showcasing their increased operational range and planning, which shocked the maritime community and demonstrated the vulnerability of the world’s energy supplies.

The Sirius Star is more than 1000 ft long and is a part of the biggest class of oil tankers, weighing 300,000 tonnes and having a draft of 17 m.

When captured, it was carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil. The ship itself cost 140 million dollars to build, and the cargo could have fetched 110 million dollars, making the hijacking not only the largest by size of the vessel, but also the value of the cargo.

Initially, the pirates demanded a hefty ransom of 25 million dollars to free the vessel and the crew members. However, after several rounds of negotiations, the ransom was settled at 3 million dollars, which was dropped by a small plane on the ship’s deck in January 2009.

After receiving the money, the pirates left the ship, and the crew were released. However, 5 pirates drowned after their boat capsized in a storm as they attempted to leave the ship with their share of the ransom. A body, of one of the pirates, washed ashore with $153,000 in cash.

However, the question was how the pirates managed to hijack a massive oil tanker. Due to the tanker’s full load, its freeboard, which is the distance from the waterline to the main deck, was quite low, about 9 m, which made it easy for pirates to climb aboard using ropes and ladders and other equipment.

Per the testimony of second officer James Grady, the pirates managed to climb the tanker in just 7 minutes and took the crew members by surprise on what they thought was a safe stretch of the ocean.

The tanker had a 25-member crew, who were taken as hostages.

The crew did not resist the pirates, a standard protocol in such situations to avoid escalation and ensure safety.

During the 55-day ordeal, the crew members were kept in a room, but were safe. The ship’s operator maintained communication and worked towards a safe return of all the crew members.

Aftermath

Upon being released, the Sirius Star sailed to Fujairah in the UAE, and its crew was replaced.

The incident had serious repercussions and showed the increasing range and boldness of the Somali Pirates, who were operating beyond the reach of naval patrols.

The incident shocked the entire shipping industry and led to a rise in international naval patrols and anti-piracy operations.

Till now, the region is not free from maritime piracy.

In December 2023, a bulk carrier called MV Ruen was hijacked in the Indian Ocean, marking the first successful boarding of a commercial vessel by Somali pirates since 2017.

It was freed after an operation by the Indian Navy in March 2024, which led to the capture of 35 Somali pirates and the rescue of the crew members.

In March 2024, another Bulk Carrier, MV Abdullah, was hijacked around 600 nm off Puntland, Somalia.

The incident highlighted the pirates’ capabilities to operate far from the shore using hijacked dhows and skiffs as mother ships.

Measures Taken to Deal With Maritime Piracy in Somalia

In 2023, the Government of Somalia approved a bill to combat maritime crimes like kidnappings and piracy. This bill defined maritime offences and prescribed penalties.

It also established guidelines for handling piracy suspects and aligned Somali Laws with international standards, replacing the 1975 legislation, which was not enough to address modern maritime crimes.

It also aimed to ensure fair judicial processes for the accused and bolster Somalia’s ability to handle piracy-related incidents domestically.

Somalia also increased its maritime policing efforts and updated licensing for foreign fishing vessels to reduce illegal fishing, which is a root cause of piracy.

The autonomous Puntland region established the PMPF, supported by international partners, including the UAE and Japanese Coast Guard, to patrol the Somali waters, arrest and convict pirates, conduct raids on pirate hideouts and confiscate weapons.

Somali Fishermen Registration Programme, supported by the FAO and regional governments, registers local fishermen to distinguish them from pirates, prevent wrongful arrests and promote legitimate economic activities. It also provides aid to fishing communities to address the root cause of piracy in the region.

The historical cause for the growth of piracy in the region is widespread poverty and high unemployment.

Several Somali men, who were earlier fishermen, turned to piracy to feed their families when their traditional livelihoods collapsed.

Fish stocks were depleted by the illegal foreign fishing trawlers and pollution caused by toxic waste dumping. This devastated local fishing and pushed people towards piracy to earn their income.

The civil unrest in Somalia exacerbated the situation, and the lack of a strong central government and corruption made it uncontrollable.

The vast Somali coastline offers opportunities to pirates since Somalia lies near strategic maritime routes like the Gulf of Aden and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, one of the busiest maritime chokepoints in the world, over which 20% of the world’s maritime cargo passes.

Piracy remains a major concern even today, and ships are advised to be careful while passing through this region.

The issue of maritime piracy in Somalia can be solved by addressing the root causes, like poverty and unemployment and offering training and education opportunities to the youth. The Somali Government and the international community have to coordinate to solve this issue in the long run.

You might also like to read-

• What Are The Causes of Maritime Piracy in Somalia Waters?
• Enforcing the Law: An Economic Approach to Maritime Piracy and its Control
• The Menace of Maritime Piracy and Somali Pirates – Is There a Solution?
• 10 Maritime Piracy Affected Areas around the World

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Zahra is an SEO-Strategist & a Technical Writer with over 5 years of experience crafting top-tier content for the shipping world. From news, articles, ebooks, blogs and marketing pieces to industry white papers, she has written it all and now brings that experience to her role as Senior Editor. She makes complex maritime stories clear, sharp, and engaging.

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