Somali pirates' area of operations decreased in 2011, as did the number of successful ship hijackings. However, the fundamental factors that lead to pirate activity remain largely unaddressed.
Somali pirates refused to release some of a ship's crew after receiving a ransom payment until additional demands were met, part of the growing uncertainty surrounding pirate activity and how to counteract it. (With STRATFOR map)
The geographic scope of Somali pirate activity continue to expand in 2010, with two attacks in December taking place more than 2,400 kilometers from the safe havens in central Somalia.
Piracy off the coast of Somalia has increased dramatically since 2006. Pirate activity in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean region has created an international security situation in one of the highest-volume commercial shipping lanes in the world. Despite international counterpiracy efforts, Somali pirates continue to hijack ships and demand exorbitant ransoms from shipping companies.
