Maritime threats In 6 editions of 36.

• the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reports that 2021 saw a decrease in global pirate activities;
• in 2021, pirates attacked a total of 132 ships worldwide including boarding 115 ships, hijacking one ship, and firing on five;
• this activity is a decrease from 195 incidents in 2020 and the lowest number recorded since 1994;
• in 2021, the number of hostages taken was eight, and the number of seafarers kidnapped for ransom decreased to 57 compared with 135 in 2020, with all taken off West Africa

• the EU naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, continues its operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean through 2022;
• naval units from Japan, India, and China also operate in conjunction with EU forces;
• China has established a logistical base in Djibouti to support its deployed naval units in the Horn of Africa

• the Horn of Africa saw one incident of pirate activity in 2021, up from no attacks in 2020;
• the decrease in successful pirate attacks off the Horn of Africa since the peak in 2007 was due, in part, to anti-piracy operations by international naval forces, the hardening of vessels, and the increased use of armed security teams aboard merchant ships;
• despite these preventative measures, the assessed risk remains high

• West Africa remains a dangerous area for piracy in the world, but saw a dramatic decrease in incidents with 34 attacks in 2021 compared to 81 in 2020, including one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon;
• Nigerian pirates are very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore and kidnapping 57 mariners in seven incidents accounting for all crew kidnappings world-wide;
• attacks against ships underway in the Singapore Straits increased 50% to 35 incidents in 2021;
• there were nine attacks in Indonesian waters in 2021 compared to 26 in 2020, primarily to ships anchored or berthed;
• the majority (71%) of global attacks against shipping have occurred in the offshore waters of eight countries - Colombia, Ghana, Indonesia, Malaysia/Singapore, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, and Sao Tome and Principe (2021)

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Angola are a risk for armed robbery against ships;
• in 2021, four attacks against commercial vessels were reported, a decrease from the six attacks in 2020;
• most of these occurred in the main port of Luanda while ships were berthed or at anchor

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships;
• in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region;
• although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide;
• while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping;
• in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide;
• Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore;
• the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships;
• in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region;
• although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide;
• while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping;
• in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of maritime kidnappings worldwide;
• Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore;
• the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships;
• in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region;
• although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide;
• while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping;
• in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide;
• Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore;
• the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

• the International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Center (PRC) received one incident of piracy and armed robbery in 2021 for the Horn of Africa;
• while there were no recorded incidents, the IMB PRC warned that Somali pirates continued to possess the capacity to carry out attacks in the Somali basin and wider Indian Ocean;
• in particular, the report warned that, "Masters and crew must remain vigilant and cautious when transiting these waters.";
• the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, contributed to the drop in incidents;
• the EU naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, continues its operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean through 2022;
• naval units from China, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, the US, and other countries also operate in conjunction with EU forces;
• China has established a base in Djibouti to support its deployed naval units in the Horn of Africa

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships;
• in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region;
• although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide;
• while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping;
• in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide;
• Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore;
• the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships;
• in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region;
• although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide;
• while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping;
• in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide;
• Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore;
• the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships;
• in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region;
• although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide;
• while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping;
• in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide;
• Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore;
• the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships;
• in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region;
• although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide;
• while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping;
• in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide;
• Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore;
• the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

the International Maritime Bureau reports that shipping in territorial and offshore waters in the Indian Ocean remain at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships;
• in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region;
• although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide;
• while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping;
• in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide;
• Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore;
• the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships;
• in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region;
• although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide;
• while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping;
• in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide;
• Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore;
• the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships;
• in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region;
• although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide;
• while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping;
• in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide;
• Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore;
• the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

• the International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Center (PRC) received one incident of piracy and armed robbery in 2021 for the Horn of Africa;
• while there were no recorded incidents, the IMB PRC warns that Somalia pirates continue to possess the capacity to carry out attacks in the Somali basin and wider Indian Ocean;
• in particular, the report warns that, "Masters and crew must remain vigilant and cautious when transiting these waters.";
• the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, contributed to the drop in incidents;
• the EU naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, continues its operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean through 2022;
• naval units from China, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, the US, and other countries also operate in conjunction with EU forces

the International Maritime Bureau reports that shipping in territorial and offshore waters in the Indian Ocean remain at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships;
• in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region;
• although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide;
• while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping;
• in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide;
• Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore;
• the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea"

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Bangladesh remain a risk for armed robbery against ships;
• there were no attacks reported in 2021 as opposed to four ships that were boarded in 2020

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Haiti are a risk for armed robbery against ships;
• in 2021, four attacks against commercial vessels were reported, a slight decrease from the five attacks reported in 2020;
• most of these occurred in the main port of Port-au-Prince while ships were berthed or at anchor

the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-003 Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Red Sea-Threats to US and International Shipping from Iran) effective 28 February 2022, which states in part that "heightened military activities and increased political tensions in this region continue to present risk to commercial shipping...there is a continued possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take actions against US and partner interests in the region;" Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel has been established to provide escorts for commercial shipping transiting the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman

the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-003 Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Red Sea-Threats to US and International Shipping from Iran) effective 28 February 2022, which states in part that "heightened military activities and increased political tensions in this region continue to present risk to commercial shipping...there is a continued possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take actions against US and partner interests in the region"; Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel has been established to provide escorts for commercial shipping transiting the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman

the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued Maritime Advisory 2022-003 (Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean-Violence Due to Regional Conflict and Piracy) effective 28 February 2022, which states in part the "Conflict in Yemen continues to pose potential risk to US flagged commercial vessels transiting the southern Red Sea, Bab al Mandeb Strait, and Gulf of Aden. Threats may come from a variety of different sources including, but not limited to, missiles, rockets, projectiles, mines, small arms, unmanned aerial vehicles, unmanned surface vessels, or waterborne improvised explosive devices.

These threat vectors continue to pose a direct or collateral risk to US flagged commercial vessels operating in the region. Additionally, piracy poses a threat in the Gulf of Aden, Western Arabian Sea, and Western Indian Ocean."

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Brazil are a risk for armed robbery against ships;
• in 2021, three attacks against commercial vessels were reported, a decrease from the seven attacks in 2020;
• all of these occurred in the port of Macapa while ships were berthed or at anchor

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Colombia are a risk for armed robbery against ships;
• in 2021, six attacks against commercial vessels were reported, an increase over the single attack in 2020;
• most of these occurred in the main port of Cartagena while ships were berthed or at anchor

• the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters of Ecuador as at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships;
• vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway;
• crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen;
• there has been a slight decrease with four attacks reported in 2021 and five in 2020;
• one ship was boarded while underway and two ships were fired upon

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of Peru are a risk for armed robbery against ships;
• in 2021, 18 attacks against commercial vessels were reported, a more than 50% increase over the eight attacks in 2020;
• all of these occurred in the main port of Callao while ships were berthed or at anchor

• The International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters in the Caribbean Sea as at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships;
• numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway;
• crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen;
• in 2021, no attacks were reported

• the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial and offshore waters in the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships;
• the number of attacks decreased from 26 incidents in 2020 to nine in 2021 due to aggressive maritime patrolling by regional authorities;
• vessels continue to be boarded while anchored or berthed at Indonesian ports with seven vessels attacked;
• hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships;
• numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway;
• hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia;
• crews have been murdered or cast adrift;
• the Singapore Straits saw 35 attacks against commercial vessels in 2021, a 50% increase over 2020 and the highest number of incidents reported since 1992;
• vessels were boarded in 33 of the 35 incidents, one crew was injured, another assaulted and two threatened during these incidents

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships;
• an emerging threat area lies in the Celebes and Sulu Seas between the Philippines and Malaysia where 11 ships were attacked in 2021;
• numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway;
• hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargoes stolen

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships;
• numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway;
• hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia;
• crews have been murdered or cast adrift;
• the Singapore Straits saw 35 attacks against commercial vessels in 2021, a 50% increase over 2020 and the highest number of incidents reported since 1992;
• vessels were boarded in 33 of the 35 incidents, one crew was injured, another assaulted and two threatened during these incidents

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships;
• numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway;
• hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia;
• the number of reported incidents decreased from four in 2020 to one in 2021

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Niger Delta and Gulf of Guinea remain a very high risk for piracy and armed robbery of ships; in 2021, there were 34 reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the Gulf of Guinea region; although a significant decrease from the total number of 81 incidents in 2020, it included the one hijacking and three of five ships fired upon worldwide; while boarding and attempted boarding to steal valuables from ships and crews are the most common types of incidents, almost a third of all incidents involve a hijacking and/or kidnapping; in 2021, 57 crew members were kidnapped in seven separate incidents in the Gulf of Guinea, representing 100% of kidnappings worldwide; Nigerian pirates in particular are well armed and very aggressive, operating as far as 200 nm offshore; the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-001 - Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom) effective 4 January 2022, which states in part, "Piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom continue to serve as significant threats to US-flagged vessels transiting or operating in the Gulf of Guinea;” South American ports in Brazil and Colombia, as well as Caribbean ports in Mexico and Haiti continue to be affected by the crime of armed robbery against ships with 15 incidents reported in 2021 compared to 17 in 2020 with most of these occurring while berthed or anchored

• the International Maritime Bureau continues to report the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships, particularly in the Gulf of Aden, along the east coast of Africa, the Bay of Bengal, and the Strait of Malacca;
• the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators, including the use of on-board armed security teams, have reduced incidents of piracy;
• 2021 saw one incident in the region of the Horn of Africa;
• the EU naval mission, Operation ATALANTA, continues its operations in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean through 2022;
• naval units from Japan, India, and China also operate in conjunction with EU forces;
• China has established a logistical base in Djibouti to support its deployed naval units in the Horn of Africa

the Maritime Administration of the US Department of Transportation has issued a Maritime Advisory (2022-003 Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Red Sea-Threats to US and International Shipping from Iran) effective 28 February 2022, which states in part that "heightened military activities and increased political tensions in this region continue to present risk to commercial shipping...there is a continued possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take actions against US and partner interests in the region;" Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel has been established to provide escorts for commercial shipping transiting the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman

• the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial waters of littoral states and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships;
• an emerging threat area lies in the Celebes and Sulu Seas between the Philippines and Malaysia where 11 ships were attacked in 2021;
• numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway;
• hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargoes stolen