Bibliotheek

België is een belangrijke maritieme speler en heeft als dusdanig regelmatig schepen in de regio van de Perzische Golf. De Koninklijke Belgische Redersvereniging (KBRV) volgt de snel escalerende situatie in de Straat van Hormuz en de Perzische Golf met de grootste bezorgdheid. De KBRV staat in nauw en permanent contact met haar leden en de Belgische autoriteiten om de veiligheid van de Belgische scheepvaart in de regio te garanderen.

Exactly a year ago, Russia invaded Ukraine. This major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War plunged Europe and the rest of the world into an energy and food crisis. This invasion surprised many who thought that armed conflicts of this degree would nowadays not be possible on European soil. Especially after a global pandemic that had just brought the whole world to its knees by incapacitating the supply chain of goods and raw material.

According to the annual piracy report published recently by the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB), piracy and armed robbery at sea last year has reached an all-time low since 1994. But the threat remains.

Piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea have reached alarming levels. It is high time European policy makers improve the situation for vessels and crew operating in this area through a number of methods. The poor security situation is jeopardising trade and development in the region and globally.