An Emirati dhow hijacked by Somali pirates off the northeastern coast of Somalia has reportedly been abandoned after the armed group ran out of supplies and failed to use the vessel for additional attacks, according to security officials in Puntland.
The incident has renewed concerns over a growing resurgence of piracy in one of the world’s most critical maritime corridors linking the Gulf of Aden, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
The UAE-owned dhow, identified as the Fahad-4, was seized in late April roughly 10 nautical miles off Dhinowda, a coastal settlement in Somalia’s Puntland region. Officials familiar with the matter told AFP that an 11-member pirate group carried out the hijacking after departing from an area near the port town of Garacad, located about 600 kilometers north of Mogadishu.
According to Puntland security sources, the pirates intended to use the lemon-laden vessel as a “mothership,” a tactic commonly used by Somali pirate groups during the height of piracy in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Such vessels allow pirates to travel farther into international waters while launching smaller attack boats against commercial ships.
One security official said the group attempted to operate across Somali waters after taking control of the dhow but encountered growing challenges due to heightened maritime security alerts issued to ships passing through the region.
Piracy concerns rise
Security experts believe changing regional military priorities may have created opportunities for pirate groups to re-emerge. Since 2023, several naval forces involved in anti-piracy operations have redirected resources toward the Red Sea to counter attacks linked to Yemen’s Houthi movement near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
The strategic waterway connects the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and serves as one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Increased instability in the area has forced naval coalitions to shift attention away from anti-piracy patrols around Somalia.
Analysts also point to growing tensions near the Strait of Hormuz, where international naval forces have increasingly focused on protecting commercial shipping amid disputes involving Iran and the United States. Maritime security experts warn that the reduced presence of anti-piracy missions off Somalia has left commercial vessels more vulnerable.
According to experts, rising fuel prices linked to ongoing Middle East tensions have also increased the value of fuel tankers and cargo vessels, making them attractive targets for criminal networks operating along Somalia’s coastline.
During the height of Somali piracy more than a decade ago, international shipping companies spent billions of dollars on armed security, insurance costs and rerouting vessels away from dangerous waters. According to estimates from the World Bank, Somali piracy once cost the global economy as much as $18 billion annually.
The latest incidents have prompted renewed calls for stronger international coordination to prevent pirate groups from regaining operational strength. Maritime authorities warn that sustained instability across the Red Sea and Indian Ocean could further strain shipping routes already affected by conflict and rising transportation costs.
Although Somali piracy has not yet returned to the levels seen during its peak years, security analysts caution that the increasing number of hijackings demonstrates the vulnerability of international shipping lanes when naval attention is diverted elsewhere.
For now, officials say the abandoned Fahad-4 stands as another sign that pirate groups are testing regional security responses while seeking new opportunities in increasingly unstable waters.
