Pirate attacks have increased by 14% in the first nine months of 2007. The waters off the coasts of Somalia and Nigeria have gotten more and more dangerous. The anarchy that has gripped Somalia for the past 16 years have left the coasts virtually unpoliced. The pirates pretty much have free reign over the seas.

This increase in piracy is creating more devastation in those African countries.

“The seafaring industry is very concerned about this,” said Cyrus Mody, a senior analyst with IMB. “There is absolutely no regard for law in that area. Not only is it not good for business in Africa, but it blocks humanitarian aid and is bad for the general stability of the continent.”

The pirates have killed when their demands have not been met.

IMB director Pottengal Mukundan urged ships to stay as far away as possible from the coasts of Somalia and Nigeria.

“The level of violence in high-risk areas remain unacceptable. Pirates in Somalia are operating with impunity, seizing vessels hundreds of miles off the coast and holding the vessel and crew to ransom, making no attempt to hide their activity,” he said.

Indonesia remained the world’s worst piracy hotspot, with 37 attacks in the first nine months of 2007. But that was an improvement from 40 in the same period a year earlier, IMB said.