Somali Piracy Resurfaces as Hormuz Closure Drives Vessel Diversions　ソマリア海賊再び拡大、ホルムズ封鎖で迂回が増加

Growing Concerns Among Japan-Linked Shipping as More Vessels Transit High-Risk Waters

日本関係船にも警戒感、高リスク海域通航増える

　Against the backdrop of the Iran war and the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, Somali piracy is once again emerging as a major risk to international shipping. Sources at Japanese shipowners interviewed by Maritime Bridge Japan said concern is growing within the industry.

　“We have once again reached the stage where countermeasures, including voyage planning and the arrangement of privately contracted armed security personnel (PCASP), are being reviewed on a vessel-by-vessel basis even for Japan-linked ships,” a senior executive at a Japanese shipowner said.

■The full article includes the following points (approximately 3,000 words)

→Somali pirates are once again targeting tankers and merchant vessels, with concerns spreading among operators of Japan-linked ships

→As more vessels avoid the Red Sea via the Cape of Good Hope route, traffic is increasingly overlapping with high-risk areas in the western Indian Ocean

→Analysis of the possible return of “mother ship tactics” and similarities with Somali piracy operations seen in the 2010s

→The current status of Japanese government, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and PCASP frameworks, including escort operations and future challenges

→Examination of a new maritime risk environment in which the Hormuz crisis, Red Sea crisis and piracy threats are becoming increasingly interconnected

Photo courtesy of UKMTO, the Indian Navy

(The remainder of the article can be read in both English and Japanese. The Japanese-language article is published following the English version.)

ソマリア海賊再び拡大、ホルムズ封鎖で迂回が増加

日本関係船にも警戒感、高リスク海域通航増える

　イラン戦争とホルムズ海峡危機を背景に、ソマリア海賊問題が再び国際海運の重大リスクとして浮上している。Maritime Bridge Japanが取材した日本船主の関係者は、「日本関係船でも、配船計画や武装警備員（PCASP）手配などの対策を再び個船ごとに確認している段階だ」（日本船主幹部）と警戒感を強めている。

■記事本文では以下の内容を読むことができます（記事全文約3,000文字）

→ソマリア海賊が再びタンカーや商船を標的化、日本関係船にも警戒感広がる

→紅海回避で増える喜望峰ルート、西インド洋のリスク海域と重なる構図とは

→「マザーシップ戦術」復活の可能性、2010年代型海賊との共通点を分析

→日本政府・海自・PCASP体制の現状、護衛実績と今後の課題を整理

→ホルムズ危機・紅海危機・海賊問題が“連結”する新たな海上リスクを検証

（続きは英語と日本語で書かれた本文でお読みください。日本語の記事は英文記事に続いて掲載されています）