The number of pirate attacks off the Somali Coast, particularly in the Gulf of Aden, is growing steadily, said a latest International Maritime Bureau's (IMB) report.
In the first six months of this year 71 vessels were boarded, 12 were hijacked and 11 were fired at by gangs who are increasingly using automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenade launchers.
A total of 190 crew members were taken hostage, six kidnapped, seven killed and another seven are missing, presumed dead.
While 114 incidents reported in the first six months of 2008 was slightly less than the 126 reported in the corresponding period last year, acts of piracy have risen quarter by quarter in 2008.
The number of incidents recorded in the second quarter of 2008 totalled 62 compared with 52 in the first quarter, according to the report from the IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre.
More than 20 ships flying flags from the Middle East have been hijacked in the past three years off the Somali Coast, causing a cutback in the number of ships using the route.
"The frequency and level of violence directed at seafarers is a cause for alarm," said IMB Director Captain Pottengal Mukundan.
"The abduction of crew and the increasing use of automatic weapons remain unacceptable," he said.
Africa remains a piracy flashpoint with the highest recorded number of second quarter incidents of piracy taking place off Somalia coast with 24 incidents, followed closely by Nigeria with 18 incidents. A key trend is the recent shift in the geographical location of attacks to the northeastern Somali coastline and into the Gulf of Aden.
The IMB's interactive world piracy map provides a visual representation of the trend. All incidents in the Gulf of Aden have taken place on the eastern side of the waterway and are attributed to Somali pirates.
Further analysis reveals that of the 24 Somali incidents, 19 occurred in the Gulf of Aden. In the Gulf of Aden at least eight vessels reported being fired on by pirates armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers and automatic weapons.
In Nigeria 12 of the 18 attacks were aimed at vessels anchored at the port of Lagos. Lagos is becoming an increasingly dangerous port, with the number of reported attacks in the area growing from eight in the first six months of 2007 to 12 in the same period this year.
In other parts of the world Indonesia ranks third on the worldwide list with 13 reported acts of piracy. All except two of these cases were low level incidents aimed at theft of valuables and stores.
Unlike Nigeria, and to a lesser extent Somalia, the attacks are not geographically concentrated and are scattered throughout the Indonesian archipelago.
The IMB said the number of attacks in Indonesian waters continued to decrease each quarter.
The formerly dangerous Malacca Straits is one area where piracy is continuing to be suppressed. Only two incidents were reported for this region, the same number as for the corresponding period in 2007.
"Despite our wide-reaching efforts to study acts of piracy a significant number of attacks continue to go unreported," said Captain Mukundan, adding: "For their own safety we urge all shipmasters and vessel owners to report any acts of piracy to the IMB's Kuala Lumpur-based centre. This information will allow us to identify high-risk areas and advocate increased protection and safety measures."