Authorities in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) have made a significant strides in developing maritime security in an area renowned for piracy and armed robbery, but a consistent lack of prosecution is feeding a rise in under-reporting, according to Cyrus Mody, assistant director of the ICC International Maritime Bureau. "Shipowners and operators in the region have reached saturation point whereby they feel that even if they do report, no arrests will be made," Mody told IHS Maritime. According to a report released in June by Oceans Beyond Piracy, 2014 saw a decline in reporting, while 60% of attacks occurred in Nigerian waters. With up to 70% of piracy-related incidents in the gulf unreported, assessing the true cost and extent of the threat is difficult. "We get fewer reports from ships or vessel operators that are local to the region, who fear that if they do report, they may be harder hit by pirates," said Mody.
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