This week from the Dryad Global Maritime Intelligence Brief. The headline, the so-what, and one region written out in full. The complete edition is for subscribers.
The headline
After years of relative quiet, Somali piracy has returned to the Gulf of Aden and Yemeni coastal waters. From 11 June, a cluster of aggressive approaches and attacks has shifted back into the area, changing the 2026 threat picture for vessels transiting the region.
Why it matters
Recent incidents have involved skiff approaches, small-arms fire, and at least one rocket-propelled grenade attack. No boarding has succeeded, and armed security teams continue to prove effective. The pace and geographic spread, however, point to risk staying elevated through 2026, particularly during the southwest monsoon.
Gulf of Aden and the Somali basin, in full
The shift is concentrated along the Gulf of Aden transit lanes and into Yemeni coastal waters, rather than the deep-ocean approaches seen at the height of the last piracy wave. That keeps incidents closer to established transit corridors, where naval presence and group transits offer some protection, but it also compresses reaction time for a vessel under approach.
Operators should consider maintaining embarked armed security where it is carried, following Best Management Practices for Maritime Security transit corridors and group-transit schemes, and reducing predictable speed and routing in the highest-risk segments. Crews should rehearse approach and citadel drills before entry, not on the day.
That is one region. This week's full brief covers every active theatre, the sources behind each assessment, and what we recommend doing about it. The complete edition, and the searchable archive of past briefs, is for subscribers.