The declining impact of piracy on maritime transport in the Indian Ocean: Statistical analysis of 5-year vessel tracking data

The analysis of the declining impact of piracy on maritime routes and vessel behaviours in the Indian Ocean is here performed using Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) reports. A 5-year archive of vessel position data covering the period characterized by the highest number of attacks and the subsequent decline provides a unique source for data-driven statistical analysis that highlights changes in routing and sailing speeds. The work, besides demonstrating the value of LRIT data for statistical maritime traffic analysis, can be used to ultimately provide quantitative support to the estimates of the additional fuel consumption due to piracy. In showing the return of the North–South traffic to the shortest path, the results testify to the effectiveness of the efforts put in place against piracy in the Western Indian Ocean.