The global maritime community is calling for action as piracy gangs in the Gulf of Aden seized another vessel and with it its crew.

International Maritime Organisation (IMO) secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez spoke out following reports the vessel  Seamull had been hijacked this month.

“Shipping challenges are on the rise with the recent increase of piracy incidents in the Gulf of Aden,” he said. “With the most recent highjack, a sixth vessel is being held by pirates and armed robbers in waters that are becoming too dangerous for seafarers.

“More than 90 innocent seafarers are now being held captive, their lives subject to constant uncertainty and threat, often with limited access to adequate food, fresh water, medical support and other essential services. Behind each of them is a family enduring an unimaginable ordeal, with limited reliable information about their loved ones’ well-being.

“I demand the immediate and unconditional release of all those being held captive. No seafarer should face violence, intimidation or exploitation simply for doing their jobs and keeping global trade moving.”

It comes as Somali pirates hijacked an oil products tanker off Yemen. Six armed pirates hijacked the Eritrean-flagged M.T. Sibu 1 about 136 nautical miles (252 kilometres) east of al-Mukalla, Yemen, and took it toward Somalia’s Puntland coast.  It became the sixth vessel to be captured by piracy gangs since April and the gang sare moving further off the Somali coast in the hunt for victims.

The Sibu 1, managed by the UAE-based Qatrat Alnada Almasi Ship Management, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department last year for allegedly belonging to an Iranian “shadow fleet” used to transport petroleum products seeking to evade U.S. sanctions.

The tanker had 20 crew members aboard: 16 Indians, one Syrian, one Sudanese, and one Iraqi.

The hijacking came three days after pirates seized Cameroon-flagged cargo vessel, Lutuf. The vessel had 10 crew aboard.

Dominguez  continued: “The deteriorating maritime security situation in the region demands urgent attention. While international focus has been drawn to other areas of heightened tension, we cannot allow the resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters to go unaddressed. The safety and security of seafarers must remain a global priority.

“I call on flag and coastal States to ensure ships flying their flag are adequately prepared to manage security risks and that crews are not exposed to avoidable dangers. This includes the implementation of industry best management practices (BMP Maritime Security) and relevant IMO guidance.

“IMO will continue to support regional efforts led by coastal States to address this resurgence of piracy, through initiatives such as the Djibouti Code of Conduct and its Jeddah Amendment.

“At the same time, sustained international naval cooperation remains essential to protecting merchant shipping and the seafarers who serve it. The international community has successfully confronted this threat before, and it must do so again.

“I will keep raising this important matter across the UN-family,  and engage with governments and all stakeholders to assess how IMO can best support collaborative efforts aimed at enhancing maritime security and protecting seafarers.”