The short answer is . While the days of wooden ships and eyepatches are long gone, modern piracy is a multi-million-dollar criminal industry that continues to threaten global trade, maritime security, and the lives of seafarers.
According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) , global piracy incidents rose to 137 in 2025, up from 116 in 2024. These aren't swashbucklers; they are highly organized criminal networks using speedboats, GPS, and automatic weaponry. Where Are the Modern Pirate Hotspots? are there still pirates today