Anti-Shipping Activity Messages Archive

<p>*** <strong>The funding for the Anti-shipping Activity Messages (ASAM) database ended in June 30, 2024; as a result we are no longer updating the ASAM database or the GIS data on our web page. The Office of Naval Intelligence does have PDF files of ASAM events on their Worldwide Threat to Shipping page</strong> -&nbsp;<a target='_blank' href='https://www.oni.navy.mil/ONI-Reports/Shipping-Threat-Reports/Worldwide-Threat-to-Shipping/' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><strong>https://www.oni.navy.mil/ONI-Reports/Shipping-Threat-Reports/Worldwide-Threat-to-Shipping/</strong></a><strong>&nbsp;[oni.navy.mil]. ***</strong></p><div><div style='text-align:center;'><span style='color:#000000; font-size:xx-large;'><strong>pi·ra·cy</strong></span></div><div style='text-align:center;'><br />&nbsp;</div><p>The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) defines "Piracy" and:&nbsp;</p><div style='padding-left:30px;'>(a) any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship or a private aircraft, and directed:&nbsp;</div><div style='padding-left:60px;'>(i) on the high seas, against another ship or aircraft, or against persons or property on board such ship or aircraft;&nbsp;</div><div style='padding-left:60px;'>(ii) against a ship, aircraft, persons or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any State;&nbsp;</div><p style='padding-left:30px;'>(b) any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship or aircraft;&nbsp;</p><p style='padding-left:30px;'>(c) any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described in subparagraph (a) or (b).</p><div><p>Pirate attacks affect many different parties, including the flag state of the vessel that is attacked, the states of nationality of the crew members aboard the attacked vessel, the state from which the pirates originate, the state in whose waters (if any) the attack occurs, the states of the ship and cargo owners, and the states for which cargo on attacked vessels is destined. In addition to their immediate impacts on the vessels, individuals, and cargo involved in an attack, sustained episodes of piracy can affect international shipping rates (by leading to the diversion of cargoes to other shipping lanes) and lead to increases in insurance rates. Further, they can isolate those states from which the piracy is originating if vessels refuse to make port calls in those nations.</p><p>Anti-shipping Activity Messages (ASAM) include the locations and descriptive accounts of specific hostile acts against ships and mariners. The reports may be useful for recognition, prevention and avoidance of potential hostile activity.</p><p>This layer can be searched using ASAM reference number(s), sub region, or occurrence date(s). Each record includes the date of occurrence, an ASAM reference number, the number identifying the geographical subregion, the latitude and longitude of the geographical location, the aggressor if known, the type of vessel victimized, the name of the vessel victimized and a detailed description of the occurrence.</p><p><strong>Source</strong>: Data are checked daily and updated accordingly :&nbsp; <a target='_blank' href='https://msi.nga.mil/Piracy' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><strong>https://msi.nga.mil/Piracy</strong></a></p><p><strong>Related Documents</strong>:&nbsp;<a target='_blank' href='https://www.hsdl.org/?view&amp;did=755125' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>United States Counter Piracy and Maritime Security Action Plan</a>,&nbsp;<a target='_blank' href='https://www.oni.navy.mil/News/Shipping-Threat-Reports/' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>Worldwide Threat to Shipping</a>,&nbsp;<a target='_blank' href='https://www.hsdl.org/?view&amp;did=12005' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>Piracy: A Legal Definition</a>,&nbsp;<a target='_blank' href='https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&amp;did=36978' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'>International Piracy on the High Seas</a></p><p><strong>Revisions</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Apr 17, 2026</strong>: Added field descriptions and value types, revised popup and summary.</li></ul></div></div>