The ICS is pleased to announce the launch of Piracy, Armed Robbery and Conflict at Sea 2026-27 Edition. This publication is published and sold through Witherbys, but ICS has secured a members’ discount.

About Piracy, Armed Robbery and Conflict at Sea 2026-27 Edition

The Guide provides a comprehensive overview of the measures seafarers should take to protect against, prevent, respond to and recover from an incident of piracy, armed robbery or conflict at sea.

Current threat profiles and up-to-date guidance are outlined, including the latest international and regional regulatory guidance to aid seafarers in understanding the complexities of security challenges at sea and for each individual voyage. This new edition features updated piracy statistics and case studies, expanded coverage of maritime terrorism and warzones/warlike areas and new subsections on GNSS/AIS jamming and spoofing.

The second edition details the security measures needed on board to protect against attacks as well as how to create and implement a successful ship security plan, as required by the ISPS Code. It includes a brand new section on security measures in ports and the latest updates on cyber security and associated training. International and national cooperation sections have been revised with new material covering United Nations, NATO, ASEAN and SAARC Conventions among others.

Advice for navigation and passage planning in areas of high risk is also given alongside details of training programmes that should be in place for crew and onshore staff. The response section has been updated with new case studies of CBRN and WBIED attacks along with new content on decontamination incident management.

This Guide also provides step-by-step advice to be followed in the event of an attack on board including ship damage mitigation measures, medical considerations, guidance for hostage situations and preparation and response to missile, mine and drone attacks. It also outlines considerations for the ship management team, such as responding to ransom requests and media management and communication.

Annexes provided include updated reporting forms and reference checklists for each stage of an incident (protect, prevent, respond and recover), as well as revised bridge cards summarising key information and risk areas.

Member discount  

Members – and their member companies – are entitled to a 20% discount on the recommended retail price of this publication using the discount code ICSMEMBER at checkout.

The discount applies to the print and digital e-book formats. Print and e-book copies can be ordered directly from the Witherbys website (shop.witherbys.com).

A discount flyer is included as an Annex for ease of sharing.

Thank you for your continuing support of ICS publications. Please contact, Mariah Abshire, Production Editor, at mariah.abshire@ics-shipping.org if any further information is required.