Parliament has enacted the Maritime and Related Offences Bill, 2026, which will reinforce Ghana’s legal framework against piracy, armed robbery at sea, and other maritime-related crimes.
While putting into effect the provisions of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 1988 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against the Safety of Maritime Navigation, and its associated protocols, the legislation aims to outlaw piracy, robbery at sea, and related offences.
The new law creates a thorough legal framework for the prevention, investigation, prosecution, and punishment of maritime offences such as armed robbery at sea and piracy, according to the committee’s report on the Bill.
Articles 100 to 105 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea are in line with Ghana’s criminal statutes against piracy, according to the report.
It explained that for the last ten years, the Gulf of Guinea has seen an increase in maritime insecurity, including armed robberies at sea, kidnappings for ransom, piracy, vessel hijackings, and the damage of maritime property.
According to the committee, a more robust legal and institutional framework is required since these crimes pose serious risks to maritime trade, regional stability, economic growth, and seafarer safety.
The research said that dealing with piracy and related crimes had become difficult for law enforcement and prosecutors due to the lack of a specific legal framework on maritime offences.
“The absence of a dedicated legal framework on maritime offences in Ghana creates enforcement and prosecutorial challenges in dealing with piracy and related crimes. The enactment of this Bill will, therefore, provide the necessary legal basis for the investigation, arrest, prosecution and punishment of offenders,” the committee stated.
The committee added that the law will guarantee adherence to international agreements and bolster Ghana’s maritime industry.
“This legal regime is critical to Ghana’s ambition of becoming a maritime hub in the Gulf of Guinea. By closing gaps in our maritime law, the Bill strengthens trade security and enhances state port control,” according to the report.
It further stated that the law would safeguard Ghana’s maritime industry and territorial waters while bolstering investor confidence.
The committee stated, “Most importantly, the Bill empowers security agencies to act decisively, thereby ensuring that offenders face justice while safeguarding the livelihoods of our seafarers.”
The committee asked Parliament to swiftly pass the Act and stated its support for it.
“The Committee, therefore, expresses its full support for this legislation and urge its swift passage to secure Ghana’s maritime future,” the report concluded.
Source: newsthemegh.com