Is maritime piracy random?

Far from being an extinct phenomenon, piracy still exists in the modern world and is a growing menace to the security and safety of shipping. Using the data on attacks against vessels reported between 1996 and 2005 merged with the data on the total world merchant fleet, this article inquires whether acts of piracy are a truly random occurrence. Results show that both flag of registry and type of vessel are significant factors in explaining maritime piracy.