Pirates hijacked more oil tankers in Southeast Asia in 2014 even as attacks at sea declined globally to the lowest level in eight years, according to the International Maritime Bureau . Fifteen ships carrying mainly marine-fuel cargoes were attacked in Malaysia , Indonesia , Thailand and the Malacca Strait, the IMB said in its annual piracy report today. While that contributed to the global increase to 21 vessels from 12, the total number of “incidents” reported worldwide fell to 245, it said. That’s a 44 percent drop from when piracy in Somali waters peaked in 2011. “The global increase in hijackings is due to a rise in attacks against coastal tankers in Southeast Asia,” said Pottengal Mukundan, the director of the IMB. “Gangs of armed thieves have attacked small tankers in the region for their cargoes, many looking specifically for marine diesel and gasoil to steal and then sell.” […]