The number of incidents of sea piracy dipped to their lowest level in six years.
The peak hit in 2011 when there were 237 attacks. This was followed by 75 in 2012, and fell further last year, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
Of benefit were armed guards on ships, international navy patrols and the "stabilising influence" of Somalia's government, the IMB said.
It was a drop in Somali piracy specifically which brought down the global numbers.
IMB's annual report said that worldwide more than 300 people were taken hostage at sea in 2013 and 21 were injured, nearly all with guns or knives.
While Indonesia bore the brunt with more than 50% of all incidents, these were "low-level opportunistic thefts, not to be compared with the more serious incidents off Africa".
Piracy off West Africa made up 19% of attacks worldwide last year, the report said.
Nigerian pirates, labelled “particularly violent” accounted for 31 of the region's 51 attacks, killing one crew member, and kidnapping 36 people to hold onshore for ransom, the IMB said.
Pirates operating off the Horn of Africa made more than $400m (£251m) in ransom money between 2005 and 2012, according to a UN and World Bank report.
