That seems odd, unless they're also going through the Straits of Molucca.

I mean, a quick look at a map shows a short trip from the Suez down the Red Sea and around the Horn of Africa. I doubt there's a piracy problem above Djibouti. If that takes a week to get from Djibouti to some distance away from Mogadishu it's because the ship is moving slow.

17 crew members. That's 3, 5 man watches (8 hrs) per day and a C.O. and X.O. of the detachment. If there's an incident you have 8 men port and starboard, divided 4 man fore and aft and the C.O. with the ship's captain.

No pirates would be able to get past those guys without inside help.