Piracy situation risk assessment, February 2013, Issue 10 Highlights of the past month
Last month has seen once again low pirate activity around East-Africa. There was two reported incidents nearby Somalia, one of them serious attempt. The maritime agencies keep warning the persisting threat off Somalia and advise not drop the guard. They are still there. Meanwhile there have been already 10 reported incidents of robbery and attempts between India to Philippines.
In contrary the West-African seas have seen some serious rise in piracy and criminal activity. Number of vessels boarded, kidnappings and theft of cargo and vessel’s property has boosted up. Authorities are having concerns that the war in Mali will also fuel the piracy and greater instability in the region.
Latest incidents (ICC Live Piracy Reports and other sources) SOMALIA: 5.01.2013: 1100 UTC: Posn: 03:07.2N 051:51.1E, Around 400nm ENE of Mogadishu, Somalia. Six pirates in a skiff chased and fired upon a container ship using automatic weapons and RPG. Vessel raised alarm, crew mustered in citadel and armed security team fired warning shots resulting in the pirates aborting and moving away. A warship and a naval helicopter were dispatched towards the vessel. Crew and the vessel are safe.
DJIBOUTI: 08.01.2013: 0750 UTC: Posn: 12:40.2N - 043:16.1E, Bab El Mandeb TSS, Red Sea. About 5-6 persons each in two skiffs doing 14 knots approached a gas carrier ship underway. Alarm raised, anti-piracy measures initiated, distress message was transmitted and the armed security team on board fired a warning flare and showed their weapons. One skiff slowed down but the other skiff continued its approach and closed to 200 meters from the tanker. The armed team fired two more warning shots but the skiffs ignored the warning shots and continue to approach the tanker. Further shots were fired across the lead skiff's bow resulting in the skiffs aborting and moving away. 1/4
SINGAPORE: 08.01.2013: 1710 – 2320 LT: 01:11.50N – 103:37.8E, Singapore Straits. About six robbers in a speed boat approached and boarded a barge under two, stole barge property and escaped. Later the same evening a speedboat with five persons wearing camouflage uniforms approached the tug. Two of the persons boarded the tug and took hostage the duty bosun and held him face down at knife point. Seeing the boarding the Master raised the alarm and all crew started mustering. See the alert crew the persons in the camouflage uniforms left the tug without stealing anything. CONGO: 15.01.2013: 0030 LT: Posn: 04:43.9S – 011:46.7E, Pointe Noire Anchorage, The Congo. Three robbers armed with knives disguised as fishermen in a small boat approached and boarded an anchored container ship. Duty crew spotted the robbers and raised the alarm. On hearing the alarm, the robbers jumped overboard and escaped empty handed in their boat. Port control contacted but received no response.
IVORY COAST. 16.01.2013: 2200 LT: Abidjan anchorage, Ivory Coast. Pirates boarded and hijacked the tanker and sailed her to an unknown location. They stole her cargo. The 16 crew members and tanker were released unharmed on the 22.01.2013. The vessel proceeded to Lagos port.
MAURITANIA: 31.01.2013:0430LT: 20:53.1N – 016:59.7E, Nouadhibou Port, Mauritania. Two robbers armed with knives boarded an anchored refrigerated cargo ship while the remaining six robbers remained in the boat. Alert duty crew spotted the robbers and raised the alarm. On hearing the alarm, the robbers jumped overboard and escaped empty handed. Port control contacted but no response received. 2/4
NIGERIA: 31.01.2013: 2030 UTC: POSN: 03:46.3N-005:49.1E, Around 45nm SSW off Brass, Nigeria. A product tanker under way noticed three skiffs approaching it at high speed. A suspected mother vessel was observed on radar at a distance of around 1.2nm. As the skiffs closed duty officer raised alarm and non-essential crew mustered in citadel. Vessel commenced evasive manoeuvres and headed towards a nearby oil terminal to seek assistance from naval guard vessels. A further two skiffs were noticed approaching the vessel and all skiffs fired towards the bridge and accommodation. A RPG was also fired but missed the vessel. The attack lasted for nearly one hour before the skiffs broke off. Crew safe but vessel sustained damage due to the firing. IVORY COAST: 03.02.2013: 0659 LT: 04:07.38N – 003:54.42W, 70nm South of Abidjan port, Ivory Coast. Owners of an oil tanker reported that they had lost contact with their vessel while underway and suspect the vessel may have been hijacked. Further details awaited.
NIGERIA: 04.02.2013: 0024 UTC: 06:19.16N – 003:24.57E, Lagos Anchorage, Nigeria. Armed persons with guns approached and fired upon an anchored chemical tanker carrying out STS operations. The response of the onboard Naval security team resulted in the armed persons moving away. One crew member died during the medical evacuation due to an injury sustained during the firing.
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Summary and Recommendations
The threats on seas are not over yet on East side of African coast. The pirates are out there and waiting their opportunities. Keep your watch vigilant and follow the BMP advice. Nothing is over yet.
West African is about to quickly turn into the greater problem. The authorities of Nigeria are worried that the armed conflict in Mali will affect the overall security situation in the whole region. As hundreds of thousands of people will be forced to displace it will fuel the criminality and likely contribute to the criminal acts on seas around the region. The braveness of criminal element operating off Nigerian Delta region could be illustrated on fierce ambush from swamps to the military convoy of an Indian-owned oil barge, killing two soldiers and one crew member on the ship.
There was also a shooting incident near Port Said, Egypt. On 28 January a passenger vessel being reported as Island of Rhodes was fired upon. The Greek-owned ship came under fire from unknown persons during a regular inspection by the Consular Harbor-Master. It should be noted that there is tension in Port Said following the court decision on the soccer tragedy that resulted in over 70 deaths. As soon as the ship came under fire, it left the port. Luckily no casualties occurred. However, taking into consideration the tensions in the region, in addition to mentioned one, the political disputes, we advise to be alerted and keep low profile while passing the Egyptian coast line.
Sources: IMB, ICC, NATO, AP, Reuters, gCaptain, Office of Naval Intelligence
We wish you safe voyages!
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