Risk assessment june13

Piracy situation risk assessment, June 2013, Issue 14 Highlights of the past month: 

May has seen heavy activity of pirates in Gulf of Guinea. There were seven armed attacks reported near Nigeria including kidnapping of seamen and three incidents near Togo. Two of the Togo incidents were happening at the anchorage area that has not been common for some time. However, in both cases there were no firearms reported.

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There were five incidents or suspicious activity reported in Gulf of Aden/Indian Ocean and one likely attempt in Gulf of Oman near Iran. However, there is a suspicion that few more incidents have happened but not reported (according to the maritime security forums in Linked In).

Latest incidents: NIGERIA: 04.05.2013: 0940 UTC: Posn: 04:02.3N – 006:54.9E, Around 28nm SW of Bonny, Nigeria. Seven armed pirates in a speed boat approached a container ship underway. Master raised alarm, increased speed, sent distress message, activated SSAS and non-essential crew members mustered in the citadel. The pirates closed in to a distance of 60-70 meters and fired at the ship using automatic guns. At 0953 UTC, the pirates aborted the attack and moved away as the distance between ship and boat increased. No injuries to crew.

NIGERIA: 04.05.2013: 1135UTC: Posn: 03:49.5N 006:41.2E, 33NM SW of Bonny River Fairway Buoy, Nigeria. Six to eight pirates in a speed boat chased and fired upon a Refrigerated Cargo Ship underway. Vessel enforced anti-piracy measures and managed to move away. All crew safe but ship sustained minor damage due to the firing.

TOGO: 05.05.2013: 2248 UTC: Posn: 05:41.7N – 001:20.2E, Around 27nm SSE of Lome, Togo. Nine armed pirates in a speed boat approached a chemical tanker during STS operations. Alarm raised and all crew members retreated into the accommodation and locked the doors. Three pirates boarded the tanker and opened fire.

Master contacted Togo Navy for assistance. The Togo navy guards on board the other vessel, alongside, exchanged fire with the pirates resulting in the pirates aborting the attempted attack and moved away. There were some damages caused due to the gun firing.

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GULF OF ADEN: On 5 May, an underway tanker experienced an attempted boarding at 13:40 N – 048:30 E, approximately 63 nm south-southwest of Al Mukalla, Yemen. Four high speed skiffs, with three persons in each skiff, approached the tanker in groups of two, from its starboard side.

Two skiffs closed within a distance of 200 meters from the tanker and the armed security team fired warning shots, resulting in the skiffs aborting their attempt.

NIGERIA: 07.05.2013: 1458 UTC: Posn: 04:43.3N – 008:20.7E, Calabar River, Nigeria. Seven armed pirates in a speed boat approached and fired upon the bulk carrier underway with pilot on board. Master raised the alarm, increased speed, sent distress message, activated SSAS and non-essential crew members mustered in the citadel. The pirates aborted the attack and moved away when they heard the ship’s alarm. No injuries to crew.

INDIAN OCEAN: On 7 May, a fishing vessel experienced a suspicious approach at 01:53 N – 051:13 E, approximately 320 nm off the Somali coast. A Spanish fishing vessel observed a skiff with six pirate’s onboard approach another fishing vessel. A Spanish warship intervened and detained the suspect pirates. Suspected pirates could not explain why they had sailed so far from land. There was no evidence of trade or legal activity and the Spanish warship crew found equipment on board that is commonly related to piracy. There was insufficient evidence on this occasion to guarantee a legal prosecution; therefore, the decision was made to return the men to the Somali coast.

TOGO: 09.05.2013: 2230 UTC: Posn: 06:04N001:15E, Lome Anchorage, Togo. Eight persons in a boat came alongside and attempted to board an anchored tanker. Alert duty crew spotted the approach and sounded alarm, informed Togo Navy, identified the boat with the ship's spot light and commenced deck water for the fire hoses. It was observed that the boat attempted to come along side from various directions but the water from the fire hoses was flooding the boat resulting in the attempt being aborted. The Togo Navy immediately responded and a navy boat arrived at the location in 20mins. All crew safe.

GULF OF ADEN: On 11 May, a merchant ship experienced a suspicious approach by seven skiffs at 13:30 N – 050:01 E, approximately 78 nm southeast of Al Mukalla, Yemen. Each skiff had approximately 5-6 individuals onboard. In addition there was a possible mothership nearby. When the group of skiffs saw the armed embarked security team, they stopped pursuing the merchant ship. The AEST reportedly observed ladders in four of the skiffs.

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NIGERIA: On 11 May, ten (10) passenger boats were boarded and robbed in the vicinity of Sagbatoru-Igweta-Iwoama waterways in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa state. Heavily armed sea pirates, in three speedboats, rounded up ten speed boats filled with 80 passengers enroute to a funeral service and diverted them towards the creeks and started searching the passengers, collecting their phones, cash, and other valuables. Victims were threatened to be set on fire, if they did not cooperate with the bandits and surrender their personal belongings. Total value of stolen affects is worth millions of naira. The bandits also made off with multiple outboard engines and jerry-fuel-cans.

NIGERIA: On 12 May, a fishing vessel was attacked approximately 15 nm south of Akwa Ibom state. The fishing trawler reported being attacked by armed pirates in a white-hulled speedboat at 0820 LT. Later, the same speedboat was reported to have approached another fishing vessel at 0900 LT, off Calabar River.

NIGERIA: On 14 May, the offshore a diving support vessel was boarded at 04:25 N – 007:28 E, approximately 7.5 nm south-southwest of the Opobo river estuary. The offshore diving support vessel was reported as being boarded and attacked by pirates at approximately 02:00 LT. NIGERIA: On 14 May, the self-propelled a tanker barge was hijacked at 04:20 N – 007:40 E, approximately 8.5 nm south of the Opobo River Estuary. The self-propelled tanker barge was reported as being hijacked by nine armed pirates in a white-hulled speedboat at approximately 08:00 LT. GULF OF ADEN: On 16 May, a merchant vessel experienced a suspicious approach at 12:03 N – 045:42 E, approximately 58 nm south-southeast of Aden, Yemen. A suspected pirate mothership towing two skiffs was spotted by the security team on board the merchant ship. The suspect vessel increased its speed and moved closer to the M/V. At a distance of 3 nm from the M/V, the mothership deployed the two skiffs with suspected pirates on board, heading toward the M/V. The alarm was sounded and all non-essential crew moved into the citadel. The M/V commenced evasive maneuvering; the Master contacted a nearby warship, and sent a mayday message via VHF Channel 16. As the suspected pirate vessels approached within 2 nm, the embarked security team showed their presence onboard, resulting in the skiffs changing course and moving away. Due to poor visibility, the number of people and the presence of any piracy-related equipment in the skiffs was not reported. MV continued transit to her destination.

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TOGO: 17.05.2013: 0230 LT: Posn: 06:03.1N 001:17.7E, Lome Anchorage, Togo. Eleven persons in an unlit boat approached an anchored chemical tanker.

The duty A/B noticed the boat and informed OOW who raised the alarm, contacted Togo Navy and activated the fire pumps. Two persons jumped into the water and attempted to board the tanker via the anchor chain but failed and returned to their boat. At 0300 LT, the boat approached again from the port quarter with additional persons who were seen holding hooks attached with ropes. The duty crew directed search lights towards the boat and noticed that the boat was flooding due to the fire hose water. The boat remained alongside and made several attempts to board the tanker. At 0420 LT, the persons aborted the attempted boarding and moved away. At 0500 LT, a Togo Navy boat arrived at the location and patrolled the area.

GULF OF ADEN: 19.05.2013: 0525 UTC: Posn: 12:12N – 044:20E, Gulf of Aden. Five pirates armed with AK47 rifles and a RPG approached a general cargo ship underway. The vessel enforced anti-piracy measures and the on board armed guards fired warning shots, when the skiff closed to 400m from the vessel, resulting in the skiff aborting and moving away. Crew and vessel safe.

IRAN: 19.05.2013: 1045 UTC: Posn: 25:32N – 057:27E, Around 18nm WSW of Bandar-e-Jask, Iran. Four suspicious boats with three armed persons in each boat chased a LPG tanker underway. Master raised alarm, activated SSAS, increased speed, took evasive maneuvers, contacted Iran warship by VHF for assistance and the non-essential crew mustered in the citadel. The boats followed the tanker for 30 minutes and then moved away.

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Summary and recommendations: 

There has been a considerable rise of armed attacks and kidnapping of crews in Gulf of Guinea. As Nigerian authorities have imposed new and tighter regulations on private security services within their waters it is not clear yet will this help to reduce or actually increase the criminal activity. With imposed restrictions it is likely that as less security force will get out there to provide services the more freedom of action the criminals have.

The time and statistics will tell soon the real outcome.

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The attempts in Lome anchorage area are causing concerns. In both cases it took some time for local Navy to arrive to help but in both cases the suspects managed to escape. Seems that Togolese Navy may need some international assistance with faster boats and maybe for organizational set up of a quick reaction system for such cases.

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There has been more hostile and suspicious activity in Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean than in April. Few clear sightings and at least one group captured by Navy that was found have enough reason to believe that they were acting as pirates. Meanwhile there is a strong suspicion that many of the incidents are not getting reported still. However, this should be done always as this will contribute to the safety settings for all the industry.

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NATO has described the current East African pirates’ tactics as follows: “Pirate Attack Groups have made "soft-approaches" on merchant ships transiting the HRA. A skiff will often approach a vessel to probe the reactivity of its embarked security team, if present. If they elicit no response, the pirates may then proceed with an attack, sometimes accompanied by a second skiff. This practice seems designed to allow pirates to avoid needless expenditures of ammunition and personal risk without a significant probability of success.” Therefore armed guards will stay relevant for deterrence.

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There has been one incident with clearly identified armed attempt near Iran that is not really common. Persian Gulf has not seen the incidents last month but the vigilance should be exercised as the rising instability in the region will likely create more unemployed people who could look at the piracy as means for survival.

Sources: ICC, NATO, ONI, Oceanus Live, Maritime Executive, Maritime Bulletin, AP

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