Pirates Attack

FS Nivôse Saves Nordneptun from Pirates

A helicopter from the EU NAVFOR warship FS Nivôse was launched against a pirate skiff leading to the disruption of a pirate attack against the merchant vessel Nordneptun off Zanzibar, Tanzania on the morning of 25 May. EU NAVFOR continues to successfully patrol, intercept and disrupt pirate attacks throughout the EU NAVFOR area of operations. The French EU NAVFOR warship Nivôse responded immediately to a distress signal from Nordneptune, a tanker, which indicated she was under small arms attack from a pirate vessel. As a result of the application of ‘Best Management Practices ‘against pirate attack, the Nordneptune was able to evade the attack. However, within an hour, the Nordneptune was under further more serious attack by two pirate skiffs. In the interim, EU NAVFOR warship FS Nivôse closed with Nordneptun and was now in a position to launch her helicopter. On arrival, Nivôse helicopter fired warning shots and both skiffs gave up their attack and moved into Tanzanian territorial waters where the Tanzanian Coast Guard was alerted to continue the pursuit.  

EU NAVFOR, Seychelles Coastguard Cooperation

In the evening of December 6, approximately 250 nautical miles North West of Victoria Seychelles a pirate attack group was neutralized by EU NAVFOR and the Seychellois Coast Guard. On December 5th an EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft, stationed at the Seychelles, located a suspected pirate attack group with one mother skiff and two attack skiffs. EU NAVFOR French warship FS Floreal was tasked to close the group and the Seychellois Coast Guard also responded to the request by sending their

Pirates Attack More Ships off Somalia

Reuters has reported that Somali pirates attacked five more ships this week after a failed attempt to seize a luxury liner, in a sharp rise of banditry apparently directed by a mysterious "mother ship" prowling the Indian Ocean. Most vessels escaped, but one was commandeered, bringing to nine the number of vessels being held captive along with their crews by pirates working the lawless southern section of the failed state's coastline, Africa's longest.

Pirates Attack off Indonesia

Reuters has reported that pirates have attacked three ships, including two U.N.-chartered vessels and a Japanese bulk carrier, in Indonesian waters around the Malacca Strait in recent days, maritime and police officials said on Wednesday. Two attacks occurred on ships carrying relief material to tsunami-stricken Aceh province at the weekend, while a Japanese bulk carrier was targeted, reports said. In at least one of the weekend attacks, raiders were armed with AK-47 rifles

House Passes NDAA with Cummings Amendment

Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, joined his colleagues in a vote of 389-22 to approve the National Defense Authorization Act, H.R. 2647, which included a Cummings amendment that would require the Department of Defense to protect U.S.-flagged ships at risk of being boarded by pirates. “We would never leave the U.S. homeland unguarded if it were at risk of an attack

Pirates Seize German Ship off Kenya

According to a report from Xinhua, a German freight ship was seized on the morning of Oct. 24 by pirates off the coast of Kenya, a spokesman for the German army said. The spokesman said pirates attacked and captured the ship about 1,930 km east of the Kenyan city of Mombasa. The ship belongs to German shipping company Beluga-Reederei, but it was not immediately known how many people were on board, said German media reports. (Source: Xinhua)

Piracy: Lessons Learned

Below is the opening statement given by Chairman Elijah E. Cummings at the May 19 Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee hearing, “Piracy Against U.S.-Flagged Vessels: Lessons Learned.” On February 4, 2009, I convened this Subcommittee to examine international piracy on the high seas, particularly in the Horn of Africa region. At that time, no U.S.-flagged vessels had been attacked by pirates – and the general conclusion among our witnesses was that ships

EU NAVFOR Destroys More Suspect Pirate Skiffs

EU NAVFOR units operating in the Somali Basin, between the Seychelles and the Somali coast, have discovered more suspected pirate activity. In an area close to the disruption of five pirate attack groups by EU NAVFOR, EU NAVFOR German warship FGS Emden intercepted a suspect pirate group consisting of a mother ship and two skiffs. The pirate mother ship was first detected in the late hours of 11 March by the EU NAVFOR Luxemburg Patrol aircraft who directed the EU NAVFOR German warship Emden

USS Momsen and Bunker Hill Disrupt Pirate Attack

USS Momsen (DDG 92) and USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) disrupted a pirate attack on Panamanian flagged merchant vessel Duqm, Feb. 2 in the Gulf of Oman. While transiting in international waters, the merchant vessel reported that pirates were attempting to board the vessel. Momsen and Bunker Hill, which were in the vicinity, immediately responded to the Duqm's distress signal and caused two pirates skiffs alongside the vessel with ladders against its hull to flee the area.

The Pirate Surge That Never Was

  In September 2011, as the monsoon began to blow itself out, there were grave warnings from a number of sources and analysts that the shipping industry could expect to see a significant surge in pirate activity as conditions in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean became more favorable. Captain Keith Blount, chief of staff with EU NAVFOR, told the press1, “I think we are going to see a surge in piracy because we always have done at  this time when the southwest monsoon abates and