Hijacked Ship May Have Been Used in Attack near Somalia
Somali pirates who seized the Maltese-flagged bulk cargo ship Ruen in December may have used the vessel in the takeover of a Bangladesh-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Somalia two days ago, the European Union naval force said on Thursday.Somali pirates caused chaos in important global waterways for a decade leading up to 2018, but had been dormant until a resurgence of attacks starting late last year.If confirmed, Tuesday's attack from a confiscated ship would mark a return…
Armed Pirates Board Cargo Ship Off Somalia
Twenty armed people have boarded a cargo ship off the coast of Somalia and have taken control of it, a maritime security firm said on Tuesday.The vessel is the latest to be targeted following a resurgence of attacks by Somali pirates in recent months although the maritime security firm, Ambrey, did not specify that it was Somali pirates who boarded the ship.Ambrey said the ship was a Bangladesh-flagged bulk carrier - a type of merchant ship used to transport large amounts of cargo…
Somali Pirates Are Back in Action, But Full Scale Return Unlikely
An Iranian fishing vessel, Almeraj 1, was reportedly hijacked by Somali pirates in November 2023. According to media reports, the pirates demanded US$400,000 in ransom and threatened to use the Iranian ship for additional hijackings if the payment was not made.Two days later, other Somali pirates hijacked a tanker, Central Park, off the Yemeni coast. The tanker sent a distress signal during the attack. Forces from a nearby American warship captured the pirates as they tried to…
Pirate Attack Averted off East Coast of Somalia
Due to the application of BMP protection measures by the Master, his crew and the private security team, the piracy attack was thwarted and the crew and vessel remained safe.The Master had already evacuated the crew to the citadel when the embarked Armed Security Team (PAST) responded to the attack. There was a sustained exchange of fire before the skiff with several armed people on board broke off and changed course away from the MV.Following the collective advice of industry and military counter-piracy operations, as written down in Best Management practices 5 (link here), the Master’s actions and the on board security team’s reaction…
Seychelles Charges Six Somali Pirates
Six Somali nationals have been charged in the Republic of Seychelles for attempting and committing acts of piracy in the Indian Ocean, the Seychellois Attorney General announced on December 18. The suspected pirates were apprehended in November by EU antipiracy forces following alleged attacks on containership MV Ever Dynamic and fishing vessel Galerna III in the Southern Somali Basin, an area known for piracy. The six now face legal prosecution before the court and could each receive up to 30 years in a Seychelles detention facility if convicted.
Suspected Pirates Apprehended off Somalia
Six suspected pirates were apprehended by the European Union’s antipiracy force off the coast of Somalia. EU NAVFOR Somalia’s flagship, the Italian vessel ITS Virginio Fasan, detained six crew and their vessels following reported attacks on a 52,000 metric ton containership and a fishing vessel over a 24 hour period on November 17 and 18 in the Southern Somali Basin. During the incidents a number of rocket propelled grenades were fired against the containership, though no damage or injuries were reported, and all crew and vessels are said to be safe.
Seychelles Anti-Piracy Exercise
On Thursday 8 January, a counter-piracy exercise was carried out jointly by the Seychelles Coast Guard, Air Force and Police together with the EU Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta-, and the EU’s civilian maritime security capacity building Mission, EUCAP Nestor. The purpose of the exercise was twofold; firstly, to practice cooperation between the Coast Guard, Air Force, the Police and EUNAVFOR Atalanta a joint counter-piracy operation, and secondly to test procedures and routines linked to effective processing of suspected pirates and evidence handling at sea.
Maritime Crime Continues Growth in Southeast Asia
U.K. maritime intelligence provider, Dryad Maritime released its Q3 maritime crime figures which show that piracy is continuing across the globe at similar levels to Q2, with incidents of cargo theft in Southeast Asia continuing to rise. Dryad’s figures show a 27% drop in crime overall between Q2 to Q3, but point to the continuing attacks that are happening across the globe as reported in Q2. Maritime crime across Southeast Asia continues at pace during the period, with a further five hijackings of product tankers in the vicinity of Singapore. In addition, a further eight vessels were boarded while at anchor, taking the total number of similar incidents to 30 so far in 2014 although recent reports indicate that another tanker is currently missing since 3 October, presumed hijacked.
Dyrad Releases Latest Piracy Statistics
UK-based maritime intelligence provider, Dryad Maritime has released its Q3 maritime crime figures which show that piracy is continuing across the globe at similar levels to Q2, with incidents of cargo theft in Southeast Asia continuing to rise. Dryad’s figures show a 27% drop in crime overall between Q2 to Q3, but point to the continuing attacks that are happening across the globe as reported in Q2. Maritime crime across Southeast Asia continues at pace during the period, with a further five hijackings of product tankers in the vicinity of Singapore.
OP/ED: The State of Piracy
Piracy’s gone away, right? You’d be forgiven for thinking that. The predominant narrative for the Indian Ocean is that Piracy has been suppressed to an extent that ship-owners are requesting fewer guards, even unarmed in some cases. Certainly private security team composition has adjusted beneath the “rule of four” and the nationality of guards has shifted significantly away from the UK only model. But given the recent attacks in South East Asia and the prevailing amount of maritime crime and piracy off the Gulf of Guinea…
Oil Tanker Fired Upon in Strait of Hormuz
IMB says unidentified assailants in a speedboat fired at a crude oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. The crew of the unidentified oil tanker reported being shot at twice from close range from a speedboat carrying six people with machine guns on Sunday morning. They repelled the attack with hoses and the tanker and crew are safe. Although suspected Somali pirates commonly target vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin, attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz - a vital oil and gas shipping route - are rare. The shooting happened on the Gulf of Oman side of the Strait of Hormuz, about 90 minutes after an unidentified merchant ship was approached by two speedboats with crews wearing military clothing, the NATO Shipping Centre (NSC) said on Sunday.
Warships Meet Replenishment Ship at Sea
On January 21, EU Naval Force warships, FS Siroco, FGS Hessen and ESPS Tornado rendezvoused at sea for a joint replenishment at sea (RAS) with the logistics American ship, USNS Joshua Humphreys from Task Force 53. The RAS saw more than 600 men and women from the EU Naval Force gathered in the same sea area in the Somali Basin, with the excellent coordination between all four ships ensuring that the refueling was carried out quickly and efficiently. On completion, the crews from EU Naval Force ships saluted the crew from USNS Joshua Humphreys and each other…
Vessel Guards Thwart Somali Pirate Attack
Dryad Maritime Intelligence have today confirmed the first piracy attack of 2014 which saw an attack launched by Somali pirates south of Salalah in the late hours of January 17. The news comes hot on the heels of the latest International Maritime Bureau (IMB) annual report on piracy and maritime crime, which welcomes a decrease in Somali piracy in 2013. In the incident on Friday, a Mothership-enabled PAG attacked a transiting vessel with small arms fire. The on board security team took appropriate action and repelled the attack with a graduated response, culminating in an exchange of fire. The pirates ignored deterrence and continued their approach, firing at the ship.
Middle East Maritime Security: Cooperation is the Key Vital
Vice Adm. John Miller, U.S. Navy, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), U.S. 5th Fleet, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) , spoke to delegates attending the IQPC Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Middle East 2013 conference just after participating in the 8th International Institute For Strategic Studies (IISS) Manama Dialogue to discuss the development and implementation of regional security and provided a platform for leaders from more than 30 countries to engage in inter-governmental dialogue on sensitive regional issues.
BIMCO Reflections 2014
BIMCO has published its Reflections 2014, a short and accessible analysis including its clear views on the critical issues faced by the shipping industry today and in the coming years. Not least, the steady improvement of the global economy is bettering the outlook for shipping, as demand goes up and fleet expansion growth cools off, the market fundamentals are expected to improve across the board. Windows of sustainable earnings are likely to occur more often going forward. But the regulatory burdens, notably those seeking to address environmental pressures, remain major challenges to the industry’s cost base at a time when resources are limited. This includes massive challenges on sulphur limits, ship efficiency, ballast water treatment and NOx regulation.
NATO Counter-piracy Frigate Boards Pirate Skiff
NATO’s counter-piracy Operation Ocean Sheild warship UPS Hetman Sagaidachny of Ukraine boarded a skiff with seven suspected pirates aboard in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). As the Ukrainian boarding team approached, the skiff tried to escape and suspected pirates were observed throwing weapons overboard, including AK-47 assault rifles. The skiff had 16 barrels of fuel and multiple outboard engines characteristic of a pirate action group. The suspected pirates surrendered without resistance.
NATO Warship Captures Suspected Pirates
On Sunday, November 10, 2013, NATO’s counter-piracy Operation Ocean Shield warship HDMS Esbern Snare boarded two small craft and detained nine suspected pirates, following an attack in the area the previous day. On Saturday, the Danish flagged vessel Torm Kansas reported she was attacked unsuccessfully by pirates in the Indian Ocean, but the ship’s armed security team repelled the attack. Esbern Snare, the closest NATO unit to the failed attack, was directed to the scene by the Commander of the Ocean Shield Task Force (CTF-508), Commodore Henning Amundsen.
HMAS Newcastle Steers for Home
HMAS Newcastle has handed over security operations for Operation SLIPPER in support of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) in the Middle East to HMAS Melbourne. Newcastle has provided maritime security around the Horn of Africa, conducted counter-piracy and anti-smuggling operations in the Gulf of Aden and executed counter-terrorism activities since May 28, 2013. The Guided Missile Frigate handed over to sister ship HMAS Melbourne on September 24, 2013. HMAS Newcastle's Commanding Officer…
HMAS Toowoomba Returns From the Middle East
Minister for Defense Stephen Smith today welcomed HMAS Toowoomba home from a six-month deployment to the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO). Minister Smith greeted the crew at her homeport Fleet Base West (HMAS Stirling), Rockingham, Western Australia. HMAS Toowoomba is an ANZAC Class Frigate with a crew of 191 men and women. As part of Operation SLIPPER, she provided essential naval support to International Maritime Security Operations in the Arabian Gulf. While deployed, HMAS Toowoomba participated in counter-terrorism operations in the Gulf of Oman and North Arabian Sea…
Tankship Engine Room Blaze Off Somalia Coast
Australia’s HMAS Newcastle provided medical treatment and evacuated two badly burned Filipino merchant seamen from a stricken oil tanker in the Somali Basin. The seamen from the Liberian registered Merchant Tanker Perla, were severely burned during a machinery fire which left the tanker powerless, adrift and vulnerable to pirate attack on June 7, 2013. Heavy seas required Newcastle’s embarked Sea Hawk helicopter to affect the rescue which winched a three-person medical team to Perla to treat and recover the seriously injured men shortly after dawn on June 8.
AdvanFort Floats Past Floating Armory Debate
As international controversy continues about the “wheres,” “whys” and “how much” of maritime piracy in key international shipping areas, an important debate now focuses on the use of “floating armories” in efforts to restore security on the high seas. In particular, private security companies relying on unregulated floating armories—meant to avoid arms smuggling laws when they lay offshore ports in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean—have created their own, apparently-deepening concerns, as recent U.S. government efforts in this regard show.
Yes, Oceanographers Can Help Predict Piracy Attacks
The US Naval Meteorology & Oceanography Command named a 2013 Computerworld Honors Laureate for its counter-piracy predictive modelling. The Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (NAVMETOCCOM) received the award for a modeling capability developed by Naval oceanographers at Stennis Space Center that predicts the likelihood of pirate attacks. IDG's Computerworld Honors Program selected NAVMETOCCOM as a 2013 Laureate in the field of Safety and Security for its development of its Pirate Attack Risk Surface (PARS). The PARS model produces a forecast of shipping vulnerability due to piracy at a certain latitude, longitude, and time. A few short months before Somali pirates hijacked the U.S.-flagged MV Maersk Alabama in 2009…
AdvanFort’s Adds Security Platform
AdvanFort added a new ocean platform, the SG Arizona, to complete its pre-deployed offshore support vessel (OSV) network in the piracy High Risk Area (HRA) in and around the Gulf of Aden. “Named after the last of this country’s 48 contiguous states, our Arizona brings to its logical completion a market-driven remedy for those seeking the most secure transit in what is still one of the world’s most dangerous maritime regions,” said AdvanFort President William H. Watson. The OSV fleet…