Merchant Vessels Carrying Food News

At least five merchant vessels carrying food are stuck off Yemen as warships from a Saudi-led coalition search them for weapons bound for Iran-allied Houthi rebel forces, with delays adding to a humanitarian crisis. Yemen imports more than 90 percent of its food, including most of its wheat and all its rice, to feed a population of 25 million. Much of its needs had been serviced by foreign ships, although shipping lines have now reduced or stopped port calls. Ship tracking data showed at least five cargo ships were anchored off Yemen unable to enter Yemeni waters. "Disruption of navigation in Yemen's territorial waters will adversely affect food security," U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA said.

On November 25, 2009 EU NAVFOR Greek warship HS Adrias neutralized a suspected Pirate Attack Group approximately 260 nautical miles North-East of Seychelles. MV Eclipse, a France flagged Ro-Ro Cargo Ship was approached the day before by a suspected skiff. An embarked Vessel Protection Detachment fired warning shots to hold off a possible attack. An EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft stationed at the Seychelles was tasked to investigate this approach. The Maritime Patrol Aircraft detected in the position of the earlier approach a suspected motherskiff with an attack skiff in tow. Greek EU NAVFOR warship HS Adrias, tasked to search and neutralise these suspected pirates, intercepted the suspected pirate attack group with help from another Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

On Tuesday November 17th 2009 an EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft stationed at the Seychelles detected three suspected pirate skiffs approximately 300 nautical miles north of Seychelles and another two suspected pirate skiffs to the east of that position. EU NAVFOR Greek warship HS Adrias was tasked to intercept and neutralize the suspected pirate groups. On the morning of the 18th November the Adrias boarding team sighted two attack skiffs and one ‘motherskiff’. They intercepted and boarded the group containing 10 men and all pirate related paraphernalia, including excess skiffs, were seized. Following this event, and with support of an EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Adrias continued the intercept of the other suspect group.

On the morning of 12 November, east in the Gulf of Aden, two merchant vessels were attacked by pirates. There are no reports of casualties. The first attack was on MV Full Strong, a Hong Kong flagged 721.8 ft long Bulk Carrier. MV Full Strong was approached by pirates in two skiffs and a mother skiff but managed to evade the attack. Shortly after this attack, in almost the same position, MV Fengli 8, a Panama flagged 738 ft Bulk Carrier was attacked in two fast attack skiffs and one mother skiff. The master and crew were alert and immediately activated anti piracy measures (according to MSCHOA Best Management Practices) and, with speed and evasive action, they were able to avoid being hijacked.

On the early morning of 10 November 2009 some 1000 nautical miles east from Mogadishu, Somalia, pirates attacked MV Nele Maersk, a Danish flagged Container ship. The attack took place not far from the area crude oil tanker BW Lion was attacked. Pirates fired automatic weapons on MV Nele Maersk but she could outrun the pirates with a high speed. No casualties were reported. A second attack on Nov. 10 was in the southern part of the Somali Basin 530 nautical mile east of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and 420 nautical miles west of Victoria, Seychelles. MV Felicitas Richmers, a Marshal Islands flagged Container Ship was attacked by two small skiffs. Automatic weapons were fired on the ship.

Around noon local time, 9 November 2009 the BW Lion, a Hong Kong flagged, 160,000 tons and 1,083-ft Crude Oil Tanker was attacked by pirates in two fast attack skiffs in the Indian Ocean, 400 nautical miles North East of the Seychelles and 1000 nautical miles East of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. This was the longest range of a pirate attack off the Somali coast ever. Automatic weapons and Rocket Propelled Grenades were fired. With increasing speed and evasive maneuvers the master managed to evade the attack. No casualties were reported. On indication of the attack an EU NAVFOR Luxemburg Maritime Patrol Aircraft, operating from the Seychelles was tasked to localize these pirates and to investigate possible further pirate activity in the vicinity of the attack position.

On 27 October 2009 a French Fishing Vessel was attacked by pirates in two attack skiffs. Her embarked military Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) fired warning shots after which the pirates finally broke of their attack. The EU NAVFOR German warship FGS Karlsruhe was ordered to set course to the attack position. Simultaneously, the helicopter of EU NAVFOR Spanish warship ESPS Canarias, also on anti-piracy patrol, was launched and relocated two fast attack skiffs trying to flee the area of the attack. The helicopter fired warning shots to stop both skiffs, after which the pirates stopped and were seen throwing items, presumably pirate paraphernalia, overboard. On arrival of Karlsruhe her boarding team secured both skiffs and took into custody seven persons they found onboard.

On the morning of November 5th a General Cargo ship and a Bulk Carrier were attacked in the Gulf of Aden. Cooperation between EU NAVFOR and NATO prevented two more hijackings. Early in the morning, MV Theoforus I, a Panama flagged Bulk Carrier was attacked by pirates using automatic weapons and a Rocket Propelled Grenade. The ship took evasive action until the arrival of a NATO Turkish naval vessel TCG Gediz arrived on the scene. The warship neutralized a suspected skiff in the vicinity of the attack position and weapons and pirate paraphernalia were seized. A few hours later MV BBC Thames, a Liberian flagged General Cargo Ship, reported being under attack. EU NAVFOR German warship FGS Bremen was immediately tasked to support the Cargo ship and the Bremen’s helicopter was launched.

On the early morning of November 1st 2009 shots were fired at an EU NAVFOR warship HNOMS Fridjof Nansen, 12 nautical miles east of Caluula, a North Eastern Somali coastal village. The area is known by the naval forces for possible illegal activity including piracy. A group of four anchored dhows was approached by the boarding party of the Fridjof Nansen to talk with the persons on board. The crew of the first three dhows were cooperative. On approaching the fourth dhow, shots were fired suddenly from this vessel. The EU NAVFOR boarding team returned fire in self defense and withdrew to a safe distance to avoid escalation. All EU NAVFOR personnel were unharmed.

On the early morning of October 22nd 2009, 400 nautical miles east of Mombasa, Kenya, pirates attempted to hijack MV Jolly Rosso. Almost at the same time, MV Al Khaliq, a Panama flagged bulk carrier reported being under attack 180 nautical miles west of the Seychelles. MV Jolly Rosso, an Italian flagged Ro-Ro Cargo ship (200m and 31000 tons) was attacked by two small skiffs. The pirates opened fire with automatic fire and also fired 3 Rocket Propelled grenades at the ship. The ship took appropriate evasive action, managed to evade the attack and is proceeding on her voyage. There were no casualties. Belgium EU NAVFOR warship BNS Louise Marie was ordered immediately to close and neutralize the pirate attack position in cooperation with NATOs USS Donald Cook of CTF 508.

Late afternoon of Sunday 20th of September, a Bulk Carrier reported an approach of a skiff while in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor in the Gulf of Aden. On board of the Bulk Carrier a unit of the Yemeni Navy was embarked. On sighting of these military personnel the skiff abandoned the approach and tried to flee as reported by the merchant vessel to the UK Maritime Trade Organization in Bahrain. UKMTO alerted other merchant vessels and the Counter Piracy Forces on Mercury, the EU introduced common counter piracy communication system.