Piracy Update News

While global piracy is constantly changing, modern technology adapts to exploit the weaknesses in the pirates’ mode of operation. Intelligence gained from such technologies enables voyage planners and navigators to steer clear of harm – but what kind of information is required? While the image of the Somalian pirate is still high in the public’s mind as the number one piracy threat, the reality is not as straightforward. Pirates have had to change their tactics in the last few years…

Nautilus International has expressed concern about the seizure of a master and chief engineer officer from an offshore support vessel operating in the Gulf of Guinea. The two men — both reported to be U.S. citizens — were taken from the U.S.-owned platform supply vessel C-Retriever off the Nigerian coast in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The U.S.-flagged vessel, owned by Edison Chouest, was working off Brass, Nigeria. Nautilus general secretary Mark Dickinson said the incident highlighted the urgent need for action to prevent west African piracy from deteriorating further. While piracy off Somalia has declined significantly over the past year…

NATO Shipping Centre identifies a new area of piracy concern within the Gulf of Oman. All 22 hostages from the MV Iceberg 1 have now been released from pirate captivity. They had been held since the Iceberg 1 was pirated on 29 March 2010, a period of two years and nine months. The former hostages are now recovering from their ordeal and are receiving food and medical care. On 21 Dec 2012 at 0845Z, a vessel transiting in the Gulf of Oman (2322N; 05926E) was approached and chased by two skiffs for approximately 1.5 hours. Vessel was subsequently confirmed as safe. On 20 Dec 2012 at 1015Z, a vessel transiting in the Gulf of Oman was approached by a skiff reported in position 2449N; 05750E, with possibly armed personnel onboard. The skiff fell back and the vessel was reported safe.

The increase of attacks within the past week is evidence that pirate activity can still take place during the South-West Monsoon and Masters should remain vigilant to this threat. On 18 Jun 2012 a merchant vessel was attacked by 3 skiffs at position 14 28 N 050 45 E. Each skiff had 5-6 persons on board. Small arms and Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) were used against the merchant vessel. Early morning 20 Jun 2012 a merchant vessel was attacked by 1 skiff with 5-6 persons aboard at position 20 50N 059 30E. The skiff fired upon the vessel with small arms at a distance of 1nm. Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) were also seen aboard the skiff. Due to the South-West monsoon between June and September, sea conditions in the HRA are expected to be generally unfavourable for small boats.

The NATO  piracy update mentions in its overview of the week, four piracy related incidents in the High Risk Area (HRA):  a Pirate Attack Group (PAG) was disrupted (017/12), one merchant vessel was hijacked (Alert 018/12), one merchant vessel was approached by suspected pirates (NSC 010/12) and one merchant vessel was attacked ( 019/12). As the monsoon period is over and the sea state becomes more favourable for small boats, it is expected that Pirate Attack Group activity will increase in the weather transition period.

EU NAVFOR hosted a press conference on 20 February 2012 to present an update on Operation ATALANTA, piracy off the Horn of Africa and a view towards future developments. The briefing was hosted by Operation Commander Rear Admiral Duncan L. Potts with Deputy Operation Commander Rear Admiral Rainer Endres and the NATO Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Commodore Bruce Belliveau. Countering piracy in the Indian Ocean is an international concern having become a sophisticated criminal business exploiting the geographic feature of the Gulf of Aden and the Arabic Sea.