Tanker Attacked by Pirates off Ivory Coast

The Singapore-flagged chemical tanker Success 9 has been attacked by pirates. Praesidium International reports the attack occurred on April 10 300NM south of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in the Gulf of Guinea.

The number of people that boarded the vessel is unknown, AIS transmission has been lost, and the incident is on-going. Praesidium notes that the vessel regularly travels in the region and was likely involved in bunkering operations.

Fuel theft is suspected as a motive for this and other attacks mounted in the region. The Liberian-flagged tanker Monjasa Reformer was attacked in March 2023. The French Navy later found six kidnapped crewmembers safe.

The tanker B Ocean was subject to pirate attack in the region twice last year, in January and again in November. Both attacks involved cargo theft.

The ICC IMB’s annual report recorded 115 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in 2022, down from 132 in 2021. The IMB stated in January 2023 that the reduction resulted from an overall decrease of pirate activity in the Gulf of Guinea – down from 35 incidents in 2021 to 19 in 2022. However, it also stated that sustained efforts are needed to ensure the continued safety of seafarers in the Gulf of Guinea region, which remains dangerous.