INSURERS are making ransom payments to West African gangs of $30,000 to $50,000 per kidnapped crew member, amid warnings that changing piracy tactics have placed vessels at risk of increasingly violent attacks in the Gulf of Guinea over coming months.
Stephen Askins, a London-based maritime lawyer who specialises in piracy, says Nigerian pirate gangs are now “maximising returns” by seeking to seize larger vessels in order to abduct higher numbers of crew. The spotlight is now on the Nigerian navy’s response, he said.
I entered the maritime security world in 2009, becoming Intelligence Officer for Neptune Maritime Security (now the NeptuneP2P Group). In 2012, became piracy editor for SomaliaReport.com and in 2013 became editor of MarsecReview.com and intelligence consultant for CSO Alliance, which I left in 2019. I currently work with another UK maritime security firm as a consultant and have an interest in a cyber security concern in the UK. Need a maritime security report, article or advice on maritime cyber security? contact me at: marsecnews@gmail.com
View all posts by Maritime Security News
Maritime Security News 