Category: Indian Ocean

UAE says joining global maritime security coalition

Persian Gulf/SoH

CAIRO, Sept 19 (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates is joining an international maritime mission to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and other areas, state news agency WAM said on Thursday.

The ​​operation area for the International Maritime Security Construct covers the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandab, the Sea of ​​Oman and the Arabian Gulf, WAM said.

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Source: reuters.com

Iran to hold annual Gulf drills with 200 Guards frigates – report

DUBAI, Sept 18 (Reuters) – Iran will hold its annual military parade on Sept. 22 in the Gulf with 200 frigates of its elite Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran Front Page reported on Wednesday, at a time of spiked tension between Tehran and Washington.

“Some 200 IRGC frigates will take part in a parade of military units in the Persian Gulf… on Sept. 22 to mark the beginning of Iran-Iraq in 1980,” the IFP cited military sources as saying.

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Source: yahoo.com

Saudi Arabia joins maritime protection mission: state news agency

Persian Gulf/SoH

CAIRO (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia has joined an international maritime mission to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and other areas, Saudi state media reported on Wednesday, citing an official source in the defense ministry.

The ​​operation area for the International Maritime Security Construct covers the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandab, the Sea of ​​Oman and the Arabian Gulf, the report said.

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Source: reuters.com

Sri Lanka Navy trains overseas Coast Guard personnel in Search and Seizure

Sept 17, Colombo: The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) is currently conducting a specialized ship search and seizure training for the overseas Coast Guard personnel in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, (UNODC), the Navy said.

A Visit Board Search & Seizure (VBSS) course for the boarding teams of Indonesian, Malaysian and Philippine Coast Guards commenced at the Special Boat Squadron (SBS) Headquarters in Trincomalee Monday (16th September 2019).

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Source: colombopage.com

Iran seizes vessel in Gulf for allegedly smuggling diesel – reports

Reports come amid raised tensions after weekend attack on major Saudi oil installation

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have seized a vessel in the Gulf for allegedly smuggling 250,000 litres of diesel fuel to the United Arab Emirates, Iran’s semi-official news agency ISNA has reported.

“It was detained near Iran’s Greater Tunb island in the Persian Gulf … the crew have been handed over to legal authorities in the southern Hormozgan province,” ISNA said on Monday, without elaborating on the nationalities of the crewmen.

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Source: theguardian.com

Examining Autonomous Ships’ Vulnerability to Piracy

By Thibaut Eude

Autonomous ships are a hot topic in the maritime sector; piracy and armed robbery too. Since the beginning of the year, according to the IMB, almost 100 attacks have been committed against ships all around the world. 2018 saw a marked increase in attacks compared to the past few years. 

Here is an attempt to describe an autonomous ship hijacking scenario.

The scenario

In 2025, an autonomous ocean-going container ship is chartered on a busy commercial line between China and Europe. The vessel is a level four autonomous ship according to the IMO classification [1] . The vessel is underway, and she is now passing through Malacca Strait. All sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) processes are working hard to avoid collision with others vessels, keep water under the keel and maintain the vessel on track [2]. 

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Source: maritime-executive.com

Houthis Obstruct Oil Tankers to Threaten Maritime Security

Asma al-Ghabri

The Iran-backed Houthi militias’ refusal to implement a legitimate Yemen government order on collecting customs fees on all oil derivative revenues at Hodeidah port has led the halt of ten vessels in the Red Sea.

At Houthi orders, the oil tankers did not pay the revenues and did not disclose the certificate of origin of the shipment that ensures its legality.

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Source: aawsat.com

CTF-151 OUTLINE OF FO ‘KING CRAB’

INTRODUCTION

  1. A CTF 151 led Counter Piracy Focused Operation ‘KING CRAB’, will be conducted from 23rd SEP to 26th SEP 2019. The purpose of this note is to inform military forces (EUNAVFOR, Independent Deployers), regional partners and maritime communities on planned activities in order to help their understanding and to bring about cooperation.
  2. The area of operations will be the Gulf of Aden and Socotra Gap. Also CTF-151 will continue to operate along the northern coast of Somalia, providing opportunities for engagements with merchant communities and local mariners, increasing the understanding on Pattern of Life and exchanging information with partners. And merchant shipping is to be advised that during the period of Operation KING CRAB there will be increased military activities and conduct of Maritime Awareness Calls (MAC).

THE AIM OF OPERATION

  1. Between 23rd to 26th SEP, CTF151 is to deploy increased assets in the focused areas, ENSURING a visible military presence at sea for deterring piracy action, MONITORING suspicious maritime activities involved in piracy, ENGAGING with merchant community for better relationship and reassuring, and UNDERSTANDING regional and local marine activities via POL collection and Friendly Approach.

POINT OF CONTACT

  1. Plans Assistant (roknctf151n51@gmail.com) will act as the main a POC within CTF 151. For partners – military and civilian – interested in any of the outline activities, CTF151 battle watch captain (ctf151.bwo.rokn@gmail.com, +001 1 203 574 6393) will act as points of contact.

Iranian targeting of shipping in the Arabian Gulf ‘changes the game’ by raising risks to new levels

Insurance and shipping leaders said specific targeting of UK and US crew by Iran has left the industry to grapple with escalating tensions between Tehran and the West.

Nick Busvine, a partner at the strategic intelligence firm Herminius, told The National the drive from Tehran to take British and American hostages while targeting commercial shipping in the Arabian Gulf “changes the game” for the insurance industry.

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Source: hellenicshippingnews.com