New Best Management Practice guidance released for Gulf of Guinea

In response to ongoing maritime security issues in the Gulf of Guinea, maritime organisations including BIMCO, INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO and the ICS, in conjunction with international P&I Clubs and military advisers, have created new guidance for shipping.

Best Management Practices to Enhance Maritime Security for Vessels & Mariners Operating Off the Coast of West Africa including the Gulf of Guinea (BMP WA), is a mouthful, but is essential reading for anyone transiting the region. It follows similar guidance documents for the Indian Ocean and should be considered the de facto guide for maritime security guidance in the region.

To download BMP WA, please click here.

Ports to remain open as Buhari imposes curfew on Lagos, Abuja, Ogun

By Patience Danjuma

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday imposed 14-day curfew on Lagos and Ogun States, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, with effect from 11pm on Monday (today).

The President, however, said that “all seaports in Lagos shall remain operational in accordance with the guidelines I issued earlier”

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Source: shipsandports.com.ng

Commentary: A cat-and-mouse game between pirates and Southeast Asian maritime security authorities

By Eric Frécon

Despite stepped-up law enforcement in Southeast Asia’s seas, today’s pirates are one step ahead of authorities, says Eric Frécon.

SINGAPORE: “A lion never dies; it sleeps”, says an African proverb.

The same can be said for Southeast Asian pirates and sea robbers, long neglected after the academic and diplomatic world chose to refocus on illegal fishing in the South China Sea in recent years given rising tensions in those disputed waters.

Like the phoenix, regional pirates and sea robbers may rise from the ashes.

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Source: channelnewsasia.com

Reinforcing Zero Tolerance for Maritime Illegalities

Chiemelie Ezeobi and Chinecherem Ojiako write that the recently concluded Exercise Treasure Guard 11 by the Nigerian Navy was targeted at among other things, reinforcing zero tolerance for maritime illegalities in the country’s territorial domain and the Gulf of Guinea waters

The Gulf of Guinea (GoG) coastline currently faces one of the world’s most severe maritime security challenges, which includes terrorism, resource theft, and sabotage of supporting infrastructure, piracy and sea robbery, crude oil theft, Illegal, Irregular and Unregulated Fishing (IIUF), human trafficking, narcotics, arms and smuggling.

It was in its constant bid to find lasting solutions to the myriad challenges bedeviling the GoG, that the Nigerian Navy (NN) organised Exercise Treasure Guard, especially with the successes recorded in the first phase. The exercise saw the navy deploy six vessels and two helicopters for the three-day exercise which covered about fifteen nautical miles within the GoG waters.

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Source: thisdaylive.com

India: Customs cracks down on fishing boats with Chinese tracking devices

By Toby Antony

KOCHI: To ensure the security of the coastline and prevent smuggling activities through the sea route, the Customs has launched a crackdown on fishing vessels operating from Kerala shores using China-made Automatic Identification System-tracking devices which are mandatory for vessels now.The decision was taken after multiple agencies raised concerns regarding security issues following fishing boats fitted with the Chinese AIS were found on the Kerala coast.

Recently, Customs Commissioner Sumit Kumar directed its marine units to intensify checking on fishing vessels which are not using the standard AIS recommended by the government.The marine units have already tracked down 18 such vessels operating from various harbours in Kerala.

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Source: newindianexpress.com

Counter-Piracy Operations by Japanese Self-Defense Force

For Japan and the international community, the waters off the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden are extremely important sea lanes.

In response to the piracy incidents in the area, Ministry of Defense (MOD) and Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) takes measures for counter-piracy operations.

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Source: sldinfo.com

‘Surveillance contractors encouraging crime’

Nicholas Ogunde

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has called on the Federal Government to review all oil surveillance contracts in the state as it was encouraging crime. Diri spoke when the House of Representatives Committee on Navy visited him in the Government House in Yenagoa.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Lawrence Ehwrudjakpo, said: “We want the Federal Government, including the Senate and House of Representatives to look into this surveillance contracts because the contractors are encouraging crime.

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Source: thenationonlineng.net

Maintenance cost grounds waterfront patrol boats— Navy

By Godfrey Bivbere

THE Nigerian Navy has said that the two fast patrol boats provided for it by the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, for the patrol of the Lagos waterfront are no longer operational.

Disclosing this to Vanguard Maritime Report in the exclusive interview in his office, Flag Officer Commanding, FOC, West Naval Command, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji, said the boats were given to the Navy in 2013.

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Source: vanguardngr.com

Somalia warns Pakistan, Iran over illegal fishing

Somalia has sought assistance from the global anti-piracy forces to help it capture 43 boats from Pakistan and Iran that are conducting illegal fishing operations in the Horn of African nation’s waters.

The Somali Federal Government has accused the two countries of continuing illegal fishing in Somalia waters, warning the boats will be pursued and will be liable to pay heavy fines upon their capture.

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Source: somaliaffairs.com

Expert Expresses Worry Over Sea Piracy

Bethel Toby & Gift Tasie

An expert in the maritime industry, chief Ikechukwu Ollawa, has expressed worry over the increasing activities of sea pirates and robbery on the nation’s waterway.
Speaking with The Tide yesterday in Port Harcourt, Ollawa said most of the attacks were aimed at fishing trawlers, cargo vessels, oil tankers and service boats as well as passenger speed boats.

He noted with dismay that during such operations, lives and properties of law abiding citizens were lost, while businesses were truncated due to possible attack on trades and their goods.

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Source: thetidenewsonline.com