Urgent Need for Legislation on Maritime Piracy, Parliamentary Panel Urges MEA

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs should make sincere efforts to enhance international cooperation on maritime piracy and ensure the welfare of Indian seafarers captured by pirates, a parliamentary panel said on Thursday.

The parliamentary standing committee on external affairs made the assertion while approving the Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill 2019, subject to the inclusion of its 18 recommendations and suggestions in the paragraphs of the current Bill or through other appropriate methods like Rules or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

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Source: thewire.in

CSIS: A Transatlantic Approach to Address Growing Maritime Insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea

Written by Pierre Morcos

The recent news headline said it all: “Pirates kidnap 15 Turkish sailors in attack on container ship” off the Nigerian coast in the Gulf of Guinea. A vast maritime zone of 2.3 million square kilometers and 5700 kilometers of coastline with considerable economic wealth, the Gulf of Guinea has recently been plagued by a succession of acts of piracy, making this maritime space one of the most dangerous and unstable in the world.

While Europe and the United States have been engaged in the region for many years, this deteriorating security situation requires renewed transatlantic engagement. In a context of repeated calls for a renewed partnership between Washington and Europe, the Gulf of Guinea could be a prime candidate for demonstrating the benefits of transatlantic collaboration.

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Source: defenceweb.co.za

West Africa Pirates and Need for NATO Intervention

Inwalomhe Donald

There is need for North Atlantic Treaty Organization and some governments, at the highest level, to be more engage in finding a long-term solution to the crisis. International community should remain committed in the efforts of taking concrete actions towards protecting the vessels and crew operating in the Gulf of Guinea. We cannot continue to allow crews to be taken hostage, a situation which is simply unacceptable.

The Gulf of Guinea comprises 20 countries. 20,000 ships pass through the Gulf of Guinea a year. 130 sailors were kidnapped in the Gulf of Guinea in the year 2020. 95% of global piracy occurred in the Gulf of Guinea in 2020. Piracy threat grows off the coast of West Africa.

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Source: nigerianobservernews.com

USS Philippine Sea interdicts over $2.8 million of heroin in North Arabian Sea

The guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), deployed to U.S. Fifth Fleet and operating in support of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), interdicted a shipment of more than 600 lbs. (275 kg) of suspected narcotics from a dhow in the international waters of the North Arabian Sea, Jan. 30.

Seven bags of suspected narcotics were seized and tested, resulting in a seizure of approximately 600 lbs. (275 kg) of suspected heroin, worth $2.89 million wholesale. This seizure, conducted in direct support of CMF’s Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, marks the seventh CMF drug seizure since October 2020.

To mitigate the risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19, the boarding team undertook carefully executed precautionary measures during and after the boarding, to include decontamination of all seized contraband.

CTF-150 conducts maritime security operations outside the Arabian Gulf to disrupt criminal and terrorist organizations, ensuring legitimate commercial shipping can transit the region, free from non-state threats. CTF-150 is currently commanded by the Royal Canadian Navy, now leading the task force for the fifth time.

Source: combinedmaritimeforces.com

EU Moves to Take Control of Maritime Security in Gulf of Guinea

Eromosele Abiodun

After all efforts by governments around the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) to stop piracy, kidnapping for ransom and organised crime failed, the European Union (EU) has announced the launch of the pilot case of the Coordinated Maritime Presences (CMP) concept in the vast area.

This was contained in a document containing the outcome of proceedings approved by the European Union Council at its meeting held on 25 January 2021, which was seen by THISDAY.

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Source: thisdaylive.com

Curfew in waters off ESSZone extended until Feb 14

LAHAD DATU – The curfew in the waters off seven districts in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone), which is scheduled to end tomorrow, has been extended until Feb 14.

Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali said the curfew covers the waters off Tawau, Semporna, Kunak, Lahad Datu, Kinabatangan, Sandakan and Beluran.

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Source: themalaysianreserve.com

Counterpiracy Efforts Stepped up As Another Major Kidnapping Occurs in Gulf of Guinea

Kylie Bielby

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has declared its intention to work in partnership with the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in the fight against piracy and other crimes in the country’s maritime domain.

Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, underscored the importance of collaboration among relevant agencies and communities in the quest for maritime security, saying, “We should be working together in partnership to help us appreciate and evaluate the challenges from our various perspectives and collectively come up with solutions that would work for all of us, and the country at large.

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Source: hstoday.us

Saudi-led forces say thwart two attacks by Yemen’s Houthis

DUBAI (Reuters) – The Saudi-led coalition fighting against Yemen’s Houthi movement said had it thwarted two attacks by the Houthis on Friday morning, including destroying an explosive-laden boat in the southern Red Sea, Saudi state TV said on Twitter.

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Source: reuters.com

Buhari Cancels OMSL’s Controversial Secure Anchorage Area Contract

By Abiodun Eromosele/This Day

President Muhammadu Buhari has cancelled the lucrative but controversial Secure Anchorage Area (SAA) contract handled by Ocean Marine Solutions Limited (OMSL), a highly-placed presidency source told THISDAY yesterday, saying the president has agreed with long-standing security concerns expressed about the deal by senior administration officials.

The contract, in which OMSL in partnership with the Nigerian Navy, has been providing security services to foreign ships calling at the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports in Lagos at $2,000 per day at a designated area in the water called the Secured Anchorage Area, became controversial when the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, in February last year announced its cancellation.

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Source: allafrica.com

Piracy surging off West Africa, Angola ready to do something about it

Angola is looking for ways to fight a surge in piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, the Great Lakes region and other areas along its coast.

Secretary of State for the External Relations Esmeralda Mendonca said the growing maritime crime problem is endangering the region from a national, international and regional point of view.

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Source: africa.cgtn.com