Category: maritime terrorism

FG to Commence $195m Maritime Security Project Q1 2021

Eromosele Abiodun

The federal government has disclosed that barring any unforeseen circumstance, the $195 million Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also called the Deep Blue Project, which has suffered many delays will commence in the first quarter of next year.

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi announced this during an inspection of some of the Deep Blue Project equipment in Lagos at the weekend.

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Source: thisdaylive.com

Yemeni officials repeat warnings over Safer oil tanker

Saeed Al-Batati

AL-MUKALLA: Iran-backed Houthi’s use of naval mines and bomb boats, and the group’s resistance to maintaining the Safer tanker are serious threatens to international maritime traffic and ecological life in the Red Sea, senior Yemeni officials warned on Monday.

The officials repeated concerns about the collapse of the tanker, urging the international community to act now to avert a major disaster in the Red Sea.

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Source: arabnews.com

ESSCom forms task force against robbery at sea

LAHAD DATU, Nov 17 — The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) have set up a taskforce team to eradicate robberies at sea which are taking place in the waters of the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone).

ESSCom commander, Datuk Ahmad Fuad Othman said a special operation was also mobilised in line with the setting up of the team.

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Source: malaymail.com

Saudi Arabia thwarts Houthi explosive bomb attack on oil facilities

File image of suspected Houthi SVBIED (boat bomb), via http://crfimmadagascar.org

Associated Press reported on Friday 13th November that Saudi officials had been quoted as saying that they had intercepted and thwarted an apparent attempt to disrupt oil supplies at an Aramco oil distribution centre in the Red Sea.

The report cites a Saudi Press Agency report which said:

“Coalition Navy Forces detected this evening (Wednesday, 11 November 2020) an attempt by the terrorist Houthi militia to carry out a hostile, terrorist act in Southern Red Sea using (2) bomb-laden Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) launched from Hodeida Governorate.

“The USVs, which pose a threat to regional and international security, Sea Lines of Communication and International Trade, were destroyed.”

The deployment of remote controlled ‘boat bombs’ is not a new one and al Houthis have demonstrated their effectiveness in the past. However, this is the second incident of SVBIED in recent weeks and should concern all shipping which transits the region.

CMF and Djibouti develop partnership to combat piracy

In a recent Zoom call, the commander of the Combined Task Force 151, Rear Admiral Nejat Inanir, spoke with the Head of the Djibouti Coastguard, Colonel Waiss Omar Bogoreh to discuss their continued partnership in conducting counter-piracy operations.

Rear Admiral Inanir thanked Colonel Bogoreh for his support in a recent counter piracy operation, Focused Operation Shamal. “It’s been a job really well done. Your assistance is very much appreciated,” said Rear Admiral Inanir. He also passed on a personal message of gratitude from the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) commander, Vice Admiral Samuel Paparo.

While Djibouti is not a member of CMF, CTF 151 regularly works closely with the nation’s Navy and Coastguard to support maritime security operations in the region, sharing information and informing merchant vessels transiting through their waters when military assets are working to protect the region’s shipping lanes nearby.

Colonel Bogoreh said: “We are always willing collaborate further with CMF. We have eight or nine years of a history of working together in what is a very successful relationship.”

Source: combinedmaritimeforces.com

Military finds body of one of 7 slain ASG bandits in Sulu

by Martin Sadongdong

The military has finally recovered the body of one of the seven alleged Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits who were killed in a maritime encounter in Patikul, Sulu last week.

Major General William Gonzales, commander of Joint Task Force (JTF) Sulu, identified the body as Dave Sawadjaan, a nephew of slain ASG leader Hajan Sawadjaan, cousin of ASG bomb expert Mundi Sawadjaan, and brother of one alias “Urot” who was also a deceased member of ASG under Hajan’s command.

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Source: mb.com.ph

Top Abu Sayyaf leader killed in Sulu Sea assault

By: , ,

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines — The top leader of a kidnap-for-ransom gang affiliated with the Abu Sayyaf group in Sulu was killed along with six others in a predawn operation by the military on Tuesday.

Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., commander of the Western Mindanao Command, said Mannul or Mannor Sawadjaan and his six heavily armed companions were leaving Sulare Island on a speedboat at past 1 a.m. on Tuesday when they were intercepted by government forces.

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Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Maritime Security: Controversy Trails Amaechi’s Quest for Another $22.9M Despite Uncompleted $195M Contract to Israeli Firm

Eromosele Abiodun

In a move that has raised eyebrows in government circles, and among stakeholders, Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi is seeking a whopping $22.99 million from the federal government to hire fast intervention vessels to tackle insecurity in Nigerian waters, THISDAY has learnt. This comes hard on the heels of the $195 million maritime security contract approved for the same purpose by the federal government in 2017, which was also pushed through by Amaechi.

A source familiar with the matter said, “That contract is yet to be fully executed.”
The federal government had in 2017 approved a $195 million maritime security contract with an Israeli firm, HLS International Limited, under the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also called the Deep Blue Project. The company allegedly got the contract on the strength of its relationship with Amaechi, even though stakeholders alleged lack of transparency.

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Source: thisdaylive.com

Maritime security: EU to the rescue of ECOWAS civil and maritime professionals

By Moctar FICOU

The European Union (EU) has awarded a grant of 1.5 million euros, or one (1) billion CFA francs, to the Institute for Interregional Maritime Safety (ISMI), the Regional Academy of Marine Science and Technology (ARSTM), to finance 16 training cycles between 2021 and 2024.

This initiative aims to strengthen the maritime security skills of civil and maritime professionals in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The training, which will begin in January 2021, will put an end to illegal activities in the Gulf of Guinea.

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Source: vivafrik.com

MarsecNews: This item was translated into English by Bing. As a result, some errors may occur.