Navy wants special tribunal for oil thieves

By Precious Igbonwelundu

Challenged by the delays in the criminal justice system, the Nigerian Navy (NN) has appealed to the government to consider establishing a special tribunal for speedy trial of suspected oil thieves.

Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command (WNC) Rear Admiral Oladele Daji stated this during interview with reporters at the 81 Division’s training day for Exercise Crocodile Smile IV held at the Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos.

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Source: thenationonlineng.net

India to have Central Marine Police Force to guard coastline

India has a vast coastline of 7,516 km touching 13 states and union territories. It also has around 1,197 islands.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs has completed the modalities of setting up a new armed force — Central Marine Police Force — to strengthen coastal security. A final proposal would be sent to the Cabinet by early next month for approval, a source in the ministry said on Saturday.

About the structure of the force, a senior ministry officer said, “Unlike other Central Armed Police Forces, the Central Marine Police Force will have it own cadre, rules, manual, Act, infrastructure and would be headed by a Director-General rank officer.”

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Source: telanganatoday.com

West Africa: the center of maritime piracy, armed robbery and kidnap

Jim Wilson

Nearly all maritime kidnappings and hostage-takings in the nine months to the end of September this year took place in or near the Gulf of Guinea, said global maritime piracy watchdog the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

New data from the IMB shows that worldwide there have been 70 actual kidnappings of seafarers and 49 hostage-takings year to date. The West African country of Guinea alone saw 23 hostage-takings, Nigeria a further 12 and the West African country of Togo an additional seven. Cameroon and Nigeria were hot spots for kidnapping, too.

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Source: freightwaves.com

Pakistan Navy joins Trans Regional Maritime Network

Pakistan Navy joined 32-member Trans Regional Maritime Network (T-RMN), based in Italy. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi formally signed the ‘Note of Accession’ for joining the organization at Naval Headquarters, Islamabad. Ambassador of the Italian Republic Stefano Pontecorvo was also present at the occasion.

Trans Regional Maritime Network (T-RMN) was established in 2008 to facilitate exchange of maritime information at Trans Regional level amongst the participating nations. By joining T-RMN community, Pakistan Navy will have access to maritime related information which will augment the comprehensive maritime picture already being maintained at Joint Maritime Information Coordination Center (JIMCC) of Pakistan Navy at Karachi.

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Source: brecorder.com

Security expert seeks collaboration among littoral states

By Shulammite ‘Foyeku

Former President, Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN), Captain George Alily (rtd), has called for increased collaboration in information sharing among littoral states in the country to support the maritime security architecture being put in place by the government to secure the nation’s waterways against pirates’ attacks.

Speaking against the backdrop of the latest global piracy report released by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) for the third quarter of 2019, which showed a reduction in cases of pirates attack in the country, Alily said the development is an indication that the Government was stepping up its efforts at improving maritime security.

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Source: shipsandports.com.ng

NSCDC arrests 23 suspected oil thieves in Rivers

Chukwudi Akasike

The Rivers State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested 23 suspected oil thieves and seized a vessel and 20 vehicles used in conveying stolen petroleum products.

The suspects, according to the state NSCDC Commandant, Mr Muktar Lawal, were apprehended in various parts of the state.

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Source: punchng.com

MPA Tables Major Cybersecurity Collaboration

By Max Schwerdtfeger

The Maritime Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has tabled a proposal to form and lead an initiative to increase maritime security called the ‘Port Authorities Chief Information Officer Cybersecurity Network” (PACC-Net).

The proposal was made at the 5^th Edition of the Port Authorities (PAR) 2019 and the initiative will look to enhance cybersecurity awareness in the maritime sector and facilitate early sharing of cyber-attack information to counter threats.

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Source: porttechnology.org

Nigerian Anti-corruption Agency Arraigns 26 For Illegal Oil Deal

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned 26
suspected pirates alongside a company, Sam Pam Nigeria Limited, and a
vessel, MV Neso II, before Justice Mohammed Liman of the federal high
court in Ikoyi.

The suspects were arraigned on two counts bordering on illegal dealing
in petroleum products.

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Source: saharareporters.com

Shipping firms still pay $2,000 per day for protection of crew, vessel

By Godwin Oritse

Despite the abolition of the controversial safe anchorage area by the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, where vessels and crew members wait before they proceed to berths, shipping companies still pay $2,000 per day to operators of the area.

Speaking Vanguard Maritime Report at a maritime stakeholders meeting in Lagos last week, Mr. Mark Wash, Executive Director, ENL Consortium, operators of berth A, B and C at the Apapa port, confirmed that NPA has told shipping firms to stop paying for protection at the ‘safe anchorage’.

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Source: vanguardngr.com

NIWA unmasks sea robbers hide-out at Iddo waterfront

By Oko Ebuka

In a bid to keep the Nigerian waterways safe from robbers, the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, Lagos Area office, recently, destroyed shanties on Lagos channels around Iddo waterfront to secure the area for navigation.

The exercise followed petitions and reports of criminal activities and presence of suspected pirates who hide in the shanties where they plan and launch attacks against legal occupants of waterfront facilities as well as take down boats and vessels transporting goods across the channel.

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Source: vanguardngr.com