Category: Robbery

Crew kidnapped off Nigeria

Following an alert issued by MDAT-GoG on April 30th that a MV had been attacked in position 03°30’N 003°49E’  at 1940Z by a skiff with an unknown number of armed pirates, Dryad reports that ten crew were feared kidnapped from a product tanker.

I assume the two incidents are one and the same. SeaTrade Maritime reported the following:

Ten seafarers are reported to have been kidnapped by pirates from the product tanker Vemahope off Nigeria.

An unknown number of pirates in speedboat are reported to have boarded the 6,152 dwt product tanker Vemahope and kidnapped 10 seafarers, according to Dryad Global.

The Greek-owned tanker was 178 nm SSE of Lagos at the time of the incident.

To read their article, please click here.

Italian Navy Deploys Frigate to the Gulf of Guinea while French Navy Suspends Patrol Mission

The Italian Navy (Marina Militare) dispatched for the first time one of its FREMM Frigates to patrol the Gulf of Guinea while the French Navy (Marine Nationale) suspended its maritime security mission off West Africa.

Martin Manaranche

For the first time the French Navy has suspended its permanent Mission Corymbe off West Africa due to the COVID-19 epidemic and withdrawn a vessel from the area.

The patrol vessel Lieutenant de Vaisseau Le Henaff, which started a scheduled deployment in early March for Mission Corymbe, returned to France at the end of the month.

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Source: navalnews.com

EU NAVFOR Somalia fights against piracy even under COVID-19 crisis

EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation ATALANTA units have few opportunities to collaborate with ships of other navies and Combined Task Forces (CTF) at sea. However, Operation ATALANTA always tries to increase synergies with regional states and military actors present in the region to be ready to deter, prevent and repress piracy and armed robbery at sea.

Operation ATALANTA had the opportunity to receive the support of the TF 53, a flexible and efficient unit that provides logistics support to the US fleet. In an excellent manoeuvre, Spanish frigate Numancia and US Navy ship Wally Schirra accomplished Replenishment at Sea (RAS) in only 2 hours.

Thanks to this support, not only can EU NAVFOR units extend their range of operation without entering a port, but also EU NAVFOR remains ready to accomplish his mandate even under COVID-19 crisis, reducing the risk of infection and protecting their crew. Risk mitigation measures are in place in order to ensure the continuation of the operation under the current circumstances.

EU NAVFOR remains full mission capable and ready to deter, prevent, and repress piracy. COVID-19 crisis has not reduced the capability of ATALANTA to fight against piracy and ATALANTA´s units are all fully operational.

Source: eunavfor.eu

Suspected pirates attack passenger boat in Rivers State

By

Suspected Sea Pirates terrorizing waterways within Kalabari route have attacked a passenger boat with passengers on board.

Some of the victims including the driver of the boat who identified himself as Sokpabobia Sokari narrated their ordeal to newsmen explaining that they were attacked within Namasebi waterways in Bille community, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State while returning from Port Harcourt.

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Source: dailypost.ng

ReCAAP ISC Weekly Report 21-27 April 2020

OVERVIEW
During 21-27 Apr 20, two incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia were reported to the ReCAAP ISC. Of the two incidents, one was a CAT 31 incident that occurred on board a bulk carrier while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait; and the other was a CAT 42 incident that occurred on board a tanker while anchored at Vung Tau Anchorage, Vietnam.

To read the entire report, please click here.

Source: recaap.org

To download the report, please click here.

Duterte security adviser says joint patrols OK if not hostile to China

By:

MANILA, Philippines—President Rodrigo Duterte’s national security adviser agreed with joint patrols among countries surrounding the South China Sea but not primarily to deter Chinese aggression but to strengthen cooperation.

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, former military chief, was responding to remarks made by retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio recommending joint patrols between the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam in the South China Sea to show a united front against China, which has been using the coronavirus pandemic as a smokescreen for escalated aggression in the disputed area.

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Source: globalnation.inquirer.net

Troops rescue 15 abducted persons, uncover 48 illegal refineries

By Kanayo Umeh

Troops of Operation Delta Safe fighting illegal oil bunkering and sea piracy, among other maritime crimes, have rescued 15 abducted persons who were held hostage in five speedboats after an encounter.

Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, made this known in Abuja yesterday, saying, “Troops of Sector 2 while on routine patrol at Nembe Owelesu, Bayelsa State encountered sea pirates at Abuja Open Water-Nembe, who escaped into the creeks on sighting the troop’s gunboats.

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Source: guardian.ng

New customised cyber insurance product for shipowners

Ben Abraham

Willis Towers Watson, a global advisory, broking and solutions company, has unveiled a new type of cyber insurance product for shipowners that re-designs standard cyber policies to better navigate the risks for ship operators in the digital era.

The solution, CyNav, addresses cyber threats in the broadest sense, including losses that occur from cyber-related business interruptions, even when the cyber events originate with third party IT service providers.

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Source: seatrade-maritime.com

Alert for pirates in the Gulf of Mexico

Five intrusions have been registered in the month of April; an one more in March. Cloaked men have been boarding boats and oil platforms; in the zone of Cantarell III, of the shores of Campeche and Tabasco. Between April 8 and 16, one attack has been recorded every other day.

Armed men, wearing masks are boarding boats linked to oil production in the middle of the night. They also climb metal structure bases until they reach personnel areas on oil platforms, to strip workers from their belongings at gun point: These men are modern pirates operating in the Gulf of Mexico in the XXI Century.

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Source: theyucatantimes.com

Sabah on alert for Abu Sayyaf after deadly clashes in Mindanao

Sabah

Durie Rainer Fong

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah security forces have another threat to deal with besides Covid-19 with a potential spillover of Abu Sayyaf members into the state following deadly clashes with the Philippine army.

It is likely the Philippine army will retaliate against the group after 11 of its soldiers were killed and 14 others wounded following an hour-long battle with the terrorist cell in southern Philippines on Saturday.

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Source: freemalaysiatoday.com