Rampant Illegal Fishing; Gov’t Urged to Step Up Maritime Security

Translator: Dewi Elvia Muthiariny

Editor: Petir Garda Bhwana

TEMPO.COJakarta – The Indonesian fisheries watchdog, Destructive Fishing Watch (DFW), coordinator Abdi Suhufan said that illegal fishing committed by foreign boats are still rampant.

“To March 19, 2019, the KKP (Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry) has seized 16 foreign boats illegally fishing in Indonesian seas,” said Abdi on Monday, March 25.

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Source: en.tempo.co

Nigeria: Govt – Deep Blue Project Will End Criminalities in Our Waters

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, has reiterated the federal government’s determination to rid the Nigerian territorial waters of criminalities through the Integrated Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, otherwise known as the Deep Blue Project.

Amaechi disclosed this in Lagos during the graduation ceremony for participants of the C4I Intelligence System Operator Course for the Deep Blue Project.

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Source: allafrica.com

Defence minister wants African Navies to unite against sea criminals

Philip Nwosu

Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, has called for transnational efforts towards fighting maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.

The minister, who spoke at the closing ceremonies for the 2019 edition of Exercise Obangame Express, said maritime illegalities had become transnational and evolved beyond the scope and capability of one country to combat.

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Source: sunnewsonline.com

Ship Captain Wants Agencies To Support Nigerian Navy To Fight Piracy

By Uchenna Eletuo

Lagos – Mr Bayo Oyekan, a ship captain, on Monday appealed to stakeholders to support the Nigerian Navy to check the incidence of piracy on the nation’s waters.

Oyekan told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the lukewarm attitude of other agencies that were supposed to support the Navy in checking piracy had made the incidence to rise in the Gulf of Guinea.

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Source: sundiatapost.com

3 Abu Sayyaf killed in Sulu encounter — AFP

By: Frances Mangosing

MANILA, Philippines — Three members of the Abu Sayyaf Group were believed to be killed in an encounter with the Philippine Marines in Sulu, the military said Monday.

Troops from the Marine Battalion Landing Team-3 clashed with undetermined number of bandits under sub-leader Najir Arik in Simisa Island in Banguigui on Sunday, the Western Mindanao Command said.

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Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Maritime crimes: 80 vessels arrested in 3 years – Naval Chief

PHILIP NWOSU

The Nigerian Navy said it arrested over 80 vessels within the last three years for various maritime offences including oil theft.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, disclosed this at the closing ceremony of the multi-national annual maritime exercise code-named OBANGAME EXPRESS 2019, saying that the vessels were arrested for various acts of maritime illegalities.

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Source: sunnewsonline.com

Nine Iranians nabbed with 107 kg of heroin ; contraband intended to reach SL drug dealer

Nine Iranian nationals were arrested with 107.22 kilograms of heroin which were to be delivered to a drug dealer in Sri Lanka, in the seas off the Southern coast today (Mar 24).

The narcotic was packaged in 99 parcels and had been concealed in four sacks while being transported in a trawler, Police Spokesman S.P Ruwan Gunasekara said.

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Source: sundaytimes.lk

Kidnapping – off Nigeria (March 20th)

Reports state that a passenger boat was attacked by armed men around 30nm South of Calabar, Nigeria at 0600 LT. Seven armed robbers in one skiff approached the passenger/ro-ro ship and boarded her. They robbed passengers before making off with a reported five hostages.

I have additional details but am waiting for an official incident report before.

Marines seize ASG speed boat

By Francis Wakefield 

Government troops seized a speed boat used by the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the island of Simisa, Sulu on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

A military report disclosed that the relentless and continuous joint operation conducted by the Marine Battalion Landing Team – 3, Naval Task Group/Philippine Marine Ready Force – Sulu, and Joint Task Force-Sulu resulted in the recovery of the speedboat believed to be the “get-away” vessel of the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group in the island of Simisa, Sulu.

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Source: news.mb.com.ph

Expanding collaborative efforts to promote maritime security

Members of three key regional maritime security agreements*, which IMO has helped to establish, are undergoing training tackling maritime crime in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (10 – 28 March 2019).

Thirty participants from 24 countries** are learning theoretical and practical skills to deal with piracy/robbery against ships, drug trafficking, marine terrorism, weapons smuggling, human trafficking and more.

The course is organized by IMO and Saudi Arabia under the auspices of the Jeddah Amendment to Djibouti Code of Conduct and conducted by experts from the Saudi Arabia Border Guard, UNODC, INTERPOL and IMO.

The training is taking place at the Mohammed Bin Naif Academy for Maritime Science and Security Studies and is the first of three training workshops to be organized by IMO and the Saudi Border Guard in Jeddah during 2019 – with financial assistance from Saudi Arabia.

The series of workshops will enable participants from different regions  to share ideas and best practices in order to promote maritime security.

* The Djibouti Code of Conduct; the West and Central Africa Code of conduct; and the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP)

** Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Jordan, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, the Sudan, Cape Verde, Sri Lanka, United Republic of Tanzania and Yemen.

Source: IMO.org