We cover piracy, armed robbery at sea, IUU fishing, maritime cyber security and maritime security issues.
By KALUME KAZUNGU
Kenya Navy soldiers patrolling Lamu’s Indian Ocean waters have intercepted two boats ferrying a consignment of miraa estimated to be worth about Sh25 million.
The boats carrying the khat were headed to Somalia before they were nabbed on Tuesday evening at Barakuda area, about 100 kilometres from Lamu Island.
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Source: mobile.nation.co.ke
A Saudi Arabian-led coalition fighting Houthi forces in Yemen has declared a ceasefire, according to officials. Sources told the BBC the ceasefire will come into effect on Thursday in support of UN efforts to end the five-year-old war.
The coalition, backed by Western military powers, has been fighting against Houthi forces aligned to Iran since March 2015. It’s unclear if the Houthi forces will also observe the ceasefire.
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Source: bbc.co.uk
By Monday Ijeh
Abuja – Troops of Sector II Operation “DELTA SAFE” have arrested three sea robbers and killed one suspect in a gun battle in Bayelsa.
Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, the Coordinator, Defence Media Operation disclosed this during a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja. He said the notorious sea robbery gang encountered by the troops on April 3, had been on the wanted list of the troops.
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Source: sundiatapost.com
KOTA KINABALU, April 5 — The curfew in the waters off seven districts in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) which ends 6 pm today has been extended until April 20.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Zaini Jas said with the extension of the curfew, people living in the area were required to stay indoors and would not be allowed to be in the waters there between 6 pm and 6 am during the period.
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Source: malaymail.com
Evidence suggests that Iran has deployed an array of anti-ship missiles and large rockets overlooking Strait of Hormuz. The Strait is vital for the supply of oil from the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. The waterway is being patrolled by U.S. Navy and its allies to protect vessels from Iranian action.
Multiple amateur videos and photos of the weapons lined up on overlooking the beach began surfacing on social media on April 4. Geospatial analysis has confirmed that the location of one of the batteries is on Qeshm Island.
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Source: forbes.com
The Defence Headquarters on Tuesday said that the Nigerian Navy has located two illegal refineries around Opumami in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters, Brigadier-General Benard Onyeuko.
It stated that the sites were located by the Nigerian Navy Ship DELTA patrol teams which conducted anti-Crude Oil Theft (COT)/anti-illegal bunkering operations in its Area of Operation during the week.
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Source: tribuneonlineng.com
Sri Lanka’s Defence Ministry said the drugs had an estimated street value in Colombo of about 12,500 million rupees ($65 million), making it the country’s biggest single seizure of drugs.
COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Navy intercepted a vessel carrying a large consignment of narcotics, which is estimated to be worth USD 65 million and arrested nine Pakistani nationals in an operation on Wednesday. According to a statement issued by the Sri Lankan Navy, the seized vessel was carrying USD 65 million worth of crystal methamphetamine and ketamine in the country’s biggest drugs bust.
Acting on a tip-off, authorities raided a flagless vessel in the country’s southern waters and arrested nine Pakistani men suspected of smuggling the drugs.
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Source: zeenews.india.com
Three members of Yemen’s Houthi rebel group were killed Wednesday in a naval operation by the pro-government Yemeni naval forces in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, a Yemeni military official said.
“A unit of the fifth naval zone carried out a successful operation deep in the Houthi-controlled areas in the northern parts of Hodeidah,” the official said on condition of anonymity. He said that the operation resulted in the killing of three Houthi members as well as seizing a boat along with its driver.
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Source: yemenonline.info
Gareth Jennings, London
The US military has trialled the use of the Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter in the maritime anti-surface warfare (ASuW) role in the Middle East.
The US Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT) announced on 2 April that it has conducted joint naval and air integration operations with US Army AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters assigned to US Army Central Command’s (USARCENT) Task Force Saber.
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Source: janes.com
In the early morning hours of the 30th of March 2020 (local time), the cruise vessel RCGS RESOLUTE has been subject to an act of aggression by the Venezuelan Navy in international waters, around 13.3 nautical miles from Isla de Tortuga with 32 crew member and no passengers on board.
When the event occurred, the cruise vessel RCGS RESOLUTE has already been drifting for one day off the coast of the island to conduct some routine engine maintenance on its idle voyage to its destination, Willemstad/ Curaçao. As maintenance was being performed on the starboard main engine, the port main engine was kept on standby to maintain a safe distance from the island at any time.
Shortly after mid-night, the cruise vessel was approached by an armed Venezuelan navy vessel, which via radio questioning the intentions of the RCGS RESOLUTE’s presence and gave the order to follow to Puerto Moreno on Isla De Margarita. As the RCGS RESOLUTE was sailing in international waters at that time, the Master wanted to reconfirm this particular request resulting into a serious deviation from the scheduled vessel’s route with the company DPA.
While the Master was in contact with the head office, gun shots were fired and, shortly thereafter, the navy vessel approached the starboard side at speed with an angle of 135° and purposely collided with the RCGS RESOLUTE. The navy vessel continued to ram the starboard bow in an apparent attempt to turn the ship’s head towards Venezuelan territorial waters.
While the RCGS RESOLUTE sustained minor damages, not affecting vessel’s seaworthiness, it occurs that the navy vessel suffered severe damages while making contact with the ice-strengthened bulbous bow of the ice-class expedition cruise vessel RCGS RESOLUTE and started to take water.
Ready to support anytime, the RCGS RESOLUTE remained for over one hour in vicinity of the scene and reached out to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Curaçao. This is an international body which oversees any maritime emergencies. All attempts to contact those on board the navy ship have been left unanswered.
Only after receiving the order to resume passage full ahead by the MRCC and that further assistance is not required, the RCGS RESOLUTE, currently safely moored in the port of Willemstad, continued sailing towards her destination at Curaçao. A full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident will now be carried out.
Source: columbia-cs.com
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