Another vessel targeted by pirates in Singapore Strait

Lee Hong Liang

Yet another ship was involved in a piracy incident on Wednesday in the Singapore Strait following five vessels already attacked by pirates earlier on 20 and 23 December, according to an update by ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC).

On 25 December, an incident occurred to tanker Stena Immortal while underway in the eastbound lane of Singapore Strait when six unarmed perpetrators were sighted in the engine room of the ship.

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Source: seatrade-maritime.com

Officials establish contact with 20 Indian sailors abducted off Benin

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The Indian High Commission to Nigeria says contact has been established with pirates who kidnapped 20 Indian seafarers from a tanker off Benin Republic with all crew members reportedly safe.

An official of the Commission in Abuja said efforts are underway to seek the early release of the abducted seafarers whose location remains unknown.

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Source: shipsandports.com.ng

Crew of Pacific Warden Released

Swire Pacific Offshore (SPO) has confirmed the release of the seven crew members of the Pacific Warden abducted offshore the coast of Equatorial Guinea on November 20, 2019.

On their release, after 31 days in captivity, the crew were met by senior representatives from SPO. Immediate medical checks and other necessary arrangements were organized, and all have now returned to their homes.

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Source: maritime-executive.com

IRGC Navy Urges Iranian Fishermen Not to Respond to Foreign Vessels

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy called on Iranian fishermen not to respond to foreign warships passing through the Persian Gulf waters, saying they have no right to question Iranian sailors.

In a statement addressed to all Iranian fishermen on Monday, the IRGC Navy said neither the US’ vessels nor those of other countries have the right to inspect, seize or question any of Iranian fishing boats, particularly in Iran’s territorial waters.

The statement further described any move by foreign ships to question Iranian vessels as being “against the national interests and in violation of international law”.

The IRGC Navy also called on all Iranian fishermen not to cooperate with foreign vessels and immediately inform IRGC patrols via Channel 16 VHF if they are questioned by them.

Earlier this month, Commander of the IRGC Navy Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri highlighted his forces’ powerful presence in the Persian Gulf and said all foreign vessels passing through the waters are closely monitored by the IRGC Navy.

“The IRGC Navy checks and monitors foreign vessels entering the Persian Gulf and questions them about their nationality, the type of the vessels, and their destination,” Rear Admiral Tangsiri told Tasnim.

All foreign vessels, including those belonging to the United States, have always been answerable to the IRGC Navy, the commander added.

He further emphasized that the monitoring of foreign vessels in the Persian Gulf is “an inalienable right” of the Islamic Republic.

“The Persian Gulf belongs to Iran and other littoral states and we have the right to question the vessels because the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz is located in Iran’s territorial waters,” Rear Admiral Tangsiri stated.

Source: tasnimnews.com

Navy nabs six oil thieves

The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Igbokoda, has arrested six oil thieves operating in two boats laden with drums of adulterated diesel on Ondo coastline.

Commodore Danjuma Ndanusa, the Commanding Officer, FOB, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday at Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State that the suspects and the seizures would be handed over to the appropriate security agency for prosecution.

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Source: thenationonlineng.net

Turkish Suezmax tanker attacked in Gulf of Guinea?

Vessel was attacked at around 0700 UTC Dec 24 in Gulf of Guinea, 220 nm southwest of Bonny, Nigeria. Available information point at Suezmax crude oil tanker ISTANBUL, but ship’s identity not yet confirmed. No other information available at the moment, awaiting ship’s ID confirmation and details.

Tanker is en route from Bonny OPL to Rotterdam (understood in load), since 0700 UTC she turned hard portside and as of 0800 UTC, was steaming south.

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Source: maritimebulletin.net

HMS Defender Seizes Record Haul of Crystal Meth

On 19 December, Her Majesty’s Ship (HMS) DEFENDER, a UK Royal Navy destroyer operating in the Gulf of Oman in direct support of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150), seized 131 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine from a dhow they had been following.

The suspicious vessel was first detected using DEFENDER’s ‘WILDCAT’ shipborne helicopter. DEFENDER then closed the dhow and a team of Royal Marine Commandos in Pacific 24 sea boats boarded and secured the vessel. It was then searched by a Royal Navy boarding team who found 11 packages of narcotics, with an estimated regional wholesale value of $280,000 U.S. dollars.

The Commanding Officer of HMS Defender, Cdr Richard Hewitt MBE said: “I am really proud that Defender has been able to interdict such a significant quantity of drugs and prevent it reaching the streets. Even over the festive season, the Royal Navy is at sea 24/7 working as part of Combined Task Force 150. This has been a real boost for the ship’s company as they face Christmas away from their loved ones.”

HMS DEFENDER’s haul, on their first day working under Combined Maritime Forces, is CTF150’s largest interdiction of crystal methamphetamine for 2019; more than doubling the amount seized so far. It takes CTF150’s overall narcotics seizures this year to $48.5m.

“This is the second narcotics shipment in a week we’ve kept from reaching its destination,” said Commodore Ray Leggatt, Royal Australian Navy, Commander of CTF 150. “With this action, and more to come, we are impacting terrorists’ ability to operate in this region and around the world. Well done to the crew of HMS DEFENDER for their keen eye, skill, and precision in prosecuting this high seas take down.”

Australia assumed command of CTF 150 in early December, with a staff made up of personnel from the Royal Australian, Royal Canadian, and Royal New Zealand navies. HMS DEFENDER’s success under their command follows that of French Ship Courbet last weekend, who seized 3,545kg of hashish with an estimated regional wholesale value of $1.8m.

CTF150 has seen a huge increase in the amount of crystal methamphetamine being smuggled year on year, with 257kg interdicted to date in 2019, versus only 9kg in 2018.

CTF 150’s mission is to disrupt terrorist organisations and their related illegal activities by restricting their freedom of manoeuvre in the maritime domain. The activities of CTF 150 are a critical part of global counter-terrorism efforts, as terrorist organisations are denied a risk-free method of conducting operations or moving personnel, weapons or income-generating narcotics and charcoal.

Source: combinedmaritimeforces.com

Nigeria: Navy Destroys Six Kidnappers’ Dens, Arrests 146 Suspects in N’delta

By Emmanuel Addeh and Okon Bassey

Nigerian Navy said at the weekend that it destroyed at least six kidnappers’ dens and discovered several yards used for the production of large boats illegally deployed for the theft of crude oil in the Niger Delta region.

Also 24 suspects have been arrested and 1,831 bags of smuggled rice seized by the Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base (FOB), Ibaka in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom StateSpeaking during the ceremonial sunset, a symbolic closure of official activities of the Nigerian Navy for the year 2019, Flag Officer Commanding ( FOC) Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Suleiman Garba, noted that during the year, his men also arrested 146 suspects in connection with illegal oil bunkering.

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Source: allafrica.com

Coast Guard requests press not to use ‘piracy’ for ‘robbery’

Bangladesh Coast Guard on Thursday requested journalists not to use the word ‘piracy’ or ‘pirate’ while referring to robbery incidents on inland and coastal waterways.

The word ‘piracy’ on sea refers to robbery or criminal incidents outside the maritime boundary of the country while the incidents handled by the coast guards occur along the coast of the country and is thus robbery, said a release.

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Source: newagebd.net

Crew assaulted as five ships attacked in Singapore Strait

Marcus Hand

Five vessels were attacked by pirates in the Eastbound lane of the Singapore Strait on 20 and 23 December with the crew on one assaulted, and tied on up on two, adding to a string of incidents in the busy shipping lane.

The tanker Jag Lalit was boarded by six perpetrators armed with knives at 23-25 hours in the Singapore Strait while bound for Kaohsiung, Taiwan, according to the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC). Members of the crew were assaulted in the attack with the 4th engineer punched in the face and the chief engineer suffering bruising to his neck with a gold chain stolen from him.

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Source: seatrade-maritime.com