We cover piracy, armed robbery at sea, IUU fishing, maritime cyber security and maritime security issues.
Victor Edozie
Three persons are feared dead when gunmen suspected to be sea pirates in the early hours of Saturday attacked three passengers boats en-route Port Harcourt from Billie in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Eyewitness account had it that the gunmen, who attacked the boats separately along the route, also carted away properties belonging to passengers.
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Source: dailytrust.com.ng
In 2010, the Indian Ocean waters were a no go zone for merchant ships. Pirates ruled the waves and often, ships plying the lucrative and historic trade route would find themselves in the wrong hands.
But as the lawlessness went on, one group of pirates found themselves on the wrong end of the gun barrel one night in September 2012. On this day, their seawater-beaten Kalashnikovs met their match and by the time dawn broke, most of them lay dead, with others scattered in the high seas.
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Source: standardmedia.co.ke
A Norway-based shipping company says that nine of its employees have been abducted from one of its vessels while it was moored off the coast of Benin in West Africa.
Shipping firm J.J. Ugland said the cargo ship, the Bonita, was attacked on Saturday by pirates 15km (9 miles) off the coast.
The crew’s identity and nationality have not been made public, but the shipping firm said the rest of the crew moved the vessel into the Port of Cotonou in Benin.
The ship was carrying a cargo of gypsum, a mineral commonly used as fertiliser, which was destined for Benin, the firm said.
While piracy has decreased world wide, West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea remains notorious for abductions by armed groups who usually demand ransoms for the safe return of victims.
Several abductions have been reported in the region in recent months, including eight crew members taken from a German-owned vessel off Cameroon in August, and 10 Turkish sailors off the coast of Nigeria in July.
Source: bbc.com
Seven soldiers were wounded following separate clashes with suspected Abu Sayyaf men in Patikul, Sulu on Wednesday, a regional military spokesperson said Thursday.
According to Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command’s Major Arvin Encinas, the first encounter lasted for 50 minutes when operating troops of the 1st Scout Ranger Battalion engaged the local terrorists at Sitio Kan Mindang in Barangay Pangdanon.
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Source: gmanetwork.com
by Lawal Sherifat
A five-day combined naval exercise has been flagged off in Nigerian waters. The maritime exercise, codenamed: “Grand African Nemo (Navy exercise for maritime operations) involves the participation of four Nigerian Navy ships and a helicopter.
The Exercise, being coordinated by the Nigerian Navy, according to a statement, Wednesday, by the naval spokesman, Commodore Sueman Dahun,” is aimed at supporting the efforts of regional navies to counter criminal activities in the maritime domain through different operational modes of planned exercises.”
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Source: vanguardngr.com
Kuala Lumpur: The Ministry of Defence is committed to strengthening security in Sabah and Sarawak to curb external threats including transborder kidnapping, said its Minister Mohamad Sabu.
He said said the territorial sovereignty, security and prosperity of the people are a priority of the government. “Generally, the security of Sabah and Sarawak at present is regulated by operations by the military services namely the army, the Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force,” Mohamad was quoted as saying by defence news website airtimes.my on Wednesday.
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Source: dailyexpress.com.my
The Iranian “intelligence-combat” flotilla includes a destroyer, dubbed Alvand, and the Bandar Abbas logistical warship.
The flotilla set sail for the high seas immediately after the return of the 63rd naval flotilla, which traveled 15,000 nautical miles in international waters during a 100-day mission.
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Source: tasnimnews.com
LAHAD DATU: Those entering or leaving Sabah should use the legitimate routes, said Sabah Region 4 Marine Police Force Commander ACP Mohamad Pajeri Ali. He said this was a reminder to avoid mishaps and untoward incidents.
“We (Malaysia) has a system, exit and enter legally, for example there is a CIQ in Tawau or the Sandakan Port. But most use illegal routes from neighbouring countries, taking the easy way to run from the law without thinking about safety as anything can happen in the middle of the sea,’’ he said.
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Source: dailyexpress.com.my
A group pushing for security of shipping services in the country has petitioned the National Assembly over the pronouncement by the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), instructing shipping operators to stop paying for personalised security services offered in the Secured Ancourage Area, (SAA) operated by the Nigerian Navy in collaboration with private firm, Ocean Marine Solutions (OMS) Limited.
The group, under the aegis of “Association of Professionals for Safety in Shipping in Nigeria,” APOSSIN, noted that the directive was not only ill-advised but also will be counter-productive, stressing that NPA does not have the authority to make such pronouncement on an arrangement by another agency of government to deliver on its mandate. The SAA is outside the port limits and hence not under the administrative control of the NPA. Security of the nation’s maritime domain statutorily rests on the Nigerian Navy. NPA by the pronouncement is interfering with the functions of the Nigerian Navy, a move that must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.
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Source: vanguardngr.com
By: Dale G. Israel
CEBU CITY –– Four Australian warships are in the Philippines for various activities, including military exercises, as part of their cooperation with their counterparts in the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard.
The frigate warships, including HMAS Stuart, HMAS Leeuwin, HMAS Sirius, and HMAS Ararat, participated in the recent commemoration of the Leyte Gulf Landing last Oct 20. They provided the backdrop in the reenactment event.
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Source: globalnation.inquirer.net
Maritime Security News 