Unprecedented number of crew kidnappings in the Gulf of Guinea despite drop in overall global numbers

Despite overall piracy incidents declining in 2019, there was an alarming increase in crew kidnappings across the Gulf of Guinea, according to the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) annual piracy report.

In 2019, IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre received 162 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships worldwide, in comparison to 201 reported incidents in 2018. The incidents included four hijacked vessels, 11 vessels fired upon, 17 attempted attacks, and 130 vessels boarded, according to the latest IMB figures. While the overall decline in piracy incidents is an encouraging development, vessels remain at risk in several regions, especially the Gulf of Guinea.

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Source: iccwbo.org

Nigerian Navy shocked, angry

Philip Nwosu

Miffed by the audacity of some pipeline vandals in Lagos, operatives of the Nigerian Navy working under the Defence headquarters operations to clear the Lagos and Ogun areas of vandals, have shut down over 300 illegal oil wells in the Atlas Cove area of Lagos.

The wells, it was gathered, were dug above the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipelines transporting imported petroleum product from Atlas Cove to the Mosomi depot of the organization.

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Source: sunnewsonline.com

Ghana starts construction of new naval base

Ghana’s president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has officially launched construction of the country’s new naval base with a sod-turning ceremony.

Akufo-Addo said the base is part of the country’s efforts to improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and protect the country’s oil and gas sector. Construction of the Forward Operating Base in Ezilinbo in the country’s Western Region began on 16 December 2019.

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Source: defenceweb.co.za

Ghana remains open to new ideas in pursuing maritime Security

Naval Forces of countries along the Gulf of Guinea cannot maintain maritime security alone without cooperation and collaboration from relevant stakeholders, Rear Admiral Seth Amoama, Chief of the Naval Staff has said.

Rear Admiral Amoama observed that every area of maritime security has its dimensions that required cooperation and collaboration with relevant actors to drive up issues such as environmental protection, sustainable fishing and over-exploitation of other resources in the sea.

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Source: myjoyonline.com

New base and vessels for Ghana’s Navy

Ghana has recently signed a contract worth $200 million to construct a Forward Operating Base (FOB) at Edzinlibo in the Western Region in order to protect the country’s oil and gas infrastructure.

The contract will also include offshore patrol boats for Ghana’s Navy. The forward operating base, according to a statement released by the Ghanaian government, will improve the military’s reaction time during operations. It will allow for the protection of Ghana’s offshore oil and gas infrastructure.

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Source: defenceweb.co.za

West Africa piracy threatens regional trade plans: Ghana minister

Piracy in the waters off West Africa threatens plans to bolster regional trade, Ghana’s defence minister warned Wednesday, as navy chiefs discussed efforts to secure the troubled waters.

The Gulf of Guinea is the most dangerous stretch of sea for pirate attacks in the world, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

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Source: theeastafrican.co.ke

Ghana: Navy chases pirates

The Ghana Navy is in hot pursuit of pirates who hijacked a vessel from the Tema anchorage and proceeded towards Togolese waters but abandoned the operation midway.

The Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command Commodore, James Kontoh, said this shortly after a Ghana Navy operation rescued five persons, one of them a Ghanaian, from the abandoned vessel. The daredevil hijack mission started with a fishing vessel going missing from the Tema anchorage, having been taken away by the suspected Nigerian pirates who abandoned it later on the Keta high seas.The Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command Commodore, James Kontoh, said this shortly after a Ghana Navy operation rescued five persons, one of them a Ghanaian, from the abandoned vessel.

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Source: ghanaweb.com

Oil discovery: Boost security at sea to ward off pirates – Oquaye to Navy

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye has charged the Ghana Navy to step up security along Ghana’s coast.

He said Ghana’s oil sites are sea-based, hence exposes the country to various criminal threats. The Speaker cited issues that are associated with the increase in crime on the shores of oil-rich countries.

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Source: ghanaweb.com

Ghana Navy, Marine Police assure public of safeguarding the country’s territorial waters

Larry Gaisiee

The Ghana Navy and the Marine and Railways Unit of the Ghana Police Service have assured the public of continues service to safeguarding the port space and Ghana’s territorial waters.

This was said when, the Flag officer in charge of the Eastern Naval Command, Commodore James Kontoh and the Commander of the Marine, Port and Railways Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Superintendent Joseph Ababio participated in Eye on Port’s live broadcast on national television, that seeks to bring port and maritime activities more closer to the public.

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Source: ghanaweb.com