Piracy Attacks on Nigeria’s Risky Waterways Fall 36%

Piracy attacks off Nigeria’s coast fell to 14 in the first quarter from 22 a year ago after the navy improved its response to incidents, the International Maritime Bureau said.

“These results confirm the Nigerian navy’s increased efforts to actively respond to reported incidents by dispatching patrol boats,” the London-based body that tracks attacks on sea vessels said. “Despite these efforts, Nigerian waters remain risky for vessels, especially the port of Lagos where four incidents have been reported.”

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Source: bloomberg.com

Navy hands over suspected oil thieves to EFCC

The Deputy Zonal Head of the Uyo Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Alex Ebbah, on April 8, 2019, led a team of operatives to the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, to take over of a large wooden boat used in conveying 501 drums of petroleum products suspected to be Automotive Gas Oil, AGO.

At the time of arrest, eight crew members were onboard the wooden engine boat along with the 300 litre in 501drums, which were used in conveying the product.

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Source: thenewsnigeria.com.ng

Navy takes war to kidnappers, others

by Precious Igbonwelundu

In its quest to ensure that kidnapping and hostage taking do not reign in riverine areas, the Nigerian Navy (NN) on Tuesday said it was taking the battle to the enclaves of the criminals.

Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command (WNC) Rear Admiral Oladele Daji stated this in an interview shortly after assuming headship of the command.

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Source: thenationonlineng.net

New Joint Task Force Commander In The Niger Delta Promises Oil Thieves ‘No Mercy, Tough Time’

The operatives of Joint Task Force nicknamed ‘Operation Delta Safe’ say the task force stationed in the Niger Delta will show no mercy for oil thieves and other criminals in the region.

Speaking on Sunday during the handover ceremony at the headquarters of the OPDS, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, Real Admiral Akinjide Akinrinade, the new Commander of ODD who took over from Real Admiral Apochi Suleiman, promised criminal elements in the region that tough time awaits them.

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Source: saharareporters.com

Maritime piracy incidents down in Q1 2019 but kidnapping risk in Gulf of Guinea persists

The International Chamber of Commerce International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) report for the first quarter of 2019 reveals fewer incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships than the first three months of 2018.

The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, a 24-hour, free service offered by the IMB, enables shipmasters to report any incidents of piracy and armed robbery, globally against ships. Since 1991, the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre has provided the industry, government bodies and response agencies with timely data on the location of piracy and armed robbery incidents at sea.

Global trends

In the first quarter of 2019, IMB reported 38 incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea, representing 28 fewer incidents than the first quarter of 2018 (66). IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre detailed that 27 vessels were boarded, seven vessels were fired upon and four attempted attacks occurred in the first quarter of 2019. No vessels were reported as hijacked for the first time since the first quarter of 1994.

“These latest statistics from the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre are encouraging. However, first quarter statistics is too short a period on which to anticipate trends over the year. It confirms the importance of information sharing and coordinated action between the industry and response agencies. Going forward, it is critical to continue to build more effective reporting structures to enable a strong, unified response when dealing with piracy incidents,” said IMB Director Pottengal Mukundan.

High risk in Gulf of Guinea

The Gulf of Guinea represented a high number of piracy and armed robbery attacks at sea, with 22 incidents reported in the first quarter of 2019. The region also accounted for all of the worldwide crew kidnappings as 21 crew members were kidnapped across five separate incidents. Incidents were reported in the coastal countries, of Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo in the first quarter of 2019.

Gains in Nigeria, but caution urged

Nigeria has been a hotspot for piracy incidents over the past decade. However, in the first quarter of 2019, Nigeria experienced a decrease in reported piracy incidents. Nigeria reported 14 incidents of piracy for Q1 2019, in comparison to 22 incidents in Q1 2018. These results confirm the Nigerian Navy’s increased efforts to “actively respond to reported incidents by dispatching patrol boats,” the report notes. Despite these efforts, Nigerian waters remain risky for vessels, especially the port of Lagos where four incidents have been reported.

Improvements in Asia

In Asia, Indonesia witnessed a decrease in piracy activities for the first quarter of 2019. There were only three incidents reported against anchored vessels in ports in Indonesia – the fewest reported incidents since 2010 – according to the report. As with Nigeria, increased cooperation and information sharing between the Indonesian Marine Police and IMB Piracy Reporting Centre has enabled regular patrols in high-risk areas.

Data sharing remains critical

The declining rate of piracy incidents worldwide in the first quarter of 2019 reinforces the importance of transparency, communication and coordination, between vessels and coastal authorities. By reporting all incidents to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre and coastal authorities the response can be better organised improving incident response times and prompt advice to vessels aimed at a more optimal use of resources. National governments and coastal authorities can use this data to collaborate and strengthen their piracy prevention efforts.

Source: iccwbo.org

Shipowner Decries High Insecurity At Warri, Bonny Anchorages

By Chris

President of the Nigeria Shipowners Association (NISA), Aminu Umar has raised the alarm over high rate of insecurity at the Warri and Bonny anchorage.

In an interview with journalists in Lagos, recently, Umar said the Warri anchorage has spike insurance premium for shipowners describing it as a very tough one. He pointed out that the Lagos anchorage is the only one anyone can sincerely lay a reasonable claim of safety or security.

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Source: leadership.ng

Oil theft: JTF, surveillance contractors intensify crackdown, seize vessels

By Samuel Oyadongha

RESIDENTS of Bayelsa State coastal communities have lauded the collaboration between the Joint Task Force, JTF, deployed to the Niger Delta and surveillance contractors for tackling oil theft.

This came on the heels of a joint operation by troops of the JTF in the region and a local surveillance group which resulted in the seizure of a tugboat and a barge laden with over 200,000 litres of suspected stolen crude off the Atlantic coast of Akassa.

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Source: vanguardngr.com

Adding depth to maritime defense

There was a time when a country’s maritime strategy consisted of its navy or coast guard protecting its waters, defending citizens from enemies and pirates, and going after people fishing illegally.

That’s a shallow view of maritime security in the 21st century. Groups such as the United Nations and the African Union say that a modern-day maritime strategy must protect assets, ensure sustainable economic growth, guard the environment, manage energy use, and build the ability to work with neighboring countries and regions.

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Source: defenceweb.co.za

Nigerian Navy detains ship for ‘suspicious movement’

By Godspower Edoza

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder on Tuesday said its operatives arrested a motor tanker, MT Arowolo, over the vessel’s alleged ‘suspicious movement’ around Onne Anchorage in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The navy said the anchorage was known in security circles as a notorious zone for illegal activities by oil thieves.

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Source: shipsandports.com.ng

Crew Kidnap – Cameroon (March 30th)

MV attacked at 2140 UTC in position 03:53N – 009:30E, around 15nm Southwest of Douala, Cameroon. Vessel reported safe. Reported (MDAT) 30 Mar. Via OCEANUSLive.org

Additional sources report that the incident also saw four crew (three Ukranian and one Filipino) kidnapped by the pirates from the Liberia-flagged containership.