ReCAAP issues annual piracy report

A total of 82 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships (comprising 71 actual incidents and 11 attempted incidents) were reported in Asia in 2019. This accounts for a 8% increase in the total number of incidents and a 15% increase in the actual incidents reported in 2019 compared to 2018. In 2018, 76 incidents (comprising 62 actual incidents and 14 attempted incidents) were reported. Majority of the incidents reported in 2019 were armed robbery against ships. Of the 82 incidents reported in 2019, two were incidents of piracy, and 80 were incidents of armed robbery against ships.

There was improvement at some ports and anchorages in Asia in 2019 compared to 2018. The improvement occurred in Bangladesh and Indonesia. In Bangladesh, no incident was reported at its ports and anchorages in 2019 compared to 11 incidents in 2018. In Indonesia, the number of incidents at its ports and anchorages decreased to 23 incidents in 2019 from 27 incidents in 2018.

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Source: recaap.org

MarsecNews Note: To get the full picture of global piracy, figures from both the ReCAAP and IMB need to be collated along with those from UKMTO and other agencies.

NIMASA raises hopes on maritime security

By Godwin Oritse

AGAINST the backdrop of the increased incidents of sea piracy in Nigeria’s waters late last year, the leadership of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has indicated that the Agency is being equipped to bring down the rate of attacks in 2020. It also expressed disappointment and embarrassment at the recent upsurge in the spate of attacks.

Speaking in Lagos, weekend, the Director General of NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside, however, restated the agency’s commitment and determination to ensure that the country’s territorial waters was free of piracy and all forms of maritime crime in 2020 to further boost investment opportunities in the blue economy.

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Source: vanguardngr.com

Nigerian Navy Hands over Vessel, Nine Suspects to EFCC for Illegal Oil Bunkering

The Nigerian Navy Ship Delta (NNS Delta), on Monday, January 13, 2020 handed over a motor vessel, MV Salvation and its nine crew members to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Benin Zonal Office, whom she arrested for their alleged involvement in illegal oil bunkering.

The suspects are: Tamuno Abereniboye, John Gwuene, Simon President, Nice Bien, Daniel Aghovwieokpo, Prince Ogun, Jabu Kimidengiyefa, Daniel People, Olawale Bello.

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Source: prnigeria.com

Russia-Japan Anti-Piracy Naval Drills To Be Held In Gulf Of Aden In Late January

EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation ATALANTA's ESPS Canarias towed the vessel belonging to Somali Navy personnel back to the Somali shore.

Umer Jamshaid

Russian-Japanese anti-piracy naval exercises in the Gulf of Aden will take place in late January, and will involve, for the first time, a task force from Russia‘s Baltic Fleet, Admiral Alexander Nosatov, the commander of the Baltic Fleet, said Monday.

“The ships of the Baltic Fleet took part in similar exercises with other countries, but never with the Japanese Navy … Anti-piracy exercises are upcoming, they will start sometime after the 20th of January, the planning stage is underway,” Nosatov told reporters.

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Source: urdupoint.com

Fed Govt loses over $7b yearly to piracy

By Oluwakemi Dauda

The Federal Government loses over $7 billion on freight cost yearly to criminal activities on the nation’s territorial waters, the former President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, has said.

He called on the government to put in place measures to stem the tide of criminalities on the territorial waters.

Shittu, who spoke with The Nation on the sideline of a stakeholders forum organised by some auto importers in Lagos, added that the Federal Government needs to invest in maritime security and local capacity development to reduce piracy on the nation’s waters and get a sizeable chunk of the over $7 billion of the yearly freight cost.

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Source: thenationonlineng.net

JMSDF despatches two P-3C MPAs to Middle East on intelligence-gathering mission

Gabriel Dominguez

Amid tensions between Washington and Tehran, Tokyo despatched two P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) to the Middle East on 11 January to carry out intelligence-gathering operations in the region aimed at helping ensure the safety of vessels conducting commercial operations with Japan.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) mission, which was approved by the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on 27 December 2019, will also include the deployment to the region of Takanami-class destroyer JS Takanami , which is due to leave the Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo on 2 February.

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Source: janes.com

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

4 Chinese nationals abducted in Gabon pirate attack rescued: consulate

Four Chinese nationals abducted by pirates during a late December attack in waters off Owendo port in Libreville, Gabon’s capital were rescued recently in Nigeria, the Chinese Consulate to Lagos confirmed on Sunday.

An official from the consulate told Xinhua the consulate has been working closely with Nigerian police and navy in the rescue efforts since the consulate was aware that the four Chinese nationals had been taken to Nigeria.

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Source: https://www.shine.cn

FS COURBET Makes First Bust of 2020

On Sunday, 5 January 2020, French Ship (FS) COURBET, in direct support of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150), seized 1,500 kg of hashish from a vessel in the Arabian Sea.

This is the second seizure for frigate FS COURBET in the last 30 days and the third for Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) since Australia assumed command in early December 2019.

Using their shipborne helicopter, FS COURBET detected the suspicious vessel and dispatched a boarding team to conduct a search. The team was able to uncover 1,500 kg of hashish hidden among unused fishing gear.

The estimated regional wholesale value of these narcotics is $780,000 U.S. dollars. The retail value of this shipment, had it reached Africa or Europe, is many times higher.

“To the terrorists who profit from the drug trade in this region, the loss of this shipment and two others in the last 30 days, represents a considerable hit to their funding,” said Commodore Ray Leggatt, Royal Australian Navy, the Commander of CTF 150.

He added “CTF 150 will continue to apply pressure with the help of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) participating nations and ships like FS COURBET. The crew of FS COURBET has been outstanding every time they have supported CTF 150 and we thank them for another job well done.”

Australian lead, CTF 150’s staff is made up of personnel from the Royal Australian, Royal Canadian, and Royal New Zealand navies. 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. The cooperation and support of CMF participating nations including France is a key mission enabler.

The 33 nations of CMF work together with regional and other partners to improve overall security and stability in the Gulf, help strengthen regional nations’ maritime capabilities, and when requested, respond to environmental and humanitarian crises. This counter narcotics operation is just the latest example of cooperation in action.

Source: combinedmaritimeforces.com