We cover piracy, armed robbery at sea, IUU fishing, maritime cyber security and maritime security issues.
By Samuel Baya
Kenya will be handed a heavy responsibility when it officially takes over the chairmanship of a regional anti-piracy body. Kenya was elected to chair the Contact Group on Piracy Off the Coast of Somalia (CGCPS) last year.
The post comes with the onerous task of ensuring that cases of piracy and other maritime insecurity incidents are comprehensively addressed.
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Source: businessdailyafrica.com
Written by Ian Taylor
Following discussions over the possible impact of last week’s US airstrike on Baghdad airport which killed the Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, the Joint War Committee (JWC) underwriters group has judged that while there are increased tensions in the Gulf region there has – for now at least – been ‘no dramatic change’ to the level of maritime security risk.
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Source: bunkerspot.com
Multiple maritime threats have been reported in the vicinity of the geographic areas described above. On January 2, 2020, the U.S. military took decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad. The Iranian response to this action, if any, is unknown, but there remains the possibility of Iranian action against U.S. maritime interests in the region.
The U.S. government is continually assessing the maritime security situation in the region to safeguard freedom of navigation, ensure the free flow of commerce, and protect U.S. vessels, personnel, and interests. U.S. Fifth Fleet Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) has the latest information on the dynamic maritime security threats and operational environment in this region. U.S. commercial vessels are advised to exercise caution and coordinate vessel voyage planning for transits of the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, North Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea with NCAGS and follow NCAGS’s recommendations and guidance whenever possible.
U.S. commercial vessels operating in this area should review U.S. Maritime Advisory 2019-012, which contains contact information for U.S. Fifth Fleet NCAGS. This Alert will automatically expire on January 13, 2020. For more information about U.S. Maritime Alerts and Advisories, including subscription details, please visit http://www.marad.dot.gov/MSCI.
Source: maritime.dot.gov
Ndubuisi Ugah
The war against oil bunkering and sea pirates received a major boost yesterday when the Nigerian Navy (NN) handed over 57 Nigerians, seven Sri- Lankans and two Ghanaians, suspected to be involved in oil bunkering, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reports that the seven vessels, involved in the oil bunkering and having no valid approval, were arrested by the Nigerian Navy between December 3 and 30, 2019. While addressing journalists, after the handing over to the EFCC, the Commandant of NN ship, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Ibrahim Shettima, said the nation would have lost N906,250, 000, if the culprits had been successful in their operation.
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Source: newtelegraphng.com
The Royal Navy has deployed ships to escort British fleets through the Strait of Hormuz as tensions continue to boil over in the Middle East following the US drone strike that killed Iran’s leading general.
The move to protect ships baring UK flags on the stretch of water between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman came as the Foreign Office issued warnings to citizens not to travel to affected regions.
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Source: inews.co.uk
Piracy in some of the world’s most critical oil chokepoints is on the rise–but now, pirates are resorting back to another method of income generation better suited to times of lower oil prices: taking human captives.
Sometimes, black market oil prices just aren’t lucrative enough. In the days of $100 oil, oil theft was a hot commodity. Today, pirates are supplementing their stolen oil income with ransomed sailors, creating a whole new set of problems for the oil industry to tackle.
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Source: oilprice.com
International maritime security consultancy Dryad Maritime reports that the Nigerian-flagged hopper dredger Ambika was boarded by pirates after a firefight resulting in multiple loss of life.
According to Dryad, the Ambika was attacked while operating just offshore, about three nm from the mouth of the Ramos river and about nine nm to the east of the Forcados offshore oil terminal. A firefight broke out between the embarked security team on the Ambika and the pirates.
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Source: maritime-executive.com
Fatehelrahman Yousif
Foreign ministers of Red Sea coastal states are set to kick off meetings in Riyadh next week to promote cooperation and economic integration and to ensure maritime security along this international waterway.
The meeting is expected to tackle issues on the responsibility of Red Sea states to prevent the intervention of any foreign country in the affairs of this sensitive area.
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Source: aawsat.com
Merchant shipping heading through Middle Eastern waters has been placed back on high alert over fears Iran may retaliate to American drone strikes earlier today that killed a top Iranian general.
Iran’s most powerful military commander, General Qasem Soleimani, was killed by a US air strike in Iraq at around 1am this morning.
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Source: splash247.com
Taiwo Jimoh
Residents of Ilashe, Ibeshe, Irede, Irewe/Osolu, Igboologun and Takwa Bay in Oriade Local Council Development Area, Amuwo Odufin, Lagos State, may soon be able to sleep with their two eyes closed.
Policemen deployed to the newly constructed Area Command Headquarters have vowed to fight crime on the waterways in the area. The communities were hitherto known for notorious crimes such as oil bunkering, kidnapping and smuggling.
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Source: newtelegraphng.com
Maritime Security News 