Tag: HSLI

Gulf of Guinea records highest ever number of crew kidnapped in 2020, according to IMB’s annual piracy report

London and Kuala Lumpur, 13 January 2021 – The International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau (IMB)’s annual piracy report recorded an increase of piracy and armed robbery incidents in 2020.

In 2020, IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) received 195 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships worldwide, in comparison to 162 in 2019. The incidents included three hijacked vessels, 11 vessels fired upon, 20 attempted attacks, and 161 vessels boarded. The rise is attributed to an increase of piracy and armed robbery reported within the Gulf of Guinea as well as increased armed robbery activity in the Singapore Straits.

Incidents rise in the Gulf of Guinea

Globally, 135 crew were kidnapped from their vessels in 2020, with the Gulf of Guinea accounting for over 95% of crew numbers kidnapped. A record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents. Since 2019, the Gulf of Guinea has experienced an unprecedented rise in the number of multiple crew kidnappings. In the last quarter of 2019 alone, the Gulf of Guinea recorded 39 crew kidnapped in two separate incidents.

Incidents in the Gulf of Guinea are particularly dangerous as over 80% of attackers were armed with guns, according to the latest IMB figures. All three vessel hijackings and nine of the 11 vessels fired upon in 2020 related to this region. Crew kidnappings were reported in 25% of vessel attacks in the Gulf of Guinea – more than any other region in the world.

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Source: icc-ccs.org

Navy neutralised illegal refineries, arrested 707 suspects- Adeniran

Retired Rear Adm. David Adeniran, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Nigerian Navy in Calabar, says the navy has neutralised 291 illegal refineries, seized 31,310 bags of rice and arrested 707 suspects.

Adeniran stated this on Wednesday while enumerating some of his achievements during his service before he retired on Jan. 4.

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Source: guardian.ng

Nigerian Navy Warns Niger Delta Militants Over Threat to Resume Attacks

By Samuel Oyadongha, Henry Umoru, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Dirisu Yakubu and Ozioruva Aliu

The Nigerian Navy has warned Niger Delta militants, who last week threatened to resume attacks on oil facilities over alleged Federal Government lackadaisical attitude to the development of the zone to have a rethink and toe the path of dialogue or be dealt with decisively.

This came as South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, asked the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godswill Akpabio, to stop his constant interference with the activities of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for effective performance and service delivery to the people of the zone.

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Source: allafrica.com

Maritime Security: Neo-colonialism in the Gulf of Guinea

By Munro Anderson, Dryad Global

Is neo-colonialism in the Gulf of Guinea the answer to West Africa’s maritime crime crisis?

In October 2020, China’s transport ministry established an ad hoc workgroup to lay down precautionary measures for ships and seafarers passing through high piracy risk West African waters.

The move came as China told its vessels to up vigilance and implement a series of precautionary measures to ensure the security of ocea-going vessels and seafarers amid rising attacks and a surge in kidnaps in the Gulf of Guinea.

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Source: marinelink.com

Fresh fears of piracy on Nigerian waters in 2021

By Sulaimon Salau

With the enormous havoc wrecked by the activities of the pirates in the Gulf of Guinea last year, shippers are yet to heave a sigh of relief as they are still in fear as to what the year holds for the seaborne trade.

The Gulf of Guinea’s coastal water constitutes a central shipping lane and experiences high piracy threats. Pirates regularly target commercial ships, bulk carriers, cargo ships and crews. Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea continues to spread, with several new hotspots emerging in recent months.

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Source: guardian.ng

New strategies needed to eradicate piracy

A recent report has refocused attention on the debilitating effects of piracy on Nigeria’s coastal waters and the economy and the need for stronger official response. In reaction to alarming data by the International Maritime Bureau showing that the Gulf of Guinea accounts for over 90 per cent of global piracy and sea-based kidnapping, the Chinese authorities, leading other foreign nations, have suggested extra security protocols to protect their maritime trade with Nigeria and other sub-regional partners. The Federal Government needs to take extraordinary measures to secure its coastal waters through which 90 per cent of its international trade is conducted.

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Source: punchng.com

Multiple piracy attacks rock Bonny waters, threaten NLNG vessel

By Tola Adenubi

Multiple piracy attacks within the Bonny waters has left a scare on a Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) vessel, LNG Lagos II while another vessel has been boarded by an unknown number of pirates within the Bonny Island waters.

In an advisory notice issued at the weekend by Dryad Global to nearby vessels within the Bonny waters, the United Kingdom-based maritime security firm revealed that a Singapore flagged container ship, Maersk Cadiz with IMO Number 9526459 was approached and boarded by an unknown number of suspected pirates while sailing from Tema to Kiribi at 118 nautical miles South West Bonny Island.

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Source: tribuneonlineng.com

Eight More Crewmembers Abducted off Cargo Ship by Nigerian Pirates

The toll on seafarers continues to rise in the Gulf of Guinea with reports that eight crew members early this morning.  The threat to seafarers remains high in the region with the security services warning that additional incidents are likely in the coming days.

The latest incident, the ninth this morning according to Dryad Global, involved a 38-year old bulk carrier, the Stevia. The 11,990 DWT vessel registered in Cameroon was reportedly sailing from southern Nigeria to Abidjan, Ivory Coast when it was attacked by what is believed to local Nigerian militants. Praesidium reports that the vessel’s speed dropped and was believed to be drifting for about two hours.

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Source: maritime-executive.com

U.S Government hands over equipment to Nigerian Navy to combats threats in Gulf of Guinea

By

The United States of America has handed over maritime equipment to the Nigerian Navy to secure maritime threats in the Gulf of Guinea and also promote bilateral relations between both nations.

This was disclosed by Claire Pierangelo, Consular General, U. S. Embassy, and Rear Adm. Oladele Daji, Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command (WNC) represented by Rear Adm. Tanko Pani, the Chief Staff Officer, during the handover ceremony on Friday.

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Source: nairametrics.com

Three Beninese Arrested In Lagos Waters While Stealing Petrol

The Nigerian Navy has arrested three nationals of Benin Republic in Lagos and handed them over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps for allegedly stealing 6,250 litres of petrol.

While parading the suspects, Mr Paul Ayeni, the Commandant of the Lagos State Command, said they were apprehended by the patrol team of the Navy on December 5, at about 7.50 am.

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Source: saharareporters.com