4 kidnap victims remain in Abu Sayyaf hands as Asian neighbors meet to tackle security in Sulu-Celebes Seas

MARITIME AUTHORITIES from neighboring Asian countries are meeting in Manila on Dec. 18–19 to tackle security in the Sulu and Celebes Seas, where the Abu Sayyaf terror group is the biggest threat, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

The gathering is attended by representatives from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and China. It is convened by the PCG and the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre (ISC).

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Source: bworldonline.com

ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre Conducts Anti-Piracy Capacity Building Programme

ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre Conducts Anti-Piracy Capacity Building Programme for Senior Officers of Maritime Authorities and Law Enforcement Agencies in Cooperation with Vietnam Coast Guard ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) in cooperation with ReCAAP Vietnam Focal Point (Vietnam Coast Guard) today convened the Capacity Building Senior Officer’s Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The three-day programme will gather senior officers from 16 ReCAAP Member Countries as well as Malaysia and Indonesia to review the situation of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia including the incidents of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas, share specific case studies, and discuss ways to improve the maritime safety situation in Asia.

Complementing the programme is a lecture on international maritime laws and their applications, as well as a scenario-based exercise facilitated by Professor Max Mejia of the World Maritime University.

Participants of the programme will also have an opportunity to have a dialogue with the shipping industry based in Vietnam to better understand their concerns.

“The ReCAAP model is unique because it gives emphasis on information sharing among a network of 20 ReCAAP Focal Points across Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States as an approach to fighting maritime crimes,” said Mr. Masafumi Kuroki, Executive Director of ReCAAP ISC. “Thanks to the regional and international cooperation, incidents of piracy and sea robbery in Asia are decreasing. We will continue to strengthen the capability and cooperation of ReCAAP Focal Points and regional authorities to keep Asian waters—one of the most economically vital in the world—safe for seafarers, ships and cargoes.”

The ReCAAP Member Countries represented at the Capacity Building Senior Officers’ Meeting 2019 in Hanoi are Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.

Source: recaap.org

Mr. Masafumi Kuroki, Executive Director of ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre noted that the ReCAAP model of information sharing among a network of 20 ReCAAP Focal Points across Asia, Australia, Europe and the United States is an effective approach to fighting maritime crimes

Indian, French navies to carry out joint patrolling in Indian Ocean Region

New Delhi, Dec 9 (PTI) India and France will soon launch a joint naval patrolling in the region to protect their strategic interests, including to check large scale illegal fishing, a top commander of the French Navy said on Monday.

Vice admiral Didier Maleterre, who is Joint Commander of the French forces deployed in the Indian Ocean region, also said that the two navies will ink an agreement early next year providing for sharing of classified information for better operational cooperation in the region.

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Source: outlookindia.com

Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill introduced in Lok Sabha

Elizabeth Roche

NEW DELHI : External affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Monday introduced a bill in Parliament that provides for stringent punishment, including death penalty, for those involved in piracy at sea.

The introduction of the bill comes days after some 18 Indians aboard a crude oil carrier were kidnapped off the coast of Nigeria. India is still negotiating the release of its nationals.

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Source: livemint.com

Indian media reports ‘pirate’ incident

The Times of India carried an article on Dec. 8th, which stated that Kandla Marine Police had opened a case against three unknown suspects who carried out ‘mid-sea piracy’ against the MV Jeetsagar on November 13th.

According to the report, three ‘pirates’ boarded the cargo ship off the Indian cosat, between Kandla and Navlakhi ports during the night.

“They boarded the ship and looted barrels containing 190 litres of diesel and a cellphone,” according to the paper, as well as threatening crew. Given the location and apparent threats made to the vessel before the incident, it would appear that this was the work of opportunists rather than a concerted piracy effort. The incident does not appear to have been reported to the IMB.

Japan plans to deploy escort ship, patrol aircraft in Arabian Sea in 2020

Nathan Gain

Japan plans to send one escort ship, one patrol aircraft and 270 sailors from the Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) to the northern part of the Arabian Sea to protect international merchant vessels, the Nikkei business daily said yesterday.

The Japanese government is expected to green light the deployment plan by the end of this year. The JMSDF assets will be deployed on a one-year mission that could be renewed on an annual basis. Japan said it would not join the U.S.-led coalition Sentinel the Pentagon is forming in the region with countries such as Australia, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.

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Source: navalnews.com

Commander CTF 150 speaks at Djibouti Code of Conduct Maritime Security Conference

Djibouti Code of Conduct Conference (DCoC), Kenya

Commodore Ed Ahlgren OBE Royal Navy, Commander CTF150 (CCTF150), visited Mombasa, Kenya to deliver a maritime security threat update to the Djibouti Code of Conduct Conference (DCoC).

The Djibouti Code of Conduct has been instrumental in repressing piracy and armed robbery against ships in the western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. In 2017, under the Jeddah Agreement, it saw its scope significantly broadened to cover other illicit maritime activities, including human trafficking and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Commodore (Cdre) Ahlgren’s speech focused on the threats, as seen by Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), to law abiding shipping, the fishing industry and recreational craft in the region. Cdre Ahlgren briefed the attending delegates on how CMF operates and how collaboration, information exchange and the sharing of best practices makes the 33 nation coalition a formidable force.

“Maritime Security is a huge undertaking given the size of the ocean against the assets that are available. It cannot be done by one entity alone, we must collaborate, share information and pool our resources if we are to combat those that wish to do us harm. These problems are not just national, nor regional but international. It’s everybody’s business” Cdre Ahlgren said.

21 countries are signatories to the DCoC and they meet on a six-monthly basis to discuss how the maritime domain can be protected from a wide range of threats including piracy, threats to oil and gas installations, dangers to transport systems and illegal and unreported fishing. DCoC works closely with other security organisations in the region including European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to tackle these threats.

While in Mombasa, Cdre Ahlgren took the time to meet with the Director General of the Kenyan Coast Guard, Brigadier Loonena Naisho and Kenyan Deputy Fleet Commander, Colonel Lawrence Gitumo. The senior officers discussed how Kenya can engage further with CMF.

Cdre Ahlgren concluded, “This visit was particularly rewarding as it showcased how CMF can work with security organisations to make the western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden a safer, more sustainable and increasing prosperous region of CMF’s area of operations.”

Source: combinedmaritimeforces.com

Reps asks Army, Navy to stop the burning of seized bunkered oil

By Abdul Seye

The House of Representatives has asked for an end to the burning of seized bunkered petroleum resources due to its impact on the environment.

The House urged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, Chief of Naval, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas and Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, to put an end to the current system.

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Source: dailypost.ng

Iran plans to raise Hormuz peace initiative at IMO summit in London

The managing director of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization, has said that the Iranian delegation plans to put forward the Hormuz peace initiative at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) summit in London.

In an interview with the IRIB on Monday, Mohammad Rastad said that security in the region must be maintained by the regional countries.

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Source: hellenicshippingnews.com

Three missing as Pirates attack Delta community

Pirates Friday night raided Opurudiegbene community in Burutu council area of Delta State, carting away generators, household appliances and an unspecified amount of cash. It was learnt that three children are missing following the attack. A source said sporadic shooting caused fear in the community as pirates robbed shop owners and other residents of the coastal community.

According to a victim, Mr. Philip Amatu, the attackers are youngsters between ages 17 years and 24 years. “They came in a speed boat with sophisticated weapons and shot sporadically into the air to scare us. We ran for our lives. We know some of them and their villages.”

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Source: thenationonlineng.net