We cover piracy, armed robbery at sea, IUU fishing, maritime cyber security and maritime security issues.
KOTA KINABALU: The dawn-to-dusk curfew in Sabah’s east coast has been extended another two weeks from Tuesday (March 12), amid continuing threats from Abu Sayyaf-linked cross-border kidnap groups and other criminal elements.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah said that the extension until March 27 was necessary due to the continuing threat of kidnap-for-ransom groups and other criminals from neighbouring Philippines.
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Source: thestar.com.my
The geographic boundaries of the ‘High Risk Area’ for piracy in the Indian Ocean have been reduced.
An industry group of shipping and oil industry organizations BIMCO, International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) are responsible for setting the High Risk Area, and they emphasize that a serious threat remains despite the reduction to the area’s geographic boundaries and that correct reporting, vigilance and adherence to 5th edition of the best management practice (BMP5) remains crucial.
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Source: maritime-executive.com
Please see this week’s report from UKMTO attached as a PDF.
The Round Table of international shipping associations plus the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) have issued new advice to merchant ship operators about the boundaries, while emphasising that a serious threat from piracy still exists in the region.
The High Risk Area reflects the area where the threat from piracy exists, whilst recognising the ongoing containment of pirate attacks in the Indian Ocean. The industry group which has redefined the boundaries includes BIMCO, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), INTERCARGO and INTERTANKO.
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Source: bunkerspot.com
Iran’s naval forces saved one of the country’s oil tankers from a pirate attack in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which links the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea, a Navy official said.
According to the official, the pirates launched the attack early on Thursday on board 11 speed boats.
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Source: iranian.com
Maritime Security News Note:
Well. It’s been quite some time since the Iranian Navy claimed to have foiled a pirate attack. Few navies have killed as many invisible pirates as Iran’s, and the location of this incident is curious to say the least. It’s unlikely that Somali pirates would transit that far our of the Gulf of Aden, given the military traffic around Yemen’s coast. Additionally, for Somali pirates to muster 11 skiffs to attack… in 2019? There isn’t a pinch of salt big enough, frankly. Generally, contact in this area is usually from elements of the Saudi coalition, who often patrol the anchorages off Mocha and Hodeidah by speed boat, or Houthi militants. It’s also unlikely that the Iranians would engage Houthis in combat.
MANILA, Philippines — The military launched a new offensive on members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) on Friday, after it reportedly monitored a consolidation of terrorists in the hinterlands of Patikul, Sulu.
“Various military assets were employed together with the assaulting ground troops to attack the ASG lairs in Sulu at 6:40 a.m.
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Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net
…277,040 crude oil, 23.1m litres AGO,1.2m DPK, lost to illegal refining …46 vessels arrested
By Evelyn Usman
One of the ills bedeviling the security space of the country’s coastline has been the scourge of maritime crimes such as piracy , sea robbery , crude oil theft , bunkering , insurgency and hostage taking.
Often times , Nigerians are daunted with news of criminal elements who hide under the veneer of these maritime crimes to inflict untold emotional and psychological trauma on innocent and defenseless sailors.
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Source: vanguardngr.com
By Godwin Oritse
THE Nigerian Trawler Owners Association, NITOA, and the Federal Department of Fishery and Agriculture, have said that there has been a drastic reduction in pirates attacks against fishing trawlers.
Speaking to Vanguard Maritime Report, President of the association, Mr. Amire Akinbola, said although he could not make the figures available to our correspondent, the report of such attacks was very minimal last year.
Maritime Security News Note:
This may well be the case for Nigerian fishermen, but it’s a different story for crew on other vessels. On Feb. 24th, eight Chinese crew were reportedly kidnapped from fishing vessels off Cameroon.
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Source: vanguardngr.com
The Philippines and Malaysia vowed on Thursday to ramp up their cooperation to address security issues in the region, particularly in combating terrorism, piracy and transnational crimes, including the fight against illegal drug trade.
“We resolved to address security issues. We touched on our extensive economic cooperation. We shared the view that its further expansion serves our mutual interests as that of ASEAN and our region,” Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said after his meeting with visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at the Malacanang presidential palace.
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Source: globaltimes.cn
LATE Report | Whilst en route to Mombasa, Kenya, master of Singapore-flagged container ship noticed via the radar a suspicious vessel without AIS on vessel’s port bow at 1300 UTC in position 02:29.60S – 054:09E, approx 145nm from Mahe, Seychelles. Master monitored suspicious vessel although it did not appear to show any signs of attempt to come near the ship. About 20 mins later, suspicious vessel started to move at small angle, followed by changing its course to starboard side and increased its speed and was sighted to approach the ship’s route. The master immediately increased speed, adjusted course and closely monitored the suspicious vessel. General alarm sounded and all crew were notified. Crew closed all access to the accommodation, started fire pump and activated anti-piracy watch. Suspicious vessel subsequently stopped its pursuit. Suspicious vessel believed to be the mother vessel as there was a small boat sighted nearby. Second suspicious vessel sighted on starboard bow at 1546 UTC. Reported 11 Feb. Via OCEANUSLive.org
Maritime Security News 