Commentary: A cat-and-mouse game between pirates and Southeast Asian maritime security authorities

Despite stepped-up law enforcement in Southeast Asia’s seas, today’s pirates are one step ahead of authorities, says Eric Frécon.

SINGAPORE: “A lion never dies; it sleeps”, says an African proverb.

The same can be said for Southeast Asian pirates and sea robbers, long neglected after the academic and diplomatic world chose to refocus on illegal fishing in the South China Sea in recent years given rising tensions in those disputed waters.

Like the phoenix, regional pirates and sea robbers may rise from the ashes.

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Source: channelnewsasia.com

Lithuania Joins the International Maritime Security Construct

MANAMA, BAHRAIN

03.26.2020

Courtesy Story

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet

MANAMA, Bahrain – The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) welcomes Lithuania’s participation in the multinational efforts aimed at enhancing maritime security throughout key waterways in the Middle East.

Lithuania is the eighth member nation to join the IMSC since it formed in November 2019. Other members include Albania, Australia, Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States.

The IMSC is enabling nations to work cooperatively to promote the free flow of commerce, deter threats to shipping, and enhance maritime domain awareness and surveillance in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hurmuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Oman.

British Royal Navy Commodore James Parkin, the Commander of IMSC, expressed his appreciation to the Lithuanians for taking a leading role in regional security matters.

“As the eighth member of the IMSC, Lithuania joins us to ensure the safety of all our shipping in the Gulf region and we look forward to other nations joining our operation,” said Parkin. “Threats to the free flow of commerce are an international problem, and we are honoured that Lithuania is now part of the team assisting in upholding the principles of freedom of navigation.”

Source: dvidshub.net

COVID-19 And Embarked Security Teams: Security At What Cost?

The outbreak of COVID-19, and the increasingly draconian measures taken by states to control the spread of the virus has led to the widespread disruption of global supply chains. The knock-on impact of restricting the placement of embarked security teams in the Indian Ocean has been keenly felt in the global shipping and security markets. The decision to embark security personnel requires operators to balance commercial considerations with the risks faced. In a world where the logistics of embarking security personnel has become increasingly complex, many of Dryad Global’s clients are considering their options and exploring alternatives.

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Source: hellenicshippingnews.com

Law amended to protect jobs of seafarers abducted at sea

Fabian Koh

Seafarers who are abducted by pirates or armed robbers in an attack at sea will stay employed and be paid their salaries while being held captive, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min yesterday.

It does not matter whether the seafarer’s employment contract has expired or that either party to the contract has given notice to suspend or terminate it, he added.

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Source: straitstimes.com

Oil Theft : Navy Accused Of Illegal Sales Of Seized Product

BETTY IDIALU

The men and Officers of the Nigerian Naval ship, NNS Delta, in Warri, have been indicted over an alleged involvement in the sales of seized stolen AGO otherwise known as Diesel to marketers without court authorization to buy such product.

It was gathered that the Navy had intercepted a vessel belonging to Julius Berger being used for illegal bunkering activities along the Delta waterways sometimes last year and impounded it with alongside with the stole AGO product.

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Source: nigerianobservernews.com

Filipino doctor rescued after being kidnapped by gunmen

MANILA, March 25 (Xinhua) — Philippine security forces have rescued a Filipino doctor who was abducted by several gunmen of the extremist group Abu Sayyaf in remote Sulu province in the southern Philippines last month, a military general said on Wednesday.

Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City, said troops found the victim in a village near Indanan town in Sulu province around 7:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday after he was freed.

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Source: china.org.cn

Reinforcing Zero Tolerance for Maritime Illegalities

Chiemelie Ezeobi and Chinecherem Ojiako write that the recently concluded Exercise Treasure Guard 11 by the Nigerian Navy was targeted at among other things, reinforcing zero tolerance for maritime illegalities in the country’s territorial domain and the Gulf of Guinea waters

The Gulf of Guinea (GoG) coastline currently faces one of the world’s most severe maritime security challenges, which includes terrorism, resource theft, and sabotage of supporting infrastructure, piracy and sea robbery, crude oil theft, Illegal, Irregular and Unregulated Fishing (IIUF), human trafficking, narcotics, arms and smuggling.

It was in its constant bid to find lasting solutions to the myriad challenges bedeviling the GoG, that the Nigerian Navy (NN) organised Exercise Treasure Guard, especially with the successes recorded in the first phase. The exercise saw the navy deploy six vessels and two helicopters for the three-day exercise which covered about fifteen nautical miles within the GoG waters.

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Source: thisdaylive.com

HMAS Toowoomba, FS Guépratte exercise in Gulf of Aden

By: Sandy Milne

HMAS Toowoomba has exercised with French frigate FS Guépratte in the Gulf of Aden as part of the Australian warship’s support to Combined Task Force 150.

The CTF 150 mission is to stabilise the region by disrupting piracy operations, as well as seeking to counter weapon and narcotic smugglers. During the exercise, Toowoomba and Guépratte conducted ship handling training including Officer of the Watch manoeuvres and replenishment at sea (RAS) approaches, which form core components of a CTF deployment.

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Source: defenceconnect.com.au

Singapore Bans Crew Changes

The Singapore Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) has extended its COVID-19 precautionary measures to include a ban on crew changes. The MPA also urges all crew members onboard to have their temperature taken twice daily.

With the application of the additional precautionary measures, crew and passengers on short-term visits will not be allowed to disembark in Singapore.

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Source: maritime-executive.com

Ship fends off pirate attack, takes refuge in Nigeria

By Jite Eriabie

Bermuda-flagged oil/chemical tanker Stena Important, operated by Concordia Maritime, was approached by a suspicious vessel at Doula Anchorage, Cameroon on March 19, 2020 in what has been recorded as an attempted pirate attack.

“The alarm was raised by the Officer of the Watch (OOW) and the crew mustered to their respective stations.

”Following a failed attempt to board via ladder, the suspicious vessel and its crew departed the scene after a few minutes.”

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Source: shipsandports.com.ng