Fight Against Pirates Making Ghana A Safe Haven For Vessels – Transport Minister

The Minister of Transport, Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has said that government’s heavy investment in modern information systems and equipment to ensure the safety and security of Ghana’s territorial waters are already yielding results and boosting the image of the country.

For instance, he said the country through the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has in recently acquired five speed boats and two search and rescue boats to ensure safety within the country’s maritime space.

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Source: peacefmonline.com

80 Countries Resolve to Tackle Maritime Insecurity in GoG

Eromosele Abiodun

Rising from a three-day Global Maritime Security Conference in Abuja, 80 countries have resolved to set up an Expert Group to implement the recommendations of the confab aimed at tackling piracy, maritime crimes and criminality in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).

Addressing a media briefing to mark the end of the event, the Director General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, said the expert group won’t take more than three months to be in place.

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Source: thisdaylive.com

T&T: Three fishermen kidnapped

Venezuelan pirates who operate out of Patos Island, one of Venezuela’s small uninhabited island, have reportedly kidnapped three Icacos fishermen for ransom.

The island is located in the northwestern Gulf of Paria and is said to be one of the hideouts for desperate Venezuelan pirates who kidnap and smuggle drugs and guns in exchange for basic necessities.

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Source: guardian.co.tt

Sabah police will not negotiate ransom demands made by Abu Sayyaf-linked kidnappers

KOTA KINABALU — The Malaysian police are working with their Philippine counterparts to secure the release of three Indonesian fishermen kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf-linked gunmen off Lahad Datu on Sept 23.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah said the kidnappers made their ransom demand during a call to one of the victim’s sisters in Sandakan on Sept 30.

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Source: globalnation.inquirer.net

Nigeria seeks collaboration to tackle maritime crimes

By Sulaimon Salau and Joke Falaju

Worried by the impact of maritime crime on the regional economy, Nigeria has sought partnership with other countries to tackle the menace headlong.

The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, who made this call at the ongoing Global Maritime Security Conference, in Abuja, said maritime insecurity remains one of the significant challenges affecting international trade, and the quest for sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihood and job creation.

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Source: guardian.ng

MarsecNews: If NIMASA is genuinely looking to collaborate with other nations on maritime crime, then it could be a significant move for the Gulf of Guinea. Traditionally, navies in the region have been slow to cooperate with one another but when they have, it has paid dividends. Overall intelligence sharing in the Gulf of Guinea between states has been poor, but efforts in recent years have improved the situation slightly. There remains, however, an issue with certain nations who have multiple agencies all vying for government funding and competing with one another for relevance. As organised criminal gangs have shifted from petro-piracy to crew kidnap for ransom, the speed of naval response becomes more crucial; it’s a lot harder to track a skiff full of hostages than a tanker.

Genuine cooperation between nation states in the Gulf of Guinea would go a long way to suppress maritime crimes such as piracy and armed robbery, allowing for faster response times. However, as long as some countries continue to downplay the threat of piracy, the situation will persist.

India starts sharing maritime data

Dinakar Peri

Information Fusion Centre — Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) was set up last year

The Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) set up last year has started functioning as an information sharing hub of maritime data and “cuing incident responses” to maritime security situations through a collaborative approach, Navy sources said.

At the just concluded Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC), National Security Adviser Ajit Doval had offered countries in the IOR use of the facility to track movement of vessels on the high seas.

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Source: thehindu.com

Mexican pirates posing greater risk in Gulf of Mexico to oil workers, tourists

By Hollie McKay

MEXICO CITY – In the calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, drilling platforms hum away under the sunshine. But, in the dark of the night, they are becoming more and more subject to vicious attacks launched by modern-day pirates.

“Although oil and diesel stealing has been going on for decades, there has been an increase in criminal activity reported in the last four years,” Johan Obdola, founder of the Global Organization for Security and Intelligence, told Fox News. “It is estimated that the stealing in Mexico is up to 1.18 million barrels a day, bringing millions to criminal organizations, and making it very difficult to control.”

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Source: foxnews.com

Rivers Assembly invites Bonny LG chair over sea pirate attacks

Chukwudi Akasike

The Rivers State House of Assembly has resolved to invite the Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, David Irimagha, to appear before its Committee on Transport to explain his contribution towards the fight against sea pirate attacks along Bonny waterways.

Passenger boats were last week attacked by sea pirates, who kidnapped a councillor and one other person from the area while robbing other passengers of their belongings.

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Source: punchng.com

Maritime security: Navy urges IOC’s to share intelligence

Olaleye Aluko

The Nigerian Navy has urged international oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region to ensure information and intelligence sharing as parts of efforts to combat oil theft and achieve a safe environment in the region.

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, stated this on Tuesday when he received the Managing Director of Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited, Mr Lorenzo Fiorillo, at the naval headquarters in Abuja.

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Source: punchng.com

Agency wants EU to expand maritime security mandate over Horn of Africa

By WINNIE ATIENO

A regional maritime organisation wants a European Union military ships operating in the Horn of Africa to extend its mandate to cover all maritime crimes in the Indian Ocean.

The Inter-Governmental Standing Committee on Shipping (ISCOS), says the EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation ATALANTA— which mainly focuses on anti-piracy activities — should extend its mandate to deal with all the maritime crimes including terrorism, charcoal smuggling as well as drug and human trafficking.

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Source: businessdailyafrica.com

MSN Note: Expanding the mandate of Operation Atalanta has been discussed for years, but this is the first real credible move. Somalis have been asking for fisheries protection for some time, and a naval presence would go some way to deterring foreign fleets from IUU fishing activity in Somali waters. Additionally, as Somalia and Kenya continue to argue about their respective TTWs, maritime security for oil and gas will become increasingly important in the region. Al Shabaab continues to profit from smuggled charcoal, something which would become much harder with additional maritime security present.