We cover piracy, armed robbery at sea, IUU fishing, maritime cyber security and maritime security issues.
Commissioner of Police Leslie James yesterday gave testimony at the Commission of Inquiry into the piracy attack in which over a dozen fishermen were killed off the coast of Suriname last year May.
As part of his testimony in Berbice, he recommended changes to the maritime and piracy acts in order to better enforce the acts as well as improve the fishing sector. He also stressed the need for aerial surveillance of the high seas.
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Source: stabroeknews.com
Four robbers armed with a gun and knives boarded an anchored Marshall Islands-flagged product tanker at 0250 UTC in position 09:25N – 013:44.1W, around 5nm SSW of Conakry, Guinea. They took hostage the duty AB, tide his hands and forced him to lead them to the bridge. Once inside the bridge the robbers took hostage the duty officer and forced him to lead them to the Captain, Chief Engineer, third officer and bosun’s cabins. After looting the cabins, the robbers locked the crew in a cabin and escaped. Crew personal belongings, cash and ship’s properties stolen. SSAS activated; Duty Officer tried to contact local authorities via VHF but no response. Reported (IMB) 16 Sep. Via OCEANUSLive.org.
Eight persons in a speed boat, boarded a fishing vessel conducting fishing operations at 2200 UTC in position 04:10.26N – 008:55.33E, around 4.3nm SW of Idenao, Cameroon. The perpetrators kidnapped two crew members and escaped. Cameroon navy notified and investigations are ongoing. Reported (IMB) 13 Sep. Via OCEANUSLive.org
Sept 17, Colombo: The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) is currently conducting a specialized ship search and seizure training for the overseas Coast Guard personnel in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, (UNODC), the Navy said.
A Visit Board Search & Seizure (VBSS) course for the boarding teams of Indonesian, Malaysian and Philippine Coast Guards commenced at the Special Boat Squadron (SBS) Headquarters in Trincomalee Monday (16th September 2019).
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Source: colombopage.com
Maritime Security News: Not entirely sure why they feel the need to restate this policy.
The Nigerian Navy has disclosed that private armed guards are still not permitted on merchant vessels in Nigeria. Rear Admiral, Begroy Enyinna Ibe-Enwo, representing the Chief of Naval Staff, confirmed this last week at the West Africa Shipping Summit in London, as part of highlight of events at the London International Shipping Week.
At the event, both NIMASA and the Navy acknowledged the challenges in securing the Nigerian maritime domain and affirmed the collaboration between both organisations to stem the incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea.
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Source: sunnewsonline.com
Aside the traditional crimes that have bedeviled the maritime domain for decades, Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that emerging security threats like attacks on shipping, sabotage of hydrocarbon infrastructure and maritime resource theft, as well as other transnational organised crimes, are some of the challenges being tackled by the Nigerian Navy in its quest to secure the nation’s and the Gulf of Guinea waters
World over, security threats keep evolving from traditional to conventional warfare. In the maritime domain, same rings true. In the past, the maritime domain was threatened by piracy, sea robbery, illicit trafficking, illegal unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF) and marine pollution. Now, emerging security threats within the Nigerian maritime domain stem largely from non-military causes such as socio-economic agitations and unemployed youths within the coastal communities, which are manifested through attacks on shipping, sabotage of hydrocarbon infrastructure and maritime resource theft.
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INTRODUCTION
THE AIM OF OPERATION
POINT OF CONTACT
Efforts by government to tackle illegal bunkering, kidnapping, illegal fishing and smuggling on Nigerian waters have assumed a new dimension as past attempts failed to yield any meaningful result due to lack of effective law.
In the past, Nigeria had participated actively in a multi-national maritime exercise sponsored by the United States Military Africa Command (AFRICOM). Recently, it also participated in the 2019 Exercise Obangame Express attended by 33 countries from West Africa, Europe and North America.
The country had also acquired patrol boats and trained personnel with huge funds but these feats have not deterred criminals on Nigerian waters.
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Source: newtelegraphng.com
Oman remains at the forefront of maritime security in the region in league with navies from around the world. It is cooperating with agencies such as the EU Navfor for free flow of international trade in the region as well as around the Horn of Africa.
Speaking at the Indian Ocean Conference in the Maldives recently on the topic of ‘Securing the Indian Ocean Region: Traditional and Non-Traditional Challenges’, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidi, Secretary General in Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that maritime security is built upon the foundations of law and operational security.
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Source: menafn.com
Linton Nightingale
THE heightened risk piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea is putting progress in Nigeria’s shipping sector on hold, with would-be investors deterred due to the heightened security issue.
Dr Dakuka Peterside, director general of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, which is responsible for overseeing security under its scope of activities in the country’s coastal waters, said the “negative impact” of hijackings and kidnappings are stunting shipping’s development.
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Joe Effiong
Fishermen in Akwa Ibom have commended the combined efforts of the ex-militants and a team of amphibious mobile police squad from the office of the Inspector-General of Police, who have worked together to reduce frequent attacks by sea pirates.
The chairman of Mbo Indigenous Fishers Association, Mr Offong Ettekamba, told journalists at Rnwang, Mbo LGA of the state, that there was remarkable peace in the sea within the past two weeks since the amphibious police and some ex-militant leaders took over the surveillance of the waterways.
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Source: sunnewsonline.com
Maritime Security News 