We cover piracy, armed robbery at sea, IUU fishing, maritime cyber security and maritime security issues.
James Sowole
The Nigeria Navy said its patrol team of the Operation Base (FOB), Igbokoda, Ondo State, has intercepted six boats loaded with over 100,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, popularly known as diesel along Ondo/Lagos coastal axis.
The Navy said the 24 suspected oil thieves conveying the diesel were nabbed at Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area.
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Source: thisdaylive.com
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps described military exercises as a reminder that Iran is fully ready to safeguard its interests, warning the adversaries to avoid any miscalculation as Iran’s finger is on the trigger.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Major General Hossein Salami said military drills in Iran demonstrate the country’s deterrent power.
The war games also make it clear to the enemies that they must avoid any miscalculation about Iran’s defense power, the IRGC commander added.
The general also noted that the military drills give the enemies the message that Iran would protect its independence, dignity and identity without any consideration.
“Our fingers are on the trigger on behalf of the great Iranian nation,” he said, underlining that the IRGC forces are prepared to deal with the threats along the border, in the heart of homeland, or deep in the faraway territories.
The Iranian Army and the IRGC have held several exercises across Iran over the past two weeks.
In a war game on Saturday, the IRGC Aerospace Force blasted targets in the northern parts of the Indian Ocean with long-range ballistic missiles from a distance of 1,800 kilometers.
Source: tasnimnews.com
London and Kuala Lumpur, 13 January 2021 – The International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau (IMB)’s annual piracy report recorded an increase of piracy and armed robbery incidents in 2020.
In 2020, IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) received 195 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships worldwide, in comparison to 162 in 2019. The incidents included three hijacked vessels, 11 vessels fired upon, 20 attempted attacks, and 161 vessels boarded. The rise is attributed to an increase of piracy and armed robbery reported within the Gulf of Guinea as well as increased armed robbery activity in the Singapore Straits.
Incidents rise in the Gulf of Guinea
Globally, 135 crew were kidnapped from their vessels in 2020, with the Gulf of Guinea accounting for over 95% of crew numbers kidnapped. A record 130 crew members were kidnapped in 22 separate incidents. Since 2019, the Gulf of Guinea has experienced an unprecedented rise in the number of multiple crew kidnappings. In the last quarter of 2019 alone, the Gulf of Guinea recorded 39 crew kidnapped in two separate incidents.
Incidents in the Gulf of Guinea are particularly dangerous as over 80% of attackers were armed with guns, according to the latest IMB figures. All three vessel hijackings and nine of the 11 vessels fired upon in 2020 related to this region. Crew kidnappings were reported in 25% of vessel attacks in the Gulf of Guinea – more than any other region in the world.
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Source: icc-ccs.org
Retired Rear Adm. David Adeniran, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Nigerian Navy in Calabar, says the navy has neutralised 291 illegal refineries, seized 31,310 bags of rice and arrested 707 suspects.
Adeniran stated this on Wednesday while enumerating some of his achievements during his service before he retired on Jan. 4.
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Source: guardian.ng
By Samuel Oyadongha, Henry Umoru, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Dirisu Yakubu and Ozioruva Aliu
The Nigerian Navy has warned Niger Delta militants, who last week threatened to resume attacks on oil facilities over alleged Federal Government lackadaisical attitude to the development of the zone to have a rethink and toe the path of dialogue or be dealt with decisively.
This came as South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, asked the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godswill Akpabio, to stop his constant interference with the activities of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for effective performance and service delivery to the people of the zone.
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Source: allafrica.com
By Munro Anderson, Dryad Global
Is neo-colonialism in the Gulf of Guinea the answer to West Africa’s maritime crime crisis?
In October 2020, China’s transport ministry established an ad hoc workgroup to lay down precautionary measures for ships and seafarers passing through high piracy risk West African waters.
The move came as China told its vessels to up vigilance and implement a series of precautionary measures to ensure the security of ocea-going vessels and seafarers amid rising attacks and a surge in kidnaps in the Gulf of Guinea.
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Source: marinelink.com
KARACHI (Dunya News) – Pakistan Maritime Security Agency has recovered 207 kg of crystal ice and 227 kg of heroin from a boat during anti-narcotics operation in the high seas.
Deputy DG Maritime Security Agency Faisal Sadiq while giving a briefing said that during operation in the open sea, the maritime security agency seized 207 kg of crystal ice and 227 kg of heroin from a boat called Al Hamad.
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Source: dunyanews.tv
By Sulaimon Salau
With the enormous havoc wrecked by the activities of the pirates in the Gulf of Guinea last year, shippers are yet to heave a sigh of relief as they are still in fear as to what the year holds for the seaborne trade.
The Gulf of Guinea’s coastal water constitutes a central shipping lane and experiences high piracy threats. Pirates regularly target commercial ships, bulk carriers, cargo ships and crews. Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea continues to spread, with several new hotspots emerging in recent months.
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Source: guardian.ng
A recent report has refocused attention on the debilitating effects of piracy on Nigeria’s coastal waters and the economy and the need for stronger official response. In reaction to alarming data by the International Maritime Bureau showing that the Gulf of Guinea accounts for over 90 per cent of global piracy and sea-based kidnapping, the Chinese authorities, leading other foreign nations, have suggested extra security protocols to protect their maritime trade with Nigeria and other sub-regional partners. The Federal Government needs to take extraordinary measures to secure its coastal waters through which 90 per cent of its international trade is conducted.
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Source: punchng.com
BAGHDAD, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) — Iraqi explosives experts on Saturday defused a marine mine attached to the hull of an oil tanker in the Gulf waters, the Iraqi military said.
The Iraqi explosives experts of the Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with the Iraqi Navy, were able to defuse the limpet mine and launched an investigation into the incident, said a statement by the media office of the Joint Operations Command (JOC).
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Source: xinhuanet.com
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