Maritime Security in the Asia-Pacific: Measuring Challenges and Progress

Only by seeking to measure maritime security dynamics in uniform and rigorous ways can we begin to understand the scope of the challenges and make progress.

By Jay Benson

In the realm of foreign and security policy, the maritime space is often overlooked. “Sea blindness” is real and it is often reflected in the amount of resources and policy attention paid to maritime security and governance around the world. However, as the maritime space gains attention as a theater for nontraditional security challenges and as space of increasingly important economic potential, so too does the need to empirically measure the scope of the challenges and the progress made in the maritime space. There are a plethora of indices, databases, and empirical reporting available on security and governance issues onshore, which contribute greatly to the understanding of policymakers on these phenomena, but the maritime space has yet to see the same application of empirical methods and analysis.

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Source: thediplomat.com

Oil theft: Navy hands over 7 Sri-Lankans, 46 Nigerians, two Ghanians to EFCC

By Evelyn Usman

The Nigerian Navy has handed over seven Sri-Lankas, 46 Nigerians and two Ghanaians who were crew members on board seven vessels that were arrested between December 3, 2019, and December 30, 2019, over alleged illegal bunkering, to the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for prosecution.

One of the vessels arrested by operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Beecroft, MT ZEEBRUGGE, in which were the Sri-Lankas, sailed all the way from Morocco to Nigeria, to get the product.

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Source: vanguardngr.com

Africa’s Maritime Authorities Meet In Accra

The Minister of Transport, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has urged the Executive Council of the Association of African Maritime Administration (AAMA) to develop measures that will curb the exploitation of Africa’s fishery sector by foreign fishing companies.

He said the exploitation of Africa’s fishery sector by foreign fishing companies was depriving African governments a valuable source of revenue critical to their economic growth.

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Source: peacefmonline.com

‘Doctor kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf to treat sick Abu Sayyaf leader’

Roel Pareño

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Abu Sayyaf bandits kidnapped a doctor in Sulu last week to treat their leader, who is suffering from tuberculosis.

Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Western Mindanao Command chief, said Abu Sayyaf leader Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan needs immediate medical assistance.

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Source: philstar.com

Inside Atlas Cove Island of oil thieves

Philip Nwosu

Residents of villages located in the Atlas Cove area of Lagos State recently heaved a sigh of relief following the eviction of some persons suspected to be pipeline vandals from the area by the military.

Over 300 spot of vandalized pipeline were discovered in the long stretch between Atlas Cove and Ilashe village, which according to officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), could be equated to travelling from Marina to Badagry.

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Source: sunnewsonline.com

ReCAAP reports further incidents in Singapore Strait

On 9 Feb 20, two incidents occurred within an interval of an hour to ships while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait. Some engine spares were stolen in one incident, and nothing was reported stolen in the other. There was no confrontation between the perpetrators and the crew. With these two incidents, a total of six incidents have been reported in the Singapore Strait since January 2020, all in the eastbound lane of the TSS in the Singapore Strait.

The ReCAAP ISC had issued five Incident Alerts in 2019 and one Incident Alert in 2020 on incidents occurred to ships while underway in the eastbound lane of Singapore Strait. A total of 31 incidents have been reported in the Singapore Strait in 2019. Of these, 17 occurred to ships while underway in the eastbound lane of the TSS in the Singapore Strait, and 14 incidents in the westbound lane.

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Source: recaap.org

ECSA raises the alarm about the Gulf of Guinea

At the ECR Conference on Maritime Security and the Blue Economy yesterday in the European Parliament, ECSA raises the alarm about the dire security situation in the Gulf of Guinea.

“Urgent action has to be taken by the EU right away. The new European Commission wants to be a geopolitical Commission, and this is a topic that the geopolitical Commission can deliver on,” said Martin Dorsman, ECSA’s Secretary General.

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Source: hellenicshippingnews.com

Nigeria Loses N.522bn in 28,349 Oil Spills

By Michael Eboh

Nigeria lost N522.2million through 28,349.72 barrels of crude oil spilled into the environment by oil and gas companies in 2019. The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, disclosed this in a data obtained by Vanguard.

A barrel of crude oil is equal to 158.99 litres of the commodity, meaning that at 28,349.72 barrels, 4.507 million litres of crude oil was spilled into the environment in 2019, with the attendant environmental challenges.

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Source: allafrica.com

International Chamber of Shipping expresses concern at increasing attacks on ships crews

International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) says the number of ship’s crewmembers being kidnapped in the Gulf of Guinea increased by more than 50% in 2019 and this year has begun with a further escalation of violence, armed robbery and kidnaping. The crisis is deepening – pirates are bolder and taking greater number of hostages. Levels of violence are high, and deaths have occurred both during attacks and during captivity of seafarers and military personnel. This is not business as usual. For example, 20 crewmembers were kidnapped from the MT Duke on 15 December last year with one of those crewmembers dying in captivity – this not acceptable.

Over 90% of global kidnappings reported at sea took place in the Gulf of Guinea. It remains an uncomfortable fact that the vast majority of attacks are launched on shipping from within Nigerian territorial waters. We recognise that Nigeria is improving its maritime security capability through programmes such as the Deep Blue Project and ICS applauds and encourages these measures. However, now is the time to see real results in terms of action at sea and in the capture and prosecution of pirates.

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Source: en.portnews.ru

Ivorian security forces confiscate $40 million worth of cocaine

Ishioma Emi

Security forces in Ivory Coast have confiscated $40 million of cocaine in the country’s coastlines. This seizure, which occurred on Tuesday, 4th of February 2020, is the biggest the country has ever recorded.

Communication Advisor, Yves Zogbo Jr, stated that “security forces launched a maritime operation to seize 411 kilograms of cocaine on the high seas.” The cargo is believed to have arrived as a single consignment from Brazil before being transferred onto three smaller boats, he said.

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Source: venturesafrica.com