House Committee report ‘indicts’ NIMASA, Navy

By Muyiwa Lucas

The House of Representatives report of the Ad-hoc Committee to determine why the Warri, Port Harcourt, Onne, Calabar and Onitsha Ports complexes are not being put to maximal use has concluded its findings.

In a 16-page report, the 17- member committee blamed the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy for not providing adequate security to vessels and cargoes going to the ports in the zone.

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Source: thenationonlineng.net

Ship attacked in the morning Jan 21, Nigeria

Mikhail Voytenko

UPDATE: Clearwater Dynamics shared its’ information with Maritime Bulletin, not disclosing ship’s name, but there was no other container ship in the vicinity, fitting into time and position, except MSC GRACE. The ship is deployed on container service connecting Gulf of Guinea States, so no wonder she has armed guards on board. As of 1630 UTC Jan 21, the ship was sailing in Bonny area, heading towards Port Harcourt.

Clearwater Dynamics Alert:
Nigeria
It has been reported that a container ship has been attacked whilst underway approximately 45nm West Southwest of Brass, Nigeria. A black speedboat with a white flag and 15 armed pirates onboard, fired upon the vessel and then moved away. The Nigerian authorities have been notified. UPDATE: It has been confirmed that the container ship did have an onboard security team, who returned fire which resulted in the pirates aborting their attack. During this incident the crew retreated to the Citadel.

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Source: maritimebulletin.net

West Africa piracy: Regional navies work to curb maritime crime

West African states to discuss tackling piracy as region prepares for oil, gas discovered in Senegal, Mauritania waters.

by Nicolas Haque

The Gulf of Guinea is now one of the world’s most dangerous places for piracy as the number of ships hijacked there has more than doubled in the past year.

So West African states are meeting to ensure they can tackle the growing challenge in advance of the expected surge in oil and gas flows after reserves were discovered off Senegal and Mauritania’s waters.

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Source: aljazeera.com

West African pirates hijacking larger vessels to maximise ransom returns

Michelle Wiese Bockmann

INSURERS are making ransom payments to West African gangs of $30,000 to $50,000 per kidnapped crew member, amid warnings that changing piracy tactics have placed vessels at risk of increasingly violent attacks in the Gulf of Guinea over coming months.

Stephen Askins, a London-based maritime lawyer who specialises in piracy, says Nigerian pirate gangs are now “maximising returns” by seeking to seize larger vessels in order to abduct higher numbers of crew. The spotlight is now on the Nigerian navy’s response, he said.

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Source: lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com

Duke Crew Released by Pirates, One Died in Captivity

Following the attack on the oil tanker MT Duke and abduction of 20 crew members on December 15, U.K.-based shipowner Union Maritime has issued a statement confirming that 19 of the crew members have now been released.

One able seaman was evidently taken ill and died shortly after capture. Union Maritime said in a statement: “We are seeking further information from those crew members that have been released and a full investigation will be held into the AB’s demise.”

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Source: maritime-executive.com