17 February 2012

East Africa

Somalia Report tells of receiving information that pirates had hijacked an oil tanker, MV Leila, however, as of 17 Feb  they are yet to receive confirmation of the incident. Sketchy details have since been received at OCEANUSLive of the hijack of a vessel in the Arabian Sea taking place 25 miles Southeast of Sadh in Oman. Reported through one source to have occurred at 1510 UTC on 15 Feb, NATO Shipping Centre has since declared a vessel was hijacked off Oman at 1939 UTC on 17 Feb, which places the hijack further up the Omani coastline. Further details are awaited in this confusing situation.

A case of murder was filed against armed guards of an Italian tanker less than 24 hours after they fired on a fishing boat, killing two Tamil Nadu fishermen off Kochi on Wednesday - The Times of India. 

Indian authorities said the Italian navymen mistook the fishermen for Somali pirates and fired instantly in violation of international anti-piracy guidelines - a claim denied by Italy. 

The FIR did not name anyone in particular. 

"It's a very serious and unfortunate incident," defence minister A K Antony said. Italian envoy Giacomo Sanfelice di Monteforte was summoned to the external affairs ministry to convey India's protest. In Kochi, senior Italian officials met Kerala government representatives to decide the future course of action and how to quell the uproar among fishing community in the state. 

This came shortly after the ministry of external affairs summoned Italian envoy Giacomo Sanfelice di Monteforte to register a strong protest against the shooting. Secretary (west) M Ganapathi told the ambassador he must ask the Italian nationals involved in the incident to cooperate with the local Kerala authorities carrying out the probe. 

With Enrica Lexie now anchored off the Kochi harbour, after being intercepted by Coast Guard ships and aircraft, its crew will be provided consular access after completion of legal formalities, officials said. Indian authorities can legally prosecute the crew if the shooting took place within the 12 nautical mile limit of Indian territorial waters. But it will become a slightly tricky affair if it's conclusively established that the incident occurred in international waters, in which case they may have to face the music in Italian courts. 

"The probe will include where exactly the incident took place. And whether the Italian nationals were carrying licensed weapons or not. If someone travels within the Indian territorial waters, he or she is supposed to take prior license to carry weapons," said an official. 

Naval and Coast Guard officials, on their part, said the Italian ship did not seem to have followed the internationally laid-down protocol, or "best management practices", if it suspected a pirate attack. "First, the ship being waylaid should activate the emergency communication plan to report the attack, activate the ship security alert system, sound emergency alarm and make 'Mayday' calls on the open VHF Channel 16 or Channel 08," said an official. 

But no Indian warship patrolling the area got such a distress call from Enrica Lexie. "Then, there are evasive measures and manouevering, as also the use of water sprays and cannons to thwart any pirate from boarding the ship," he said. 

Enrica Lexie, however, does not seem to have undertaken such measures. "It prima facie seems the Italian ship, instead of first resorting to passive measures, directly engaged in active measures by opening fire," he said. Read more.

 

A naval battle between Somali pirates and NATO forces has escalate near Kudha island around 0930 UTC, says Somalia Report. Pirates were preparing to launch a hijack when the battle broke out.

Groups of pirates have arrived in Harardhere, Ceel Dhanaane and Dhinooda this week after waiting three months for the 'Wajiilo' season (monsoon waves and winds) to die down, in preparation for a new hijacking season.

"We have been waiting for Wajiilo to finish and now we can start operations again. Preparations are going well. A number of pirates arrived here with boats, cars and also new investors joined the preparations. The operations will begin on February 20th. It's not only in Harardhere, but pirates in Garacad, Dhinood, Ceel Dhanaane and Hafun are also preparing" a pirate in Harardhere told Somalia Report.

The Navy on board the Italian merchant ship Jolly Orange, of the company Messina, have foiled a pirate attack in Arabian Sea. At the sight of military, the pirates had given up trying to board another freighter, which also failed.

As reported by news agencies, the attack occurred around 10.30 am when a small boat carrying the pirates quickly approached the Jolly Orange, trying to board her. On board the freighter, however, were the riflemen of the regiment of Marina San Marco: their presence was enough to deter the pirates attack. The boat was then directed to another merchant vessel, this time Maltese, which was in contact with the Italian vessel, towards which it was directed. The pirates in this case also gave up the chase. It is only in recent months that the possibility for Italian freighter sailing in the areas most at risk were able to seek the protection from the Italian Navy, and several shipping companies have already decided to use this service - Corriere della Sera [Italian language].

 

Police from Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland arrested 11 pirates in Gabac village, near Eyl, during anti-piracy operations in Nugaal region, Puntland officials said on Monday.

"Puntland police went on patrol in the Indian Ocean and seized 11 pirates in Gabac village. They seized one speed boat, which the police burned," Puntland's security minister, General Khalif Issa Mudan, said during a press conference in Garowe - Somalia Report.

The pirates reportedly tried to flee but were caught with fuel, arms, and food, the general explained to reporters. He added that the suspects were transferred to Garowe jail and will soon be in court.

This group of pirates were part of Garaad's group, a well-known pirate from the Isse Mohamoud clan (sub clan of Marjerten). Garad was responsible for securing $3.5 ransom to release the Algerian flagged MV Blida.

"Yes, it's true. A number of pirates were arrested by Puntland police. They were waiting for another group to plan a new operation. This group of pirates are part of Garaad's group," said Mohamed Ahmed, a pirate n Bari region. Read more.

There are about 3,500 Somali people working as pirates, attacking and hijacking vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, according to Wayne Miller, an official from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, writes Michelle Wiese Bockmann of Bloomberg.

The number of Somalis who have turned to piracy is greater than the 2,000 figure commonly cited in counter-piracy campaigns, Miller, who is based in Nairobi, Kenya, said today at a conference in London. His estimate was based on talks with pirates in Somalia last November, when the end of the monsoon season typically sees attacks rise, Miller said.

“None of them ever heard that if you work as a pirate you might die, you might get jailed or you might get maimed,” Miller said. “Somalis want help getting rid of what’s destroying their country.”

There are an estimated 1,000 Somalis in custody in about 20 countries, said Miller, whose job involves visiting African jails where pirates are jailed and communities in Somalia. The UN office’s counter-piracy program, which began in 2009, spans six countries with a mandate to support the detention and prosecution of suspects, according to its website. Read more.

West Africa

Pirates fired on a drifting Panama-flagged bulk carrier off the coast of Nigeria, killing the captain and chief engineer, a maritime watchdog body said as it warned shipping to stay clear of the area.

MV Fourseas SW (Photo: Joop Klassman)

"Armed pirates chased and fired upon a drifting bulk carrier. Vessel raised alarm and headed towards Lagos. All crew except the bridge team took shelter in the citadel," the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre said in a statement yesterday, reports The Herald Sun.

Cyrus Mody, a manager at the IMB, said the vessel's captain and chief engineer "were killed in the shooting."
The attack, which took place 110 nautical miles off the coast, is one of three to have occurred in the area since Thursday, the IMB said.
More up-to-date reports state that the vessel is the Panama-flagged, MV Fourseas SW. The 29,700 DWT bulk carrier, built in 2010, is owned by the Taiwanese company, Shih Wei Navigation of Taipei. The bulker was attacked at approximately 0250 UTC.
Although the IMB Piracy Reporting Center immediately informed the Nigerian authorities who sent out a rescue team, due to rough seas, the naval team could not reach the location.
A French warship in the area, which received the warning broadcast, went to the aid of the distressed vessel and despatched a helicopter. A boarding team boarded the vessel and escorted it into Lagos port. The vessel is presently at the inner anchorage in Lagos port. OCEANUSLive.

The Togolese Navy has thwarted a pirate attack against a petroleum tanker off the coast of Togo amidst a rise in attacks in the Gulf of Guinea, writes Defence Web.

Naval Captain Takougnadé Neyo said the Togolese Navy sprang into action on Wednesday after receiving a distress call from the crew of the MV Eleana, which was travelling from Takoradi in Ghana, Ghana News Link reports.

The tanker, loaded with crude oil, was around 15 kilometres inside Togo’s territorial waters when it was attacked.
“With the transmission equipment the crew succeeded to send a distress call to the Togolese Naval force centre,” said Takougnadé. “And following the instruction of the hierarchy the Naval force immediately despatched two patrol boats to the rescue of the tanker. The rescue team succeeded to climb up and secure the tanker. I can assure you that there is no big casualty and all the crewmembers are safe.”
Takougnadé said that the pirates had boarded the vessel and stole some of the crew’s belongings, but the crew were safe as they had locked themselves in the ship’s citadel. He added that the group of six pirates fired into the air, but that did not deter the Togolese patrol boats. The unidentified pirates managed to flee in a speedboat. Read more.

 

A stretch of West Africa's coast spanning more than a dozen countries, the Gulf of Guinea is a growing source of oil, cocoa and metals for world markets Defence Web.

But rising rates of piracy, drug smuggling and political uncertainty in an area ravaged by civil wars and coups have made it a challenging area for investors.

Smaller producers are Equatorial Guinea (200,000 bpd), Congo Republic (340,000 bpd), Gabon (230,000 bpd), Ghana (80,000 bpd), Cameroon (59,000 bpd) and Ivory Coast (40,000 bpd).

Ghana began producing oil in December 2010 and is expected to raise output to 120,000 bpd sometime this year and 250,000 bpd after three years. Sierra Leone and Liberia hope offshore drilling will produce oil for them too.

Gulf of Guinea nations produce more than 3 million barrels of oil per day -- about 4 percent of the global total -- mostly for European and American markets, the bulk coming from OPEC member Nigeria (2.2 million bpd).

Washington estimates the Gulf of Guinea will supply about a quarter of U.S. oil by 2015 and has sent military trainers to the region to help local navies secure shipping as piracy is increasingly becoming a concern.

Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea is not on the scale of that off Somalia, but analysts say an increase in scope and number of attacks in a region ill-equipped to counter the threat could affect shipping and investment. Benin in particular is seeing an increase in activity off its coast.

The U.N. Security Council has said it is concerned about the increase in piracy, maritime armed robbery and reports of hostage-taking in the Gulf of Guinea and its damaging impact on security, trade and economic activities.

West African drug trafficking is also having an impact on the region's economies. The United Nations estimates that $1 billion worth of cocaine, destined for Europe from Latin America, passed through West Africa in 2008.The Gulf of Guinea runs from Guinea on Africa's northwestern tip to Angola in the south and includes Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Gabon, Reuters reports. Read more.

Transnational organized crime in West Africa, including illicit drug trafficking and the proliferation of illegal arms, as well as maritime piracy, dominated discussions today between a senior United Nations envoy and the head of the international police organization, Interpol - Jewelry News.

At their meeting in Lyon, France, where Interpol is headquartered, Said Djinnit, head of the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA), and Ronald K. Noble, Interpol’s Secretary General, stressed the importance of working jointly to efficiently address the increasingly complex transnational organized crime, which they said poses a serious threat to West Africa’s stability.

They underlined that Interpol’s expertise on information sharing through its high technology infrastructure was crucial to enabling national police services in the region to work together to tackle the problem.

They reviewed the latest achievements and challenges of the West Africa Coast Initiative (WACI) that is making efforts to combat organized crime.

The joint UN-Interpol project was launched in 2009 to support the Regional Action Plan of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to address the growing problem of illicit drug trafficking, organized crime and narcotics abuse in West Africa.

The two officials reiterated their commitm ent to strengthening collaboration in support to ECOWAS’ efforts to m ake West Africa safer. Read more.

UK P&I Club stated a recent case saw one of their Member vessels hijacked twice within a ten week period. On both occasions the ship was loaded with a cargo of petroleum and was drifting off Lagos waiting her turn to lighter.

Acts of piracy and armed robbery off West African states contrast greatly with piracy of the kind seen in the Somali basin. The pirates’ modus operandi in the Gulf of Guinea is likely motivated by the increasing costs of petroleum in Nigeria. West African pirates, not patient enough for prolonged ransom negotiations, are more eager to hijack a vessel, strip it of its cargo and opportunistically strip the crew of their possessions. The only similarities between the two varieties of African pirates is that like their East African neighbours Nigerian pirates are acting with increased confidence and attacks are now common over 100NM offshore.

In the first attack no cargo was taken since the pirates who boarded were unable to secure a vessel to perform an STS at the time.  Frustrated, the pirates then ransacked the ship, stealing crew's personal effects before leaving.

However, as the vessel is a regular trader to the area, she was targeted again.  This time the pirates were better prepared and managed to extract some 3500 tons of gas oil cargo and 60 tons of the ship's own gas oil before again ransacking the ship and stealing crew effects.

The piracy situation in Nigeria is compounded by a lack of suitable deterrents. The Nigerian navy is hard pressed to carry out existing missions, before considering the  provision of effective anti-piracy cover. Protection convoys up and down the Bonny river set up by Port Harcourt authorities have only a mandate to protect against terrorism and not against piracy.  Arranging contracts for embarked security guards requires the owner to enter into a difficult and complex bureaucracy. Read more.

South East Asia

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yesterday paid tribute to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for living up to its name in curbing piracy and robbery at sea and quashing the cynicism directed at it when it was set up seven years ago - Borneo Post.

“Today, I can feel and see the waves of change taking place within and outside the agency,” he said when launching the seventh Malaysia Maritime Day at the Malaysian Maritime Academy and Training Centre in Gebeng, here.

He said the agency, driven at the outset by about 50 officers and men who had between 10 and 35 years of experience has done the nation proud in curbing piracy and robbery at sea.

The determination and commitment of the MMEA personnel has reduced maritime crime nationwide by 16 per cent, 20.2 per cent in 2006 to 4.22 per cent last year, he said.

The success was achieved following 66,678 inspections and 4,832 arrests in a variety of cases, he added.

Muhyiddin said records at the International Maritime Bureau indicate that incidences of piracy and robbery at sea involving commercial vessels have dropped, with no case reported in 2009 and 2010 and only two last year.

“Early this year, the MMEA foiled cross-border crime cases such as the smuggling of migrants, illegal immigrants and mangrove timber. Statistics for the period 2006 to January this year show 794 of the smuggling cases,” he said.

Up to 517 arrests were made in relation to encroachment in Malaysian waters by foreign fishermen between 2007 and 2011, resulting in the collection of RM236 million through fines imposed on the foreigners, seizure of vessels and auctioning of the confiscated fish, he said. Read more.

 

 

Eighty-four suspected Somali pirates being held in a Kenyan prison Tuesday expressed concern with the Kenyan judiciary system and appealed to the international community for deportation, reports Safety4Sea.

The 84 who are on pre-trial detention in the coastal city of Mombasa said they have languished in the facility for over three years with no sign of justice coming their way.

Speaking during an open day at the prison, the accused pirates said the Kenyan government had failed to grant them justice but put them through physical and mental abuse.

"We want justice to prevail as the Kenya government claims to obey human rights and justice for all," said an accused pirate only identified as Mohamed.

Margaret Chuma, the head of the prison, said 16 of the accused pirates had been convicted and were under a rehabilitation program. She urged others to be patient as their cases were being sorted out.

The pirates said there was no justice in Kenya and the judiciary systems is not up to task in handling their cases. They want their cases to be taken back to Somalia.

"The international community and Kenya should deport us and let us get charged in our own country if they cannot handle piracy cases," said Mohamed.

 

Two Somali men who pleaded guilty for their roles in the hijacking of a yacht that left all four Americans on board dead have been sentenced to life in prison for a second time after the judge who sentenced them the first time recused himself, comments The Republic.

U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis recused from the suspected pirate cases in late December when he learned the Navy transferred the yacht Quest to a marina partially owned by his brother. The government will pay the marina for the yacht's storage and upkeep until the victims' relatives can retrieve it.

On Tuesday, another federal judge sentenced Mohamud Hirs Issa Ali to two life terms and Jilian Abdiali to life in prison.

Ali was the commander of a band of 19 pirates that hijacked the 58-foot Quest in February 2011 several hundred miles south of Oman. The pirates intended to bring the Americans back to Somalia and negotiate a ransom payment, but they were shot to death several days later.

Ali received two life sentences.

Abdiali was a former electrician who said he was on his first pirate expedition. He said in court documents that he never carried a weapon and that it was his job to use his psychic abilities to guide their boat.

Both men had pleaded guilty and were sentenced in life in prison in December.

In all, 11 men have pleaded guilty in the hijacking case. Three others face murder charges, and one man faces charges in that case and in the hijacking of a German merchant vessel.

 

Six prison officers have been sent 5,000 miles to the ­Seychelles... to guard a gang of pirates - Mirror Online.

The lucky group were told to pack their bags and leave the freezing Isle of Wight for a sun-soaked island in the Indian Ocean.

The cost of flights, accommodation, wages and expenses for the two-month stay is expected to run to tens of thousands of pounds.

The group will watch over a gang of 18 led by “Six-Toe Joe”, ­reckoned to be a modern Long John Silver.

They were captured by the Royal Navy’s auxilliary Fort Victoria, part of Nato’s counter-piracy task force.

The Somali pirates were handed to ­authorities in the Seychelles – where Prince William and wife Kate ­spent their honeymoon – but they say they don’t have the facilities to guard the gang properly.

The islands’ government appealed for help and the bill will be footed by the Foreign and Commonwealth ­Office. A prisons source said: “There was a stampede when this job came out. Who wouldn’t want to go out there for months in the sunshine, expenses paid? What a great job!”

They normally guard sex offenders at the Isle of Wight’s Parkhurst, Camp Hill, and Albany prisons.

The Seychelles’ only jail holds 400 prisoners with just a handful of staff. The pirates had guns and rocket-propelled grenades when they were picked up from a hijacked fishing boat. A Danish navy ship brought in four other outlaws.

The source added: “The Seychelles authorities say they haven’t got the resources to keep pirates securely.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesman confirmed: “Six prison officers have been seconded to the Seychelles prison service to provide support and help combat piracy. The officers will provide extra staffing as well as guidance and training.”

 

European Union managing director for African Affairs Nick Westcott has held discussions with Tanzanian top government officials on the possibility of inking a deal to have detained pirates transferred for trial in their countries of origin - IPP Media.

Westcott told The Guardian in an interview that the EU is due to launch maritime security capacity building programme in the East African Community (EAC) as an initiative to protect its territorial waters against pirates.

“We are holding discussions with a number of African countries including Tanzania that have been affected by piracy,” Westcott said.

The MD stressed that the EU has put more priority in East African countries where incidences of piracy have been common and there are weaknesses in dealing with the cases legally.

“We need to do a situational analysis first before launching the initiative…if it is training we can recruit people to work on the cases,” he said remaining reluctant to divulge the actual dates the initiative will be launched.

Westcott pointed out that the EU is prepared to ensure piracy is put under check in the Indian Ocean.

The managing director said regarding the pact that it will be issuing directions on how to handle pirates including transferring of detained pirates to their mother countries and save sentences while there.

“Contrary to conventional practices whereby a captured pirate can be tried anywhere, we have also to consider the need to let detained pirates be imprisoned in their countries of origin,” he said.

Westcott applauded efforts made by the East African countries in the fight against piracy, saying the situation has improved dramatically and the rate of attacks on ships has been reduced.

 

 

The recent announcement by the UK Government that weapons will be allowed on UK-flagged vessels is not perhaps as revolutionary as it might first appear. Under the relevant firearms legislation, shot guns and single shot rifles were already permitted, subject to the appropriate certification having been obtained. Rather, the new government guidelines and the headlines they have generated have been about the use of previously prohibited weapons (such as fully automatic “assault” rifles) and equipment. Notwithstanding this change of stance from the discouragement of the deployment of armed guards on ships to a position where accepted, their deployment is subject always to the regime laid down in the Firearms Act 1968. The debate has been given a further boost by the findings of the UK Foreign Affairs Committee (“FAC”), which issued a far-reaching report on 5 January 2012, concluding that the UK Government was right to change its position, but that more guidance was now needed on the lethal use of force and self-defence - Ince & Co.

In his evidence to the FAC, the then-head of EU NAVFOR (European Union Naval Force), General Buster Howes, said that to police the Indian Ocean and to have the capability to respond to an attack anywhere within the first “golden” hour would require 85 helicopter-carrying war ships. The combined fleet deployed in such cases so far seems to vary between around 15 to 20 vessels and, in these times of austerity, governments seem content to push the problem back onto the commercial sector. A number of European countries, including Norway and Cyprus, are also putting in place legislation that will allow armed guards on vessels. Other nations, such as Greece and Germany, are likely to follow suit.

The mantra of the private security world is that there has still been no vessel hijacked with armed guards on board. This remains this sector's unique selling point and has gained acceptance within the shipping industry. Statistically, however, more vessels avoid capture through the use of good seamanship and adherence to the Best Management Practice (“BMP”). Armed guards on ships are found on board an estimated 35% of vessels transiting through the high risk areas and this has no doubt contributed to the year-on-year decrease in successful hijackings. Implementation and a greater awareness of BMP4, as well as simply routing vessels closer to India, must also account in part for the decrease in attacks. The statistics for the past few months show only three hijackings, compared with 14 for the corresponding period last year. The pendulum appears to have swung, at least for the moment, away from the pirates. Only time will tell whether the pirates will adapt their tactics, with the obvious next step being a change of weaponry or location. There may well be implications for those vessels taken, in terms of the monetary demands made by pirates, whose stream of income has been significantly reduced. Read more.

 

UK P&I Club’s Egyptian correspondent has advised on the changes to the domestic law in Egypt concerning regulations governing the carriage weapons and armed guards on  foreign flagged vessels transiting Egyptian waters.

QUOTE

Dear Sirs,

Please be advised that on 28/11/2011, we have received from the Ministry of Defence their letter dated 21/11/2011 and also the Naval Operations Department’s letter dated 3/12/2011 instructing with the following:

1. The Egyptian Government forbids the presence of any Weapons / Armed Guards on board of commercial vessels as per the rules and regulations of the International Maritime Organization.
2. In case of the presence of weapons on board commercial vessels calling at Egyptian ports, the Masters shall lock the weapons in a safe compartment on board and issue a certificate stating these weapons and delivering it to the pilot in waiting area, the certificate shall include a confirmation from the Master that weapons will be delivered to Port Police Forces once berthed to be locked after being inspected by the police forces and to be returned back to vessel before departing the port.
3. In case of not adopting the above regulations, the vessel will not be permitted to enter the port.
4. In case of vessels transiting the Suez Canal, the Port Police Forces will be receiving the weapons from the transiting vessels at points of entrance inland and will be returned back to the vessel at point of departure. Read more.

Sri Lanka's state owned Rakna Arakshaka Lanka has commenced a security service to safeguard the island nation's ships from the Somali pirates - Colombo Page.

The Chairman of the security company Major General Palitha Fernando says that 200 armed personnel will be deployed to safeguard the ships that sail in the areas where the Somali pirates are operating.

The official said that the company was ready to provide security for the foreign ships as well if a request is made.

The service is rendered with the approval of the Ministry of Defense and the firearms for the personnel have been approved by the Ministry, the chairman of the security company says.

Private Security companies need good, say Paul Gibbins of PGC Global in 'Communicating the Armed Deterrent - OCEANUSLive.
In the fight against piracy, it is widely accepted that the armed deterrent is making an impact, but at a price. With the recent publication by One Earth Foundation estimating that private security is costing just over a half a billion dollars last year, the spotlight is shining upon the private maritime security sector like never before, particularly given the current period of austerity! And yet, for all its merits, it has taken some time for this method of deterrence against piracy to gain acceptance in the shipping community. Opinion remains divided, where concerns remain not only of whether to 'go armed', but more importantly, whom to trust with the provision of such a service? Where reputations are at stake, private maritime security companies (PMSC's) are under significant pressure to provide a high quality service. The inherent risks are well known, and whilst many are working extremely hard to deliver their product, exactly what armed guards do and how they do it is still misunderstood. It would appear that the 'armed debate' continues, confusingly, often without maritime security companies' contribution Read more.

 

With the recent release of yet another maritime alert as one more bulk freight vessel goes missing, and armed guards aboard a container ship went on trial in Mombasa, information regarding the current state of the pirate ‘industry’ emerges both from within the country and from a study made by a subsidiary of the privately owned One Earth Future foundation, a not for profit operation supported by the somewhat mysterious entrepreneur and multi millionaire Marcel J.C. Arsenault - Handy Shipping Guide.

The report this week from Oceans Beyond Piracy estimates the cost of the crime during 2011 cost almost $7 billion, with the shipping industry and its insurers bearing the brunt of the cost, around $5.5 billion, and goes into specific influences, from the extended monsoon season which reduced the number of attacks, the increased security levels which, whilst cutting the number of successful attacks cost over $1 billion alone, the growth in popularity and sophistication of the crimes etc. The report can be studied in full HERE or a useful précis is viewable HERE.

The latest report from Somalia indicates the capture of a bulk Greek owned, Liberian flagged tanker, the Free Goddess, carrying 20,000 tonnes of steel cabling from Egypt to Singapore. As the usual rumours and denials fly around in Somalia as to the particular pirate gang responsible, there is currently no word from the crew of twenty one Filipinos. The ship was hijacked northeast of Socotra Island (Yemen) and reportedly headed for the Somali coast and was the first major success for the pirates this year despite at least eight other serious attempts and came as weather conditions in the Gulf of Aden improved.

Further reports received from inside the troubled country say the gangs are gearing up for the new season despite the continued expansion of the ‘arms race’ as more countries either authorise or ignore the increased weaponry carried aboard their native ships. The use of armed guards of course is not without risks as many believe it will simply lead to escalating levels of violence and now a new hazard for those prepared to carry weapons has arisen.

On the 6th February two crewmen (also alleged to be armed guards) and the Captain of the MV Belgica were up before the Mombasa Court charged with illegally possessing weapons without a police permit, namely a Remington sniper rifle, three Russian made Izhmash Saiga-MK assault rifles (an updated AK47 type), two Glock pistols and over 600 rounds of ammunition. The guns were discovered when the German owned, Panama flagged 2,468 TEU box vessel was discharging containers at the local terminal a few days earlier.

The three, Captain Bernd Waschitzek and his two officers, Sven Bauermann and Jozef Michialik have been released on bail by the Kenyan authorities after having stated that the weapons were purely for anti piracy defence. Vessel owner Hammonia Reederei has made no comment on the company website but unconfirmed reports state the vessel is still moored at Mombasa and the two crewmen are ‘security officers’.

Photo: Courtesy of Handy Shipping Guide -  The haul of weapons discovered on the Belgica when examined by Kenyan authorities.

 

European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas has not ruled out taking unilateral action to improve vessel safety following the worst cruise ship disaster for a generation and the continuation of Somali pirate attacks against merchant shipping - Safety4Sea.

In the area of piracy, Brussels is considering moves to make mandatory the use of Best Management Practices (BMP4) for European ships travelling in pirate waters. Fotis Karamitsos, Director for Logistics, Maritime and Land Transport in the EU Commission (DG MOVE), told SMI: "Consideration will also be given to developing better ship design and looking at ways to better deter piracy."

He said the use of armed guards would also be discussed and said a conference would be convened in the Spring where the military would be consulted to discuss and address the growing concern of piracy. Read more.

 

In a reportedly leaked document on the Somalia conference planned for February 23, 2012, the Somaliland Sun says it contains a draft communique to be published at the end of the conference, according to Neptune Maritime Security :

LONDON CONFERENCE ON SOMALIA: DRAFT COMMUNIQUE

The London Conference on Somalia took place at Lancaster House on 23rd February 2012, attended by around fifty representatives from the international community, and from Somalia itself. Read more.

 

Maritime Piracy is a threat to all nations and is a crime subject to universal jurisdiction.  States are called upon to favourably consider the prosecution of suspected and imprisonment of convicted pirates, consistent with applicable International Human Rights Law and United Nations Security Council Resolutions - Lankaweb.

Pirates are considered by International Law as common enemies of all mankind.  The world naturally has an interest in the punishment of offenders and is justified in adopting international measures for the application of universal rules regarding the control of terrorism.  The common understanding between States has been that pirates should be lawfully captured from the high seas.

Capturing pirates in the high seas have become an extremely difficult task due to the vastness of the area and lack of resources.  Despite attempts to concerted acts of nations and the United Nations to combat piracy they freely engage in disturbing the world peace by attacking the economy by blocking and harming the sea routes.  The only way the goods and especially oil and gas are transported via high sea.  Most ships are unarmed.  Even though they are armed in the high seas pirates can be powerful as they are people who have risked everything to achieve their ends.  It is informed that few pirates somehowcome home alive as the fighting in the high seas are dangerous. 

Security Council of the United Nations has discussed this extensively in the highest levels.  The Council adopted resolution 1897 reviewing the anti-piracy measures of resolution1846 and 1851 for another 12 months.  With all that piracy continues. Read more.

 

Situated at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, a snow-covered Istanbul was the venue of a successful meeting in the framework of “BIMCO39” – the BIMCO network for young and mid-aged maritime professionals.

Entitled “Best Guards against Pirates” the meeting saw participation of some 60 shipping professionals from Turkey and beyond, and provided an excellent opportunity for participants to get up to speed with a series of painfully current issues related to piracy: The scope and nature of the piracy problem in a strategic context, how to implement anti-piracy Best Management Practices effectively, armed guards and the many issues for the shipowner and operator associated with their use, the commercial implications of piracy e.g. questions such as when a hijacked vessel is considered off-hire, the extent and nature of P&I cover and the various options available to owner, charterer and operator in the insurance market to hedge against the commercial risks of sailing into piracy prone waters - Neptune Maritime Security.

One topic in particular was the focus of the discussions: The use or not of private armed guards. Not least due to the excellent presentations by lawyer Stephen Askins from Ince & Co. and Nigel Carden from the International Group of P&I Clubs, supported by staff from the BIMCO Security Department and the president as well as the secretary general of BIMCO, the participants were thoroughly briefed on the advantages and potential risks associated with the use of private armed guards. The briefings provided the background for a particularly lively debate that followed, and it is safe to say that the impression which was left behind was that private armed guards may have a role to play in enhancing the security of particularly vulnerable ships. Equally clear, however, was that the decision to use armed guards should only be taken following a thorough ship and voyage specific risk assessment, in consultation with the flag state and only after detailed due diligence on the private maritime security company and its services has been carried out. Read more.

 

The government should consider whether to allow to defend themselves against private attacks, a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said Tuesday, reports Focus Taiwan. 

Taiwan's existing laws forbid fishing boats from carrying weapons on board, but the ministry feels that the Fisheries Agency and other related agencies should discuss the possibility of amending the law, said James Lee, director-general of the ministry's Department of European Affairs. 

The ministry made the suggestion in response to repeated hijackings of Taiwanese vessels by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. 

At a regular news briefing, Lee also suggested that local authorities permit fishing vessels to hire private armed guards on board, a practice adopted by some European countries such as the United Kingdom to deter pirates. 

The Fisheries Agency responded by saying that the issue was one requiring discussion among different agencies. 

"We cannot comment on that at present," Tsay Tzu-yaw, the agency's deputy director-general, told CNA. 

Meanwhile, Lee also touched on the improved cooperation between Taiwan and Europe in combating pirates, citing the example of issuing a Chinese-language handbook translated from the English-version of Best Management Practice. Read more.

 

Anti-piracy surveillance to ensure safety of the Indian Ocean region and security ties were among the issues discussed today between India and Seychelles which also inked two pacts for the supply of Coastal Surveillance Radar Systems and Dornier Aircraft to the island nation, reports IBN Live. External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his counterpart from Seychelles Jean-Paul Adam held comprehensive discussions on international, regional and bilateral issues and took stock of the current status of the ties between the countries.
During the talks, India reiterated its commitment to continue its support to Seychelles for its security, development and in its capacity-building efforts. "Other areas of cooperation discussed include trade and investment, culture, hydrocarbon sector, fisheries etc. Both sides emphasized the need to continue joint surveillance of the Exclusive Economic Zone of Seychelles and anti-piracy surveillance to ensure safety of the Indian Ocean region," a release from the MEA said here.
Both sides also discussed the regional situation and matters pertaining to Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU), it said. Apart from an MOU for the supply of Coastal Surveillance Radar Systems, an agreement between Seychelles and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the supply of a Dornier Aircraft was signed.

 

There appears to be some confusion regarding the continuation of South Africa’s anti-piracy operation in the Mozambique Channel. The South African Navy, with the aid and support of Mozambique, has maintained a forward station at the port of Pemba since early 2011, under Operation Copper - Defence Web. 

The naval presence generally consists of a frigate supported by a C-47TP Dakota reconnaissance aircraft of the South African Air Force. A South African Navy submarine has also been on patrol in the region. Navy frigate SAS Isandlwana replaced SAS Mendi on station in December.

In a letter to Parliament sent in July last year, President Jacob Zuma said that authorisation for the anti-piracy mission expires on March 31 this year. Several bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOU) with Mozambique were signed during Zuma’s visit to Mozambique in December. 

However, on Monday senior Navy personnel stated that SAS Isandlwana is due to return to South African waters shortly as the MoU between South Africa and Mozambique covering South Africa’s assistance in anti-piracy patrols was not yet in place and consequently the Navy will cease to operate in the Mozambican Channel until such time as the MoU had been signed. 

This will impact on Exercise Good Hope V, the biennial joint exercise between the South African Navy, the South African Air Force and the German Navy which is due to commence in the Mozambique Channel at the end of February. Read more.

 

China’s fast-modernizing navy is stepping up training for anti-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia in a sign of its growing long-term commitment to overseas missions - Washington Post.

The first two-week course for 84 leading officers began this week at the Naval Command College in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing, the website of the military newspaper Liberation Army Daily said Friday. The officers will run drills and discuss military theory and experiences from China’s previous anti-piracy missions, it said. Read more.

 

South Africa will host 32 member states of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and various international parties with interests in these waters when the third such event takes place in Cape Town in April 2012.

The South African Navy also assumes the chair of the IONS this year, a position it will hold for the next two years, says Biz Community.

Held every two years since 2008, the inaugural event took place in New Delhi, India, followed by the second in Abu Dhabi in 2010.

Vice-Admiral Refiloe Mudimu, the chief of the South African Navy, is expected to welcome about 30 of his peers, as well as coast guards and maritime agencies, while President Jacob Zuma will deliver the keynote address at the opening on 11 April.

"The objective of IONS 2012 is to promote constructive engagement and dialogue in order to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean and to promote areas of common interest and co-operation amongst member states," says navy spokesperson Commander Prince Tshabalala. Read more.

Fighting piracy - lecture from a NATO Officer:

 

•  Arabian Sea - MV reported hijacked at 1510UTC on 15 Feb, approx 25 miles SE of Sadh (east of Salalah, Oman). Awaiting further details. NATO reported hijack occurred 1939 UTC in position 18:10N - 057:21E on 17 Feb.

• South China Sea - Robbers boarded an anchored Liberia-flagged General Cargo Ship, Warnow Mars, at 0400 LT: in position 07:06.5S - 112:39.8E, Gresik Port Inner Anchorage, Indonesia. Robbers stole ship stores and escaped unnoticed. Incident was reported to the local authorities. Initial report (via IMB)10 Feb.

• Gulf of Guinea - A Malta-flagged general cargo vessel, Cassiopeia, underway noticed on radar two boats approaching from astern at 1913 UTC: in position 05:11.5N-003:27.1E, 74nm south of Lagos fairway buoy, Nigeria. As the boats closed they fired upon the vessel. Alarm raised and crew mustered in a safe area. The boats chased the vessel for around 25 minutes before aborting and moving away. All crew safe. Ship sustained gun shot damage. Initial report (via IMB) 11 Feb.

• South China Sea - A gang of seven robbers boarded an anchored  Bahamas bulk carrier, Clipper Morning, using a hook and a rope at 0220 LT: in position 20:40N - 107:14E, Cailan Outer Anchorage, Vietnam. Duty A/B noticed the robbers and informed bridge who raised the alarm. All crew mustered. The robbers threatened the duty A/B with knives, broke the forepeak store lock and stole ship's stores. Crewmembers tried to stop the robbers but they threw knives, sticks and iron rod at them and started lowering the stolen stores into their boat. The Master stopped the crew from confronting the robbers as some of them were armed with pistols. The robbers escaped with the stolen stores in a small motor boat. Master attempted to contact the port control but received no response. Initial report (via IMB) 12 Feb.
• Gulf of Guinea - Armed pirates chased and fired upon a drifting Panama bulk carrier, Fourseas SW. Vessel raised alarm and headed towards Lagos in position 04:43N - 003:44E, Around 110nm south of Lagos, Nigeria . All crew except the bridge team took shelter in the citadel. Due to the continuous firing the Captain and the C/E were shot and killed, other crew received injuries. The IMB Piracy Reporting Center immediately informed the Nigerian Authorities who sent out a rescue team. Reported (via IMB) 13 Feb. Rough seas prevented NN reaching location. FR warship picked up distress message and despatched helicopter and boarding team. Team provided medical assistance and ship was escorted into port.

• Arabian Sea - Pirates on three small skiffs were deployed from a white haul boat, and subsequently attempted to hijack a Liberian-flagged Greek owned bulk carrier MV Mourmoura. The vessel was underway in position 14:57N - 064:29E. Three security guards aboard the bulker demonstrated their presence, and pirates aborted the attack. The vessel and her 19 Filipino crewmembers are reported to be safe. Reported (via Somalia Report) 13 Feb.
• Gulf of Aden - Armed pirates in a single skiff attacked a Hong Kong-flagged, Canadian-owned container ship, MV Cosco Pride, while she was underway in position 13:09.5N - 048:48.9E. The Master made evasive manoeuvres, and evaded the attack. All crew members are safe, however the vessel suffered some damage. Reported (via Somalia Report) 13 Feb.
• Indian Ocean - A fishing vessel, FV Sinjin 35, was attacked by pirates on a small skiff. The ship was in position 07:52S - 069:54E, but sped away leaving the fishing gear behind. Reported (via Somalia Report) 13 Feb.
• Arabian Sea - 12 pirates armed with guns in a 20 feet dhow, brown in colour, name written as Hander, attacked and boarded a fishing vessel while engaged in fishing activities at 1930 LT: in position approximately 35 nm off Masirah Island, Oman.. They took hostage eight crewmembers, stole their personal belongings, cash, 2 drums of diesel and all food items available onboard the fishing vessel and escaped. No injuries to crew. The fishing vessel reported the incident to Omani authorities. The dhow with pirates onboard was reported to be operating South West of Masirah Island. Reported (via IMB) 14 Feb.

• Indian Ocean - About 20 robbers in two boats approached an anchored Greece-flagged tanker, Olympic Flair, and attempted to board her at 1650 UTC: in position 09:57N – 076:02E, around 2.5nm South of SPM, Cochin Anchorage, India. The lookout crew noticed the robbers, raised the alarm and crew mustered. The robbers aborted the attack upon seeing the crew alertness and moved away. Initial report (via IMB) 15 Feb.

• South Red Sea (BAM) - seven heavily armed pirates on two skiffs attempted to hijack a Panama-flagged, Singapore-owned chemical oil products tanker, MT Bow Sagami in position 12:35N - 042:20E. The Master raised the alarm, altered course, the onboard security team fired hand flares and warning shots, and pirates aborted the attack. The vessel and her crew, comprised of one Filipino and twenty Indians are now safe. Reported (via Somalia Report) 15 Feb.

Subscribe to our newsletter.It arrives in your inbox days before the online version, and does not require a document download.

OCEANUSLive.org

Information, Security, Safety; Shared

Submitted by Team@oceanuslive.org