Pirates boarded the chemical/product tanker Success 9 on Monday, 300 miles off the of Ivory Coast a few weeks after Monjasa Reformer tanker was also attacked in the area.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) stated that the Success 9, a Singapore-registered oil tanker, was boarded by unidentified men on Monday, April 10 about 300 nautical miles off the coast of Abidjan, Cote d’lvoire. There are 20 crew of various nationalities onboard the vessel, of which one of them is a Singapore citizen.
MPA is working closely with the ship owner, Monrovia Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre and the Information Fusion Centre at the Changi Command and Control Centre to monitor the situation and render the necessary assistance.
This news broke a few weeks after the Monjasa tanker, which was also hijacked by pirates in March in the Gulf of Guinea and six crew members were kidnapped. IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim expressed concern over the incidents.
I am deeply concerned over the recent kidnapping of six crew members from the MV Monjasa Reformer on 25 March 2023 and reports of an ongoing incident involving a tanker in the Gulf of Guinea.
… said Secretary-General, Kitack Lim
He also highlighted that IMO recognizes the progress that has been made since 2021 in the collective efforts to combat the threat of piracy and the resulting reduction in the number of pirate attacks.
Furthermore, he reminded that IMO urges continued sustainable support to the important work of the regional navies and entities within the Yaoundé Architecture to protect seafarers and to the operational piracy response from the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum (SHADE) and the G7++ Friends of the Gulf of Guinea, in keeping with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2634 on piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
I would like to appreciate the regional and international efforts to respond to this disturbing incident. I wish to reiterate that the ongoing threat must be addressed cohesively, involving all relevant actors and including regional entities.
… added the Secretary-General
IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said: “I am deeply concerned over the recent kidnapping of six crew members from the MV Monjasa Reformer on 25 March 2023 and reports of an ongoing incident involving a tanker in the Gulf of Guinea.
Update 1 : the vessel remains unlocated. All ships within the vicinity are requested to report any sighting of the vessel or suspicious activity. pic.twitter.com/NlfJfUn38k
— Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade Gulf of Guinea (@MDAT_GoG) April 12, 2023
