According Reuters, on Wednesday, approximately 30 commercial ships took refuge in Gabon’s waters following reports of a military coup in the Central African nation.
Military officers in the oil-producing country have reportedly placed President Ali Bongo under house arrest. This comes in the wake of the country’s election body declaring Bongo as the winner of a controversial third term. The borders have been closed and state institutions have been dissolved, Reuters reports.
Reuters adds that based on ship tracking data provided by analytics company MarineTraffic, on Wednesday, a number of vessels, ranging from commercial cargo ships to tankers, were observed in close proximity to Gabon’s key ports, including Owendo near the capital city of Libreville, and Port Gentil located further south.
Ambrey, a British maritime security company, reported a halt in port operations in Libreville following the announcement of the coup. According to Ambrey, no vessels have entered or departed the port since this significant development, Reuters claims.
