11 July 2011
9.07.2011: 2140 UTC: Posn: 09:06.0N – 014:06.3E, Conakry, Guinea
Pirates in a motor boat approached a drifting bulk carrier. The duty officer noticed the approaching boat and raised the alarm and the crew mustered. The pirates fired machine guns and RPG at the vessel and moved away. The vessel proceeded further out to sea.
06.07.2011: 0023 UTC: Posn: 12:29N – 044:44E: around 20nm SW of Aden, Gulf of Aden
Seven pirates boarded a tanker which had stopped. It was later reported that the pirates had left the vessel due to a possible fire on board the vessel. Due to the fire the crew abandoned the vessel and were rescued by a nearby coalition naval vessel.
04.07.2011: 0415 LT: Posn: 06:05.9S – 106:53.0E, Tg. Priok port, Jakarta, Indonesia
Three robbers armed with knives boarded a berthed bulk carrier during discharging operations via the shore side cargo net. Duty crew noticed the robbers near the forward store and informed the D/O who raised the alarm. The duty crew tried to stop the robbers from stealing, but were threatened with a knife. The robbers lowered the stolen properties into a small boat on the sea side and escaped.
01.07.2011: 2341 LT: Posn: 01:16.6N – 104:12.8E, around 3.7nm south of Tg. Ayam, Malaysia
Robbers in four fast moving boats attempted to board a bulk carrier underway. Alarm was raised, fire hoses activated, all deck lights switched on, anti-piracy crew directed searchlights towards the boats, evasive manoeuvres were carried out in the restricted TSS lane and VTIS Singapore wasinformed. After several attempts, the boats aborted the attack and moved away.
01.07.2011: 1835 UTC: Posn: 01:31.6N – 104:32.2E, South China Sea
Duty officer onboard a tug towing a barge sighted three pirates armed with knives. Alarm wasraised and the crew alerted. Upon hearing the alarm, the pirates escaped in their speed boat. A search was conducted, no pirates were found onboard and nothing was stolen. The tug continued her passage.
30.06.2011: 0630 UTC: Cat Lai anchorage, Vietnam
While at anchor, the duty officer onboard a container ship noticed two boats approaching the vessel. He instructed the duty ABs to investigate. The persons in the boat pretended to be fishermen trying to sell fish, phone cards, fruits etc. The boat people engaged the ABs for nearly 30 minutes before moving away. It was later discovered that ship stores had been stolen from the forward stores. Attempts to contact port control was futile.
30.06.2011: 0205 UTC: Posn: 06:00N – 002:29E: Cotonou anchorage, Benin
Armed robbers in a speed boat boarded a product tanker during STS operations, stole ship’s and crew property and escaped. For safe STS operations the vessel had to remove the razor wire surrounding the vessel. The robbers used this to their advantage and gained access to the vessel.
29.06.2011: 1530 UTC: Posn: 13:17N – 042:59E, around 21nm NE of Assab, Eritrea, Red Sea
Two skiffs with six pirates in each skiff approached a chemical tanker underway. The Master raised the alarm, thecrew was alerted and commenced manoeuvring. At a distance of 100 meters a ladder and weapons were sighted in the skiff. The onboard security team fired warning shots and the pirates aborted the attack.
26.06.2011: 0910 UTC: Posn: 21:42N – 060:29E: Around 62nm SE of Ras al Hadd, Oman (Off Somalia)
Two skiffs with five pirates in each chased a bulk carrier underway. The pirates fired RPGs at the vessel. The pirates managed to hook on the ladder onto the ships rail; however, due to evasive manoeuvres and using sea and swell to advantage coupled with razor wire and response from coalition navies, the pirates aborted the attempt and moved away. A grey hulled mother vessel approximately 40 meters in length was reported in the vicinity.
24.06.2011: 0030 LT: Posn: 06:08.59N – 002:28.26E: around 12nm off Cotonou, Benin
Four robbers in a speed boat boarded the vessel. All crew went into thecitadel, but therobbers managed to capture the 2nd engineer before he could enter the citadel. Seeing this, the Master presented himself to the robbers as well. The robbers took the Master and 2nd engineer and stole ship’s and crew cash and personal belongings. During this time the Master and 2nd engineer were also hit by the robbers. Port control was contacted but no response was received. At the time of the incident the vessel was undergoing STS operations and had to remove the razor wire to enable smooth operations. The robbers took advantage of this and gained access to the vessel.
Source: IMB Piracy Reporting Centre
