Increased Risk of Piracy
As the effects of the southwest monsoon abate in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin, the weather is becoming more favourable for pirate operations in the Arabian Sea and southern Somali Basin. We assess that significant numbers of Somali Pirates are preparing to get underway and that some are probably already in transit to established shipping lanes. At least one Pirate Action Group has been observed in the central Somali Basin and several others are assessed to be operational. The risk of Piracy is currently increased in the southern Somali Basin south of 3 degrees north and in the Eastern Gulf of Aden. Pirate groups are likely to exploit pirated dhows and fishing vessels as mother ships to extend their range into the Arabian Sea and the central Indian Ocean. The pirated Taiwanese fishing vessel Tai Yuan 227 remains unlocated and has the potential to conduct pirate operations east of 65 East. The Tai Yuan 227 is a white hulled fishing vessel, approximately 50 metres long, with the registration numbers BH3Z87 painted in large black letters on the hull. These vessels represent an active threat to merchant shipping and any small boat observed in the open ocean more than 300Nm from the Somali coast should be considered to be a potential pirate vessel.
Alert in agreement between NATO and MSCHOA.
Source: NSC