Reporting period 15 January – 22 January 2014
The NATO has issued latest Weekly Piracy Assessment for reporting period 15 January to 22 January 2014. Please click at table below to enlarge and view updates for this week.
Regional Considerations(Horn of Africa):
Masters
Masters are advised to remain vigilant at all times inside the High Risk Area (HRA) and follow the guidance and protective measures, as set down in BMP4.
Sailing Yachts
Sailing yachts should avoid transiting the HRA. Past activity has shown that pirates will attack both large and small yachts passing their way. Despite the fact that attacks on merchant vessels appear to have decreased, the possibility of attacks and the successful pirating of sailing vessels remains likely due to their vulnerability and the reduction of revenue sources from pirated merchant vessels.
Reporting
When reporting, information should be complete, in particular reports to include any piracy related equipment / weapons (ladders / RPGs). Many of these incidents have been assessed as non-piracy related activity and are associated with common patterns of life in the area. These activities include fishing, small vessel trade, smuggling and other local vessel movements.
Fishing Activities – Possible Mix Up with Piracy
Fishing vessels may approach merchant ships to maximize fishing opportunities or to safeguard fishing nets which have been set. Furthermore fishermen in the region regularly carry small arms onboard their vessels, so the visual identification of a small arm is not a positive indicator of pirates. It is not uncommon for fishing vessels to follow merchant and large vessels in order to capitalize on the often increased numbers of fish in the resultant wake. Please note that, if the NATO Shipping Centre assesses an approach or incident to be piracy-related, we will issue relevant warnings. Please see further information on NSC webpage The Dhow and Skiff Recognition Guide
