On November 3, two suspicious skiffs attempted piracy attack to a Chemical Tanker as the vessel was making northbound passage through the Red Sea west of Yemen.
The skiffs were approaching Stena Imperial from the port side from 1.5 Nautical Miles. The crew raised the alarm and the Master with the on board security team mustered on the bridge.
The security team fired hand flares towards the skiffs as warning shot as they were approaching the vessel. A security message was broadcasted about the attempted attack and a close by warship was contacted. A
fter the flares were fired, the skiffs ceased approach and passed by the stern. One of the motor boats passed astern again and tried to approach the vessel one more time. Once again hand flares were fired and the skiff slowed down and moved towards another vessel.
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On the whole the pirate situation in the Gulf of Aden has calmed down and there have not been any hijackings for a long time. But when we sail off the coast of Yemen we choose to use guards due to the lawless state prevailing in the country at the moment. This has created the same kind of desperation in the population as we saw in Somalia a number of years ago.
Comments Erik Hånell, CEO Stena Bulk.
In fact, in the latest report by IMB reported that no vessels were reported as hijacked in the third quarter of 2018, marking the first time since 1994 when no vessel hijackings have been reported in two consecutive quarters.
In total there were 156 incidents in the first nine months of 2018.
The Gulf of Guinea accounts for 57 of the 156 reported incidents. Most of these incidents have been reported in and around Nigeria (41), and there has also been a noticeable increase in the number of vessels boarded at the Takoradi anchorage, in Ghana.
In addition, 37 of the 39 crew kidnappings for ransom globally have taken place in the Gulf of Guinea region, in seven separate incidents.
