Tag: Gulf of Aden

Foreign governments have to take measures for piracy Indian seafarers are threatening to refuse to sail to the pirate-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean if foreign governments fail to halt the increasing violent attacks on seafarers.The statement from Abdul Gani Serang, general-secretary of the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI), follows growing concern in India about the risks to Indian seafarers.There have been nationwide protests following the continued kidnap of seven Indian crew members of the Asphalt Venture, who Somali pirates still hold captive despite the payment of a ransom to release the ship and eight other crew members. Somali pirates currently hold captive about 50 Indian seafarers.Abdul Gani Serang commented that: They are kidnapped, taken hostage and going through terrible psychological trauma, and even their families suffer in silence. But little attention is given by international governments.Meanwhile, naval forces operating in the Gulf of Aden and other danger waters are continuing to take action to prevent attacks and rescue victims. In an operation in the Gulf of Oman on 16 May, naval forces are reported to have killed four pirates attacking the German-owned, Panama-flagged supertanker Artemis Glory.On 13 May, a French warship disrupted a ...

Marine Safety Advisory No.63-11 The Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) has issued the following advisories: A merchant vessel reported coming under fire at 1639Z on 15 May in position 14:09N-055:25E, approximately 171nm northeast of Socotra Island, Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. This area will remain high risk for at least the next 24-48 hours.For further information, click here.Source: Republic of the Marshall Islands

Marine Ops Note 08/2010 - Marine Security Advisory 01/2011- MSC.1/Circ.1337 In response to piracy attacks that have occurred outside the previously defined pirate activity area, the Liberian Administration has revised the setting of MANDATORY SECURITY LEVEL II for all Liberian flagged vessels when transiting the Gulf of Aden and the High Risk Area (HRA) for piracy in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean., effective immediately.For further information, click here.Source: Republic of Liberia

5-12 May 2011 During the reporting period (5-12 May 2011) there have been five attacks, three approaches and one suspicious incident in total. None of these events resulted in the seizure of a vessel.The location of the suspicious activity near to the coast of Iran could be assessed as an act of maritime crime committed by local copy cats. All activities in this period occurred in the Arabian Sea between 10 and 25N, 55 and 70E.Actions by coalition warships along the Somali coast focused on identified staging areas used by the pirates resulted in the disruption of three Pirate Attack Groups (PAG). FV JIH CHUN TSAI 68, and JELBUT 24 have been retaken from the pirates. FV PRANTALY 12, although still in pirate possession, is no longer in a seaworthy state and, according to a pirate statement, will be returned without ransom payment in due course.Despite coalition force activities, there are clear indications that the pirates are preparing to increase their activity and trying to penetrate the warship barrier. One vessel, Jelbut 33, although repeatedly relocated by patrol aircraft, managed to pass the warships undetected and is now operating in the area 20 to 25N and 60 to 65E.Based on ...

28 April - 5 May 2011 During the reporting period (28 April - 05 May 11) and compared to previous weeks, overall piracy activity slightly increased. In total, one MV was successfully pirated off the Kenyan coast.Additionally, there were two attacks in the Somali Basin East of 65 E, one approach off the coast of Oman, as well as two suspicious incidents in the Arabian Sea and one in the GOA respectively. Although two dhows have been successfully disrupted shortly after having left their anchorage, two dhows, one whaler PAG and the FV Jih Chun Tsai have been located by patrol aircraft underway on probable mother ship operations.Consequently it is now assessed that two dhow PAG are operating in the Arabian Sea one in the area between 17 and 23 degrees N and 57 and 63 degrees E and the second between 10 to 15 N and 65 to 70 E. Jih Chun Tsai, in company with Jelbut 33 remains in the area 5 to 10N and 50 to 55E on changing courses and giving no indication of their operational intentions.Jelbut 32 currently located in the area 0 to 5N and 50 to 55E on an easterly heading, might very ...

Planning to allow shipping companies recruit armed guards The government is planning to allow shipping companies recruit armed guards to fight pirates, who have hijacked 12 Indian merchant ships in last four years.Ministries of shipping, external affairs and defence are working in tandem to come out with an enabling framework that will help to improve security apparatus on commercial vessels.The industry has been seeking government permission to strengthen their on-board security apparatus specially on ships that use the busy Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean route, where Somali pirates have recently hijacked ships with Indian crew. Although the pirate have not attacked any passenger ship, they have hijacked 12 Indian merchant ships since 2007 and taken 171 crew members hostage."The government is considering the proposal (to allow armed guard on board ships),' the official spokesperson of the Indian Navy said. The three ministries involved in the process have already held discuission with the industry to finalise the contours of the proposed norms."We are considering two options. One is to bring out a law and the second is to issue an executive order, which will be a faster way to safeguard our ships. However, the talks have not concluded as ...

Schedule for April 2011 The Russian Maritime Security Service (RMSS) has advised that the Russian Russian warship Admiral Vinogradov will execute the following convoys for the month of April 2011:Westbound convoys, assembly point "B": 15 45 N - 061 30 E 03 April 2011, estimated time of departure 0400Z Eastbound convoys, assembly point "A": 14 30 N - 042 00 E No eastbound convoys are currently scheduled.Any further convoys will be advised later. Joining instructionsShipping companies are invited to send applications for joining using the below application form to the RMSS: Email: [email protected] and [email protected] or Fax: +7 (495) 607-01-95 Deadline for application is 1 April 1200Z.Source: EU NAVFOR

April 2011 In April 2011 the Government of Japan (GOJ) provides escort operations by Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) for vessels in accordance with the schedule below.Please note that due to an increase in piracy activity, the easternmost rendezvous point "C" has been moved further eastwards.Westbound convoys, rendezvous point "C": 14 55 N - 054 38 E: 05 April, 0500Z 14 April, 0500Z 21 April, 1500Z 30 April, 0500ZEastbound convoys, rendezvous point "A": 11 50 N - 045 00 E: 02 April, 1500Z 11 April, 1500Z 16 April, 1500Z 27 April, 1500ZConvoy speed The base speed is 12 knots.Joining instructions Application for JMSDF escort operation must be made directly to the GOJ, which is a separate procedure from the application to MSCHOA. Merchant vessels that wish to apply for JMSDF escort operation should visit http://www.mlit.go.jp/en/maritime/maritime_fr2_000000.html and follow the application procedure.Source: EU NAVFOR

No further information about the crew At approximately 0900Z on 28 March, theCrude Oil Tanker the MV ZIRKU was pirated approximately 250 nautical miles South East of Salalah in the eastern part of the Gulf of Aden.The UAE flagged and Kuwaiti owned vessel was on its way to Singapore from Bashayer (Sudan) when it was attacked. The vessel was attacked by 2 pirate skiffs firing RPGs and small arms.The MV ZIRKU has a crew of 29 (1 Croatian, 1 Iraqi, 1 Filipino, 1 Indian, 3 Jordanians, 3 Eqyptians, 2 Ukrainians and 17 Pakistanis). There is no further information about the crew at present.The MV ZIRKU wasregistered with MSC(HOA), andwas reporting to UKMTO. EUNAVFOR are continuing to monitor the situation.Source: EU NAVFOR

Only the Socialist Party was against The Dutch parliament has agreed to deploy Dutch troops on board a number of Dutch merchant ships to protect them against piracy in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.The only party to vote against the measure was the Socialist Party, which said too many things about the mission were unclear.The first Dutch sailors will embark in the Indian city of Mumbai on Wednesday. Thirty sailors will join two tow boats sailing under the Dutch flag and a crane ship sailing under the Panamanian flag. The convoy will sail to the United Arab Emirates.Later this month 20 other sailors will sail with a Dutch ship sailing from China to the Netherlands - the troops will join the ship for 22 days at Singapore and disembark in the Republic of Djibouti on the Horn of Africa.The operation will cost 1 million euros altogether and the costs will be shared between the Ministry of Defence and the shipping companies. Most of the costs will be for the ministry as it covers the costs of transporting troops and military hardware. The cabinet has promised to take another look at how the costs are divided as MPs ...