The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa will conduct a Regional Conference on Combating Money Laundering in the Maritime Sector in Freetown, Republic of Sierra Leone, from October 24 to October 26. The program aims to strengthen the ability of law enforcement officials regarding financial crime.
On September 17, four armed robbers boarded an anchored product tanker, at Conakry Anchorage, Guinea. After the robbers boarded the ship, they started firing at the bridge windows and gained access into the accommodation. The crewmembers mustered in the citadel, until the boarders left. All crew is reported safe.
Mr. Jakob P. Larsen, Head of Maritime Security at BIMCO, provides an overview of the status of maritime security in the piracy affected areas around the world, citing possible reasons for the escalation of piracy in the GoG. In addition, Mr. Larsen highlights that industry should not be complacent with the lower activity reported in Somalia.
The Panamanian-flagged tanker ‘Pantalena’ has docked at a port in Togo, after missing for over a week along with its 19 crew, the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday. Contact with the ship was lost on 14 August, while it was sailing about 17 miles off Gabon, in the Gulf of Guinea.
Despite having big potential, the Gulf of Guinea is one of the most dangerous places when it comes to maritime security, as it faces many threats. In order to mitigate this problem, naval chiefs from 38 countries gathered in Lagos for the International Maritime Conference to try and find solutions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Georgia informed that the ship ‘Pantelena’ sailing under a Panamanian flag with 17 Georgian sailors on board has been missing since August 14. Contact with the lost ship, which was transporting oil, was last established while it was sailing near the west coast of Africa, in Guinea Bay.
A total of 35 seafarers were kidnapped for ransom in the Gulf of Guinea in the first half of 2018, according to a new paper issued by EOS Risk Group. 95% of attacks on merchant vessels in the region during this period occurred Between Brass and Port Harcourt, within 60nm of the shore, the report reads.
The ICC International Maritime Bureau published its second quarterly report. The report says that 107 incidents were reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) in the first six months of 2018. In addition, all 2018 crew kidnappings have taken place in the Gulf of Guinea in six separate incidents.
Last week, Gabon’s law enforcement agents, in cooperation with Sea Shepherd crew, arrested two foreign trawlers, the ‘Jinli 961’ and ‘Jinli 962’, for fishing without a license in Gabonese waters. The two vessels were escorted to the port of Libreville, where they now face charges of illegal fishing.
In order to limit maritime crime on the Gulf of Guinea waters, and especially piracy and sea robbery, the Nigerian Navy along with France, China, Portugal, Cameroon, Ghana and Togo conducted a maritime exercise named Exercise EKU KEGBE, of which 12 Nigerian Navy ships and ships from the other countries were deployed.
