Tag: maritime piracy

Pirate disruption On the afternoon of 3 April 2011, the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship ESPS INFANTA ELENA, identified and boarded a suspected pirate whaler 89 Nautical miles South-East of Mombasa.The warship had received a short notice tasking to locate a suspected Pirate Action Group (PAG) that had attacked a merchant vessel earlier the same day.Boarding team stop suspecte pirate whalerOn arriving in the area, the INFANTA ELENA found a whaler-type boat, which together with 2 attack skiffs, was suspected of being responsible for the earlier attack. There were two suspected pirates onboard together with significant numbers of fuel barrels, as well as other suspected pirate-related paraphernalia, all of which were seized. The suspected pirates were detained by the warship and the whaler was destroyed. There was no sign of the attack skiffs which are thought to still be at large.As there was insufficient evidence to secure a prosecution, the suspected pirates will be returned to Somalia as soon as operations allow.This disruption has hampered pirate action in the area and is assessed to have prevented attacks on merchant and other vulnerable vessels.Source: EU NAVFOR

Lessons From Gulf Of Aden Analysis There has been a marked increase in the total number of piracy incidents against ships in Asia in 2010 compared to previous years. In terms of location, the South China Sea stood out. Can the counter-piracy actions in the Gulf of Aden be applied to the South China Sea?THE ANNUAL report released by the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) in January 2011 noted a marked increase in the total number of incidents or piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia in 2010. This compares unfavourably to the period of 2006-2009 when there was a 60 percent increase in incidents over the numbers in 2009. Much of the increase can be attributed to incidents occurring in ports and anchorages but one area stood out - the South China Sea.In 2010, 17 actual incidents were reported in the South China Sea, the highest number of incidents reported during the five-year period from 2006-2010. The number of incidents also represented a 55 percent increase over 2009, which also saw an increase of 120 percent over 2008.Most of the incidents occurred in international sea lanes off Pulau Anambas and Pulau Mangkai. What is a cause for concern ...

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 ...

Surcharges imposed earlier on containers Maersk Line announced a steep increase in emergency risk surcharges imposed earlier on containers moving via ports in the Indian Ocean Islands and East Africa, starting April 1.The new surcharge on cargo shipped to and from the Indian Ocean Islands and Europe will be $350 per 40-foot container, compared with $250 per FEU now.For the Middle East and East Africa trade, the surcharge will increase to $400 per FEU from $250 per FEU.The revised surcharge on the U.S.-East Africa route will be $400 per FEU, up from $300 per FEU."As a result of increased piracy activity, and in the light of our continuous efforts to prevent piracy attacks and protect our crews and cargo, we have revised our emergency risk surcharges to mitigate higher security expenses," the Danish carrier said Tuesday.Source: Portnews

Immediately used as a mothership At approximately 0730Z on 16 March, theBulk Cargo Carrier MV SINAR KUDUS was pirated approximately 320 nautical miles North East of the island of Socotra in the Somali Basin. Within 24 hours of being taken, she was used to launch an unsuccessful attack on the MV EMPEROR.The MV SINAR KUDUS, which is Indonesian flagged and owned, was on its way to Suez (Egypt) from Singapore when it was attacked. Details of the attack are not known at this time but initial reports from the crew stated that 30 to 50 pirates had boarded and taken control of the vessel. The MV SINAR KUDUS has a crew of 20, all Indonesian.Within 24 hours of the attack, the MV SINAR KUDUS was used to launch a further attack on the Liberian flagged Bulk Carrier MV EMPEROR. A skiff with 5 pirates on board was launched from the SINAR KUDUS and attacked the EMPEROR but was repelled by the armed force from the merchant vessel. The EMPEROR was subsequently reported to be safe.The MV SINAR KUDUS and the MV EMPEROR were registered with MSC(HOA), andwere reporting to UKMTO.Source: EU NAVFOR

More operational and legal teeth to Navy and Coast Guard India now plans to take the battle to the pirates, with measures finalized to give more operational and legal teeth to Navy and Coast Guard. This will enable the two maritime forces to operate "much more aggressively" against sea brigands on the high seas than ever before.Under the new "rules of engagement" and standard operating procedures firmed up, Indian warships will now engage or disable pirate ships in "a far more pro-active manner"."Till now, our warships were usually opening fire in self-defence or if pirates were found attacking or hijacking merchant vessels. The new measures will also include stepped-up VBSS (visit, board, search and seizure) operations. But force used will be proportional to resistance offered, in line with UN laws," said a source.There will also be some additional deployment of warships off the coast of Somalia as well as Arabian Sea to "sanitize" the routes being taken by Indian-flagged merchant vessels.With the government being criticized for its lackadaisical attitude to the entire piracy issue, and 53 Indian sailors still in the captivity of Somali pirates, the Cabinet Committee on Security met under PM Manmohan Singh on Friday to approve a ...

Combating piracy in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia The Government on Friday announced a four-pronged strategy - including establishment of an inter-ministerial group, naval cooperation with friendly countries in the Gulf of Aden and intensifying diplomatic efforts - to counter the menace posed by pirates taking hostage of Indian ships and seafarers on the high seas.Making a suo motu statement in the Lok Sabha immediately after the question hour, the Union External Affairs Minister, Mr S.M. Krishna, said the Cabinet Committee on Security met earlier in the day and approved a series of measures to address the "legal, administrative and operational aspects of combating piracy" in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia.Stating that a broad policy framework covering all these aspects was approved, he said this would entail actions in the medium and long term by the Ministries of Shipping, External Affairs and Defence.Mr Krishna said the Committee discussed the immediate situation arising out of Indians held hostage by pirates. It noted that currently 53 Indian seafarers are in captivity on five different ships, and expressed its sympathy for their families and resolved to take the necessary action to safeguard their ...

Crew of 14 Iranian fishermen On 11 March, the helicopter of the French EUNAVFOR warship FS NIVOSE, while on aerial patrol, intercepted and responded to a distress signal from JELBUT 22, also known as AL MANSUR.The fishing dhows position was 130 nautical miles East of Eyl, on the Somali coast. EUNAVFOR warship NIVOSE sent a team to the assistance of the vessel and, at the invitation of the captain of the dhow, boarded the vessel to assist.The crew reported that the JELBUT 22, with a crew of 14 Iranian fishermen, had been attacked and pirated by two skiffs, carrying 16 suspected pirates, in November 2010.The fishing dhow had then been used as a mother vessel in a number of failed attacks against merchant vessels.The pirates eventually abandoned the dhow when it ran out of fuel and water. FS NIVOSE replenished the dhow with these much needed supplies to allow it to continue to a safe port.Source: EU NAVFOR

More shipowners resort to weapons on board There has been a hundred per cent increase in the ransom paid to pirates followinghijackings in 2010, a senior industry official has said.Experts from the maritime and shipping industry who had gathered in Dubai for the Piracy Seminar on Tuesday were of the opinion that the combined naval forces had failed to control or restrain the pirates during the past 12 months.According to Stephen Askins from the International Law firm, Ince and Co, "the levels of piracy activity in December 2010 and January 2011 have far exceeded those for the corresponding periods in 2010."Although it is difficult to calculate the exact amount that has been paid as ransom, Askins said the number has increased "by almost 100 per cent."Lt Cdr Allan Eastham, Commanding officer at UK Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO) in Dubai was of the opinion that the battle against pirates cannot be won by the navy alone."The navy cannot win this war. It needs a political solution," he said.According to him the forces currently have about six vessels patrolling the IRTC, while the remaining 25 vessels stationed in other areas. "The area in which the pirates operate has widened quite significantly. Earlier ...