Tag: maritime piracy

Development in the tactics employed by Somali pirates A recent incident could signal a worrying development in the tactics employed by Somali pirates, according to the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB).On 12 January 2011, suspected Somali pirates boarded a generalcargo vessel some 270 NM north east of Socotra Island. The attack was launched from a previously-captured fishing vessel currently being used as a mother ship. Six crew members- two Danes and four Filipinos- were removed from their ship and transferred to the hijacked fishing vessel.Hijacked vessels have previously been used by the pirates, enabling a greater range and capability- meaning they can operate further into the Indian Ocean and with no interference by naval forces.IMB Director Pottengal Mukundan commented: "Whilst the use of hijacked vessels as mother ships is not a new phenomenon, the abduction of crew members could signal a significant new development."At least five large hijacked cargo ships and three fishing vessels have acted as mother ships in the last couple of months, posing a new and significant threat to the safety of shipping. The five cargo vessels range in size from MT 5,000 to 72,000 in deadweight - or cargo carrying capacity - and include four tankers ...

NATO Shipping Center weekly assessment - 14 January 2011 Gulf of Aden/Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). The monsoon is not effecting small boat operation in the GoA and skiffs blending in the local traffic to conduct piracy can be expected at any time without or little warning. The past week has seen several attack calls in the western part of the GoA and even southern Red Sea. Evaluation of these incidents has revealed that the approaches and attacks are related to fishing and angry fishermen and not to piracy. The main piracy threat remains in the central and eastern part of the GoA/IRTC.Arabian Sea/Greater Somali Basin. The northeast monsoon is not affecting the Arabian Sea or Greater Somali Basin and pirates in the northern part of the Somali Basin and the Arabian Sea remain very active being responsible for at least eight attacks or approaches.The number of pirated fishing vessels and dhows conducting piracy operations is assessed to be at least three dhow type mother ship pirate attack groups (or PAGs) underway in the western Arabian Sea and two fishing vessel mother ship PAG, FV Shiuh Fu 1 and FV Tai Yuan 227, in the western Arabian Sea possibly northern ...

Ships held in captivity by Somali pirates as of 10 January 2011 Name Date Taken Flag Crew Type HUD HUD23 Mar 09Unk.11DhowICEBERG I29 Mar 10Panama24RoRoJIH-CHUN TSAI 6830 Mar 10Taiwan14Fishing vesselRAK AFRIKANA11 Apr 10St. Vincent - Grenadines26Dry CargoPRANTALAY 11, 12 AND 1417 Apr 10Thailand77Fishing vesselsTAI YUAN 22706 May 10Taiwan24Fishing vesselMOTIVATOR04 Jul 10Marshall Islands18TankerSUEZ02 Aug 10Panama22General CargoOLIB G08 Sep 10Malta18Chemical Tanker en route for demolitionASPHALT VENTURE28 Sep 10Panama15TankerIZUMI10 Oct 10PanamaUnk.Bulk CarrierYORK23 Oct 10Singapore16Merchant TankerCHOIZIL26 Oct 10South Africa2 (3)YachtPOLAR30 Oct 10Panama24TankerHANNIBAL II11 Nov 10Panama31TankerYUAN XIANG12 Nov 10Panama29General CargoALBEDO26 Nov 10Malaysia23ContainerJAHAN MONI05 Dec 10Bangladesh26Bulk CarrierMSC PANAMA10 Dec 10Liberia23ContainerRENUAR11 Dec 10Panama24Bulk CarrierORNA20 Dec 10Panama19Bulk CarrierTHOR NEXUS25 Dec 10Thailand27General CargoEMS RIVER29 Dec 10Antigua-Babuda8General CargoBLIDA01 Jan 11Algeria27Bulk CarrierAL MUSAA10 Jan 11Unk.Unk.DhowSource: UKMTO

USCG updated advisory regarding piracy and armed robbery against ships The US Coast Guard issued an updated advisory relating to prevention and deterrence of piracy and armed robbery against ships. The advisory has been revised solely to reflect the latest release of MARSEC Directive 104-6 (series).Please refer to the full text of the Safety Advisory.Source: US Coast Guard

Repost of piracy activities Alert update 0700 UTC 10JAN11Vega 5 - 0148N 04558E is assessed as being used by pirates for piracy operations. 1626UTC 07JAN11Shiuh Fu No.1 - 1305S 05633E1045UTC 30DEC10 possibly heading back to the anchorage off Somalia. No current update.Gulf of Aden/Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). The monsoon is not effecting small boat operation in the GoA and skiffs blending in the local traffic to conduct piracy can be expected at any time. On Sunday, 02 January, a suspicious skiff was reported operating in the central IRTC. The skiff was subsequently disrupted and is almost certainly pirate-related activity confirming the threat of piracy without or little warning.Arabian Sea/Greater Somali Basin. The weather in the rest of the Arabian Sea, as well as in both the northern and southern Somali Basin, remains favourable for small boat operations and hence pirate operations in areas are not greatly affected by the monsoon. Although sea states are higher along the eastern coast of Somalia the monsoon has not greatly affected the deeper basin.The number of pirated fishing vessels and dhows conducting piracy operations is assessed to be at least five mother ship pirate attack groups (or PAGs) underway in the Arabian Sea ...

A new type of defence system British engineers are developing a new type of defence system that uses lasers to incapacitate pirates by dazzling them as they approach a ship.The non-lethal weapon, which has been developed by defence company BAE Systems, is effective against moving targets more than a mile away.The company has started developing the laser in response to the growing threat from pirates to commercial vessels, particularly off the coast of Somalia where there have been several high profile hijackings.The device effectively hides the vessel carrying it in a bright green glare from the laser, forcing the pirates off course and leaving them unable to aim their weapons accurately."We are using the laser as a kind of dummy sun that we can hide the vessel behind," said Roy Clarke, BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre.Source: The Telegraph

Crew uses citadel to repel pirates Suspected Somali pirates boarded a British-flagged tanker, but abandoned the siege after the crew locked themselves in a safe room and retained control of the vessel, a naval task force said Tuesday.The foiled attack in the North Arabian Sea - approximately 365 nautical miles southeast of Salalah in Oman - suggested Somali pirate skiffs are extending their range into waters farther north toward Oman.A statement by the Bahrain-based Combined Maritime Forces said suspected Somali pirates opened fire from several skiffs and managed to board the merchant vessel CPO China on Monday, but the 20-member crew took refuge in a protected room that allowed them to keep control of the ship.Sailors from a ship in the multinational flotilla, the Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne, boarded the merchant vessel Tuesday and found the pirates gone and all crew safe, the statement said.On Saturday, pirates seized the Algerian-owned ship MV Blida with 27 crew members onboard about 150 nautical miles southeast of Salalah. Source: The Associated Press

Mozambican fishing vessel pirated The Mozambican flagged Fishing Vessel VEGA 5, which was previously reported missing by her owner, is now confirmed as being pirated in the waters between Mozambique and Madagascar.On 31 December, the vessel was spotted near the Mozambique coast, approximately 200 nautical miles South West of the Comoros Islands, heading north. The vessel was towing what looked to be a pirate attack skiff and did not respond to any calls. There has been no further communication with the vessel. The FV VEGA 5 has a displacement of 140 tonnes and a length of 24 meters. The nationalities of the 14 crew members are unknown.Source: EU NAVFOR

MV BLIDA pirated in the Indian Ocean In the afternoon of 1 January, the MV BLIDA was pirated approximately 150 nautical miles South East of the port of Salalah, Oman.The20,586tonneBulk CarrierisAlgerianflagged and owned. The vesselwas on her way toDaresSalaam, TanzaniafromSalalahinOmanat the time of the attack. No further details of the attack are known at this stage.MV Blidahas a crew of27(Algerian, Ukrainian and Philippino) and is carrying a cargo ofClinker.MV BLIDA was registered with MSC(HOA) but had not reported to UKMTO.There are now 28 vessels and 654 hostages being held by pirates off the coast of Somalia.Source: EU NAVFOR

Indian Ocean/Gulf of Aden - NATO Shipping Center Alert Map NATO Shipping Center has launched a Piracy Alert Map for 30 November.You may view the Alert Map by clicking here.Source: NATO Shipping Center