An unknown number of pirates boarded the reefer Water Phoenix, while 31 nm south west of Lagos, Nigeria, resulting in the kidnap of two crew. This is the third incident in the waters south of Lagos within 2020.
The Information Fusion Centre (IFC) reports a rise in theft, robbery and piracy at sea (TRAPS) incidents with a record of two Sea Robberies, six Sea Thefts, and two Attempted Actions incidents from January to August 2020 in both Manila and Batangas Bay, Philippines.
Following the piracy attack onboard the product tanker MT Curacao Trader about a month ago, the 13 kidnapped crewmembers have been released from captivity.
The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) released its monthly report for July 2020 on the situation of piracy and sea robbery in Asia, revealing that six incidents took place in July.
ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre held a dialogue with the shipping sector in efforts to strengthen maritime situation awareness and deepen cooperation to tackle piracy and sea robbery in Asia.
An ambitious roadmap to develop a National Maritime Security Strategy for Kenya was agreed on 21 July. The strategy aims to bring significant opportunities for social-economic growth.
According to Reuters, seven Russian seafarers were kidnapped following a piracy attack onboard a Liberian-flagged product tanker at Gulf of Guinea.
On 17 July the product vessel MT Curcacao Ttader was been boarded 244nm South Cotonou in Nigeria, by 8 armed individuals. The pirates kidnapped 15 crew.
The US Government issued a warning about the risk posed by pirates to boats and oil installations in the southern Gulf of Mexico.
During the past few years, there has been a singificant fall in piracy and armed robbery incidents off East Africa. However, the threat has not entirely gone away, as recent incidents indicate.
