A total of seven incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia were reported in July 2018, according to ReCAAP ISC’s monthly report. The report reveals a 4% decrease in total incidents during January-July 2018, compared to the same period in 2017, but unveils an increased activity in the Singapore Strait.
Saudi Arabia informed during the weekend that the oil shipments through the strategic Red Sea shipping lane of Bab al-Mandeb are now continued. Saudi Arabia had imposed a temporary halting of all oil shipments through Bab al-Mandeb, after Houthis rebels attacked two Saudi Very Large Crude Carriers in the Red Sea on July 25.
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 European Council extended the mandate of EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation Atalanta until 31 December 2020. It also decided to relocate the EU NAVFOR Operational Headquarters from Northwood, UK to Rota, Spain, and to Brest France for the Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa MSCHOA as of 29 March 2019.
Saudi Arabia announced a temporary halting of all oil shipments through the Red Sea shipping lane of Bab al-Mandeb, after Houthis attacked two Saudi Very Large Crude Carriers in the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia may have proceeded to this move to persuade its Western allies that the Houthis are more dangerous than they think.
In its weekly piracy report, ReCAAP ISC informed of one incident of armed robbery against the Panama-flagged container ship ‘Ocean Nhava Shiva’, while anchored at Chittagong outer anchorage, Bangladesh, on 19 July. An unknown number of perpetrators boarded the ship, stealing three mooring ropes.
Mauritius has become the 15th signatory to the Jeddah Amendment to the Djibouti Code of Conduct, the instrument developed and adopted by countries in the Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden focused on repressing piracy and armed robbery against ships operating in the region.
OCIMF released the information paper ‘Guidelines to Harden Vessels’, in which it recommends a layered defence methodology for hardening vessels to help prevent unauthorised boarding. This includes six defence layers, while training and ship design play a major part in securing a vessel.
Saudi Arabia announced a temporary halting of all oil shipments through the Red Sea shipping lane of Bab al-Mandeb, after Houthis rebels attacked two Saudi Very Large Crude Carriers in the Red Sea on Wednesday morning, slightly damaging one of them, according to a statement by Minister Khalid al-Falih.
The Ghana Maritime Authority has called for a national document to step up maritime security activities in the country. The call came when National members of the joint Maritime Security committee visited stakeholder agencies to ask for interagency views at creating a national maritime framework to protect the Ghanaian waters.
