Tag: trends

Worries about Possible New Trend According to a report filed Sunday August 7th by the IMB Live Piracy Reporting Centre, pirates attacked a vesselapproximately 20 nm off the coast of Eritrea in the Red Sea. What marks this attack out for special attention, and thereason it should be of particular concern to all shipping companies and members of the maritime community is that inthis instance, it would appear the pirates attacked in large numbers, en masse.The report states that 12 skiffs approached the vessel, a bulk carrier, and that each skiff contained five to eight pirates,all armed and carrying boarding ladders. The skiffs were approaching at around 17 knots and as they closed toapproximately 300m, on the command of the Master, the armed security detail on board the bulk carrier fired warningshots at the pirate craft. The majority of the pursuing skiffs fell back as it became clear the security team were armed.Two skiffs continued to give chase, returning fire at the vessel. The security team engaged the pirates and, after approximately30 minutes and numerous approaches, the pirates aborted their attack and moved away. There were noreports of injuries to either pirates or security team and crew.While the rather ragged ...