Monsoon Will Likely Keep Pirates at Bay in Indian Ocean [PIRACY UPDATE]

It was a mixed bag of pirate activity around the world this past week and fortunately, nobody was captured or injured due to pirate activity. Here’s the latest update from the US Office of Naval Intelligence for the week of 28 June 2012…

ECUADOR: Container Ship was boarded on 02 July at 02:33 S – 080:06 W 25 nm South West of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Two speed boats with six pirates approached and boarded a container ship underway using hooks attached with ropes and monkey ladders. The master raised alarm and the crew mustered and armed themselves with crowbars and approached the pirates at the boarding area. 3/O noticed that one of the pirates was armed with a gun and the master immediately ordered all crewmembers to retreat back to the accommodation and lock all the doors. The pirates commenced throwing some boxes into their boats. The master was unable to increase speed or take evasive maneuvers due to the depth and width of seas. Once the pirate boats were full of stolen items, they jumped back into their boats and departed. The darkness and distance made it difficult for the master to determine if the pirates stole cargo from the containers or ship stores. (IMB)

NIGERIA: Product Tanker was fired upon on 30 June at 04:01 N – 006:06 E 70 nm South West of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Pirates armed in a boat chased and fired upon a product tanker underway from Bonny River. The Nigerian armed naval personnel onboard the tanker exchanged fire with the pirates resulting in the pirates aborting the attempted attack after 15 minutes of firing. Both the crew and vessel were reported safe. (IMB)

NIGERIA: Container Ship was approached on 30 June at 02:38 N – 006:09 E 120 nm South West of Bonny Island, Nigeria. A container ship adrift awaiting berthing instructions was approached by five armed pirates in a wooden speed boat with two outboard engines. As the
pirates approached the vessel they fired upon the vessel damaging some bridge windows and equipment. The vessel raised the alarm, activated SSAS, started main engines and maneuvered away from the approaching boat. Non essential crew retreated into the citadel. All crew was reported safe. (IMB)

TANZANIA: Container Ship was boarded at 03July at 6:50 S – 39:17 E, Dar Es Salaam Port, Tanzania. Robbers boarded a berthed container ship, stole ships stores and escaped unnoticed. The theft was noticed by the duty A/B on rounds. The incident was reported to the Port Security. (IMB)

INDIA: LPG Carrier was boarded on 04 July at 17:39 N – 083:23 E, Visakhapatnam Anchorage, India. Six robbers in a long wooden boat with sail and oars came alongside an anchored LPG Carrier. Two of the robbers boarded the tanker and stole ship properties. The OOW noticed the boat and informed the duty A/B to check it. Upon seeing the robbers at the poop deck, the duty A/B chased them away. The robbers jumped into the water and escaped with the stolen items with their accomplices waiting in the boat. The alarm was raised and port control was informed. The crew searched the area for any other robbers. (IMB)

VIETNAM: Chemical Tanker Boarded on 27 June at 10:41 N – 106:45 E Nha Be Terminal, Ho Chi Minh City Port, Vietnam. Robbers boarded a berthed chemical tanker during cargo operations, stole the fire wire and escaped. The duty A/B on rounds noticed traces of foot
prints and the missing fire wire. The alarm was raised and the authorities were informed. The crew searched the vessel but could not find the robbers. (IMB)