Weekly Piracy and Maritime Crime Update: Two Tankers Hijacked ***UPDATED***

Weekly Summary of Maritime Crime and Piracy:  Week of 27 October 2011 (source: ONI)

NIGERIA:

Petroleum tanker (HALIFAX) hijacked by pirates on 29 October at 1219 UTC while in position 03:26.5N – 006:42.3E, approximately 62 nm southwest of Bonny. Vessel was awaiting further berthing instructions from its charterers. Vessel has a crew of 24 Filipinos and one Bulgarian. (IMB)

INDIAN OCEAN:

• Petroleum tanker (DYNATANK) fired upon by pirates on 1 November at 0050 UTC while underway in position 08:10S – 046:06E, approximately 407 nm southeast of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The onboard security team returned fire, and after 30 minutes the pirates aborted their attack. (UKMTO)
• Fishing vessel (TORRE GIULIA) attacked by pirates in two skiffs on 1 November at 0936 UTC while underway in position 01:21S – 052:21E, approximately 591 nm southeast of Kismaayo, Somalia. Vessel had protection detachment onboard. A mothership was detected in the vicinity. (Operator)
• Tuna fishing vessel attacked by pirates on 31 October at 1415 UTC while underway in position 02:23S – 049:29E, approximately 444 nm southeast of Kismaayo, Somalia. The vessel had a protection detachment onboard the vessel. (Operator)
• Petroleum tanker (SCF PLYMOUTH) fired upon by four to five pirates in one skiff on 30 October at 1254 UTC while underway in position 04:20S – 043:41E, approximately 245 nm southeast of Mombasa, Kenya. Vessel was traveling at a speed of 14.7 knots. Pirates fired six rounds towards the vessel; armed security in turn fired six rounds back at the skiff. RPG and guns spotted, no ladders seen. (UKMTO)

GULF OF ADEN:

Tanker (LIQUID VELVET) hijacked by six pirates on 31 October at 0842 UTC while underway in position 12:00N – 045:33E, approximately 55 nm southeast of Aden, Yemen. The crew (21 Filipinos and one Greek) were able to lock themselves in the citadel, but the pirates were able to breach it. (UKMTO, Operator)

MALAYSIA:

• Tanker (NAUTICA JOHOR BAHRU) hijacked 27 October while underway in the Singapore Straits. The vessel had a cargo of oil and gas worth $4.5 million USD onboard. Malaysian Navy and Indonesian vessels intercepted the hijacked vessel, and the ten pirates fled in a speedboat. The pirates took everything of value. (Open Source)
• Barge hijacked 26 October while underway in Indonesian waters while carrying a cargo of $2.6 million USD worth of palm oil. Authorities located the barge before the pirates returned from a trip to get a tug boat to move it. (Open Source)

Gulf of Aden Convoy Schedule 

• Government of Japan (GOJ) convoy schedule for October/November  2011. Merchant vessels that wish to apply for JMSDF escort operation should visit http://www.mlit.go.jp/en/maritime/maritime_fr2 _000000.html and follow the application procedure. For further information, please contact directly the Anti-Piracy Contact and Coordination Office, Maritime Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MILT), Japan: Tel:  +81-3-5253-8932 Fax: +81-3-5253-1643 Email: INFO- [email protected] (MSCHOA).
• Korean Navy convoy schedule for October 2011. All merchant vessels wishing to join the convoy group must submit their application forms directly to the ROK naval warship carrying out the mission. The ROK MTG can be reached directly at (INMARSAT: 870-773-110-286), (Email: [email protected]) (MSCHOA).
• Royal Thai Navy convoy schedule for September/October 2011.  For further information, please contact (+66-2101-6136; +66-2101-6137), (EMAIL: [email protected]; [email protected]). To register for the convoy, please e-mail the ship’s information (including ship’s name, IMO number, ship’s type, GRT, master’s name, ship’s flag, country owner, last port, next port, register to MSCHOA (Yes/No), report to UKMTO (Y/N), BMP Awareness (Y/N), practice BMP (Y/N), security team onboard (Y/N) (armed/unarmed), and expected time to join convoy to e-mail address listed above (MSCHOA).
• Russian Navy convoy escort schedule for October 2011. For further information e-mail [email protected]. (MSCHOA).
• Chinese convoy schedule for October 2011. For further information, please e-mail [email protected], [email protected], or call Tel: 86-10-652-92221 (MSCHOA).

Piracy and Weather Forecast for 3–9 NOV 2011 

A. GULF OF ADEN: Area winds and seas will remain light through next 72 hours within the majority of the GOA.  Area storms in the eastern portion will degrade conditions (15 – 20 knots/4 – 6 feet) for first 24 – 48 hours before calming as well.  EXTENDED FORECAST: Expect no impacts within the GOA through 9 Nov as area winds and seas remain light.

B. SOMALI COAST: Area storms are producing locally moderate winds (southeast 14 – 18 knots) with moderate sea heights (3 – 5 feet) in the waters off the Somali coast.  EXTENDED FORECAST: Expect decreased winds and seas (southeast 8 – 12, 2 – 4 feet) by 6 Nov continuing through 9 Nov.

C. NORTH ARABIAN SEA:  Light and variable winds will increase by 5 Nov (northeast 10 – 15 knots) with seas of 2 – 4 feet.  EXTENDED FORECAST: Moderate winds and seas will persist within the Arabian Sea, slowly increasing by 7 Nov (east 20 – 25 knots, 5 – 7 feet) as a storm system transits across the region.

D. INDIAN OCEAN: Southeast winds 14 – 18 knots currently influence conditions off the coast of Kenya/Tanzania with seas of 4 – 6 feet.  Conditions within these waters will remain affected for next 72 hours.  Increased southerly winds 18 – 22 knots impact the waters in the Mozambique Channel with sea heights above 8 feet.  These winds and seas will slowly decrease over next 24 – 48 hours and then shift in direction (northeast 14 – 18) by 05 Nov.  EXTENDED FORECAST:  Shifting winds (east 12 – 16 knots) and decreasing seas (2 – 4 feet) will influence the waters off of Kenya and Tanzania by 6 Nov.  A transiting storm system to the south will affect the waters within the Mozambique Channel by 7 Nov, increasing winds and seas (southeast 10 – 15 knots, 5 – 7 feet).

E.  SURFACE CURRENTS: Currents within the Somalia Basin, Gulf of Aden, and into the Indian Ocean remain variable, with most areas having average speeds of less than 2 knots.  Expect locally increased surface current speeds around transiting storm systems.  Other areas in the open waters of the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Somalia, show increased speeds up to 3.5 knots.