Weekly Piracy Update: 10 Pirates Board Cargo Ship off India and Escape Unnoticed with Ship’s Stores

Weekly Summary of Maritime Crime and Piracy, week of 19-25 January 2012 – (source: ONI)

INDIA: General cargo ship boarded by at least 10 pirates on 25 January while anchored at 23:01 N – 070 13 E at the Kandla Anchorage. The pirates reportedly stole ship stores and escaped unnoticed. (IMB)

INDONESIA: Chemical tanker boarded on 23 January while anchored at position 01:42 N – 101:27 E, Dumai Inner Anchorage. The robbers took the duty motorman hostage. The duty third engineer noticed the robbers and informed the duty officer who raised the alarm. Upon hearing the alarm, the robbers escaped with engine spare parts. No injuries to crew were reported. (IMB)

INDONESIA: Tanker boarded on 22 January by four robbers carrying knives while anchored in position 01:42 N – 101:27 E at the Dumai Inner Anchorage. The robbers entered the engine room, tied up the duty engineer, and stole ship’s stores. They took the duty engineer to the stern and disembarked into a waiting boat. No injuries to the crew were reported. (IMB)

BANGLADESH: Bulk carrier boarded on 21 January while anchored in position 22:14 N – 091:44 E, Chittagong Outer Anchorage ‘A’.  Duty watchman heard a small boat approach the vessel, then noticed movement on the forecastle deck and informed the duty officer. On reaching the forecastle to investigate, they saw one robber stealing ship stores from the forward locker. After confronting the robber they were attacked and the duty officer was injured. The duty watchman returned to the accommodation and raised the alarm. The incident was reported to local authorities who sent out the coast guard and medical assistance for the injured duty officer. (IMB)

Weather Forecast for 26 JAN – 1 FEB 

A. GULF OF ADEN: Moderate conditions will persist throughout the period. Expect easterly winds 10 – 15 knots and seas between 4 – 6 feet, decreasing to 1 – 3 feet by 28 January. EXTENDED FORECAST Winds and seas will increase with easterly 15 – 20 knots and seas of 4 – 6 feet by 31 January.

B. SOMALI COAST: Northeast monsoonal flow off the Somali coast continues to produce moderate to severe impacts in the area. Expect northeasterly winds 15 – 20 knots with gusts of 25 knots and seas of 7 – 9 feet through the next 72 hours. EXTENDED FORECAST: Winds will remain northeasterly 15 – 20 knots with gusts to 25 knots and seas will decrease slightly, to between 5 and 7 feet by 29 January.

C. NORTH ARABIAN SEA: North-northeasterly winds 10 – 15 knots and seas of 2 – 4 feet will remain through the next 72 hours. EXTENDED FORECAST Expect northeasterly winds to increase to 15 – 20 knots by 29 January and seas will remain between 2 and 4 feet.

D. CENTRAL AFRICAN COAST/INDIAN OCEAN: Residual swell waves from the southern Somali Basin region continue to impact area but overall conditions will remain moderate, with northeasterly winds 13 – 18 knots and seas of 5 – 7 feet through the next 72 hours. EXTENDED FORECAST Small boat operations off the Tanzania and Kenyan coast will be significantly impacted as northeasterly winds of 13 – 18 knots help increase seas to 7 – 9 feet by 30 January and slowly decrease back to between 5 and 7 feet by the end of the period.

E. MOZAMBIQUE CHANNEL: Tropical Cyclone Funso located south of the channel continues to be the dominant feature with winds 75 – 85 knots, gusting 105 knots. Small boat operations will be significantly impacted over the next 72 hours. Expect northwesterly winds in the northern channel of 13 – 18 knots and seas of 5 – 7 feet, while in the southern channel northwesterly winds of 33 – 38 knots with gusts to 45 knots with seas of between 12 and 15 feet with some areas as high as 24 feet. EXTENDED FORECAST As the cyclone slowly moves to the southeast, conditions will improve but still have significant impacts to small boat operations. In the northern channel winds will become southwesterly between 5 and 10 knots by the end of the period and seas will remain between 5 and 7 feet, while in the southern channel winds will shift and become southwesterly 10 – 15 knots by 29 January and east-southeasterly 13 – 18 knots by 31 January, with seas of 9 – 12 feet decreasing further to 7 – 9 feet by 30 January.

F. 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 1.5 knots. An area of increased current speeds exists along the Somali coast, continuing south off the northern Kenya coastline until about 5ËšS. This northeast to southwest current is moving along the coastline at speeds up to 3 knots. The Mozambique Channel has an increased current of 3 knots due to the effects of Tropical Cyclone Funso.

Weather Maps

These include the piracy performance surface for Somalia and a 10 day weather forecast to provide better situational awareness to mariners.