Sunday, April 9: A bulk carrier that was reportedly hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday is now safe and underway to its next port of call. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center said Sunday that pirates had left the Motor Vessel (MV) after the crew killed the engines and locked themselves in the … [Read more...]
Pirates Chased From British Freighter
(TheGuardian) The Nigerian navy used its “superior firepower” late last week to foil a pirate attack on a British-flagged freighter and rescue the crew in an encounter off the west African coast, a spokesman said. Commodore Christian Ezekobe said the navy deployed a warship after receiving a distress call on Wednesday that pirates were about to hijack the MT Vectis Osprey 20 … [Read more...]
U.S. Navy Leads 30-Nation Maritime Exercise in Middle East
The U.S. Navy is leading a 30-nation maritime exercise across Middle Eastern waters which it says will help protect international trade routes against possible threats, including from Islamic State and al Qaeda. The International Mine Countermeasures Exercise (IMCMEX) started on Monday with a symposium in Bahrain where the U.S Navy's Fifth Fleet is based, in part as a … [Read more...]
Ships to be Enveloped by Network of Laser Beams
While at the Workboat show this week in New Orleans, I met up with David Leone, President of Radio Zeeland DMP, a company designs and engineers bridge systems for commercial and luxury yachts. This week, his company is rolling out a new system called MEDS, or Maritime Early Detection System, that allows vessels to remotely monitor places on the ship that may be unmanned, … [Read more...]
South China Sea – Indonesia Seeking Clarity (or butting heads?) with China
by Neil Chatterjee (Bloomberg) - Indonesia is seeking clarity on China’s intent behind its maritime claims in the South China Sea to avoid the risk of miscalculations in a zone rich in natural gas, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said. Indonesia wants an explanation of a map outlining China’s assertions in the South China Sea that appears on the nation’s passports and has … [Read more...]