By Dulue Mbachu (Bloomberg) -- Nigeria is investigating the abduction of five Polish crew members after their vessel was attacked by gunmen in the country’s territorial waters, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency said. The Cyprus-flagged vessel MV Szafir was attacked on Friday while “approximately seven nautical miles” from the coastal town of Brass, … [Read more...]
Five Kidnapped from Polish Cargo Ship Off Nigeria
WARSAW, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Pirates attacked a Polish-owned cargo vessel off the Nigerian coast and kidnapped its captain and four crew, Polish authorities said, in the first documented incident of its kind in almost year in some of the deadliest shipping lanes on earth. The Cyprus-registered Szafir was boarded overnight by armed men in two boats, who looted the 10,000-tonne … [Read more...]
IMB: Global Reporting System Needed to Curb Piracy
The ICC International Maritime Bureau is calling for a global reporting system in the wake of an alarming uptick in the number of piracy and armed robbery attacks against ships at sea. The call to action was presented during discussions with key maritime stakeholders that took place the IMB International meeting on Global Piracy, Armed Robbery and Maritime Security … [Read more...]
EU Naval Commander: No Room for Complacency Despite Dip in Somali Piracy
EU Naval Force Operation Commander warned a room full of shipping executives that while Somali piracy in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden is down, there is no room for complacency regarding the on-going threat. Major General Martin Smith MBE gave the warning at a meeting Wednesday with senior shipping industry representatives, part of the London International … [Read more...]
Rapid Response Team to Combat Piracy in Malacca and Singapore Strait
By Keith Wallis SINGAPORE, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Malaysia and Indonesia are deploying rapid reaction teams to combat a soaring number of attacks on merchant vessels in one of the world's busiest shipping chokepoints, a Malaysian admiral said. Over 70 ships have been attacked in the Malacca and Singapore straits, on the western side of the Malay Peninsula, this … [Read more...]
IMB Piracy Report Shows Continued SE Asian Attacks Against Small Tankers
A new report published Wednesday by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB) highlights a continuing trend in South East Asia in the hijacking of small coastal tankers by maritime pirates, averaging one attack every two weeks. According to the report, five small tankers were hijacked in South East Asian waters in the second … [Read more...]
Somali Pirates Polled – International Naval Presence is Biggest Deterrent of Piracy
An informal survey of convicted Somali pirates is shedding new light into their motivations, attitudes towards piracy, and what has been the biggest deterring factor contributing to the reduction of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia. The survey of Somali inmates accused of piracy on the high seas was conducted by the United … [Read more...]