ACCRA, Aug 2 (Reuters) – Ghana’s navy has intercepted a ship and arrested its crew on suspicion of involvement in the hijacking of an oil products tanker off Gabon last month, Ghana’s government said.
Pirate attacks in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea have almost doubled from last year, jacking up insurance costs for shipping companies. Experts say gangs based in the waters off Africa’s top oil producer Nigeria are extending their reach.
Pirates seized the Maltese-flagged Cotton tanker with its 24-member crew on July 15 near Gabon’s Port Gentil, in the first reported attack in that area for five years. The ship was released the following week.
Ghana’s deputy Information Minister Felix Kwakye Ofosu said the vessel intercepted by Ghana’s navy, the MT Mustard, was believed to have been used to siphon about 3,500 tonnes of fuel from the Cotton.
It later sailed into Ghanaian waters, first docking at the eastern port of Tema before heading for an offshore oil facility off the town of Saltpond.
“The vessel was intercepted off the coast of Saltpond and the crew arrested by the Ghana Navy,” Ofosu said in a statement released late on Thursday.
Ghana’s Bureau of National Investigations was conducting further investigations into the ship’s activities, he said.
The Gulf of Guinea region is a major source of oil, cocoa and, increasingly, metals for world markets.
International navies are not actively engaged in counter-piracy missions in the region, unlike in the waters off Somalia, the piracy hotspot on the other side of the continent.
However, regional governments have begun stepping up efforts to combat the phenomenon.
In June, they signed a code of conduct under which they would arrest and prosecute suspected pirates, seize vessels believed to have been used in piracy and increase regional cooperation. (Reporting by Kwasi Kpodo; Editing by Joe Bavier and Andrew Roche)
By Krishn Kaushik NEW DELHI, March 23 (Reuters) – The Indian navy handed over 35 Somali pirates to the police in Mumbai on Saturday, after 100 days of anti-piracy operations east of the Red Sea, where...
By Giulia Paravicini, Jonathan Saul and Abdiqani Hassan MOGADISHU, March 21 (Reuters) – As a speed boat carrying more than a dozen Somali pirates bore down on their position in the western...
(Bloomberg) — Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion has entered a new phase, pitting homegrown drone technology against a 2,000 kilometer (1,200 mile) swathe of largely Soviet-era oil facilities. At least...
March 20, 2024
Total Views: 13620
Why Join the gCaptain Club?
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.