Security Forces Repel Pirate Boarding Attempt on Chemical Tanker Off Somalia

A chemical tanker was targeted in an attempted pirate attack approximately 330 nautical miles east of Mogadishu on November 3, with armed security personnel successfully repelling the assault.

The Cayman Islands-flagged MV Stolt Sagaland came under attack early in the morning when four unauthorized persons attempted to board the vessel from a small craft. A mothership was positioned approximately 5 nautical miles from the tanker during the incident.

“Persons on board the small craft shoot several rounds from AK47 type weapon towards the MV. The PAST (security forces) on board MV STOLT SAGALAND started to shoot back and the small craft abandoned the attempt of boarding,” according to an industry threat bulletin issued by Combined Maritime Forces and EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA.

The vessel’s operator Stolt-Nielsen confirmed the unsuccessful attack. “Our crew are all safe, having responded swiftly and professionally to the incident,” the company said.

Following the engagement, the small craft with a grey and white hull retreated toward the mothership after warning shots were fired. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that all crew members are safe and the vessel is transiting to its next port of call.

EUNAVFOR ATALANTA assessed the incident as piracy activity and indicated it is “HIGHLY LIKELY that the Iranian Hijacked Dhow reported on 28/10/25 (see IRTB 047) was used as the mother vessel for this event.” The dhow is believed to be named ISSAMOHAMADI and is not transmitting AIS signals.

Maritime authorities have advised vessels to avoid a 100-nautical-mile radius from the attack location, where a pirate action group is considered active. The bulletin stressed that “the timely and comprehensive reporting of incidents and suspicious activity remains crucial to allow for a rapid incident response.”

The attack is part of a broader resurgence of Somali piracy that began in November 2023 with a series of dhow hijackings. Maritime security experts note that pirates typically use hijacked dhows as “mother ships” to launch attacks hundreds of miles offshore in the Indian Ocean.

Operation ATALANTA documented dozens of incidents in the Somali Basin and Gulf of Aden in 2024, including four merchant vessel boardings and two notable hijackings. More recently, January 2025 saw the hijacking of a Chinese fishing vessel off Somalia’s northeastern Puntland coast.

Authorities continue to investigate the incident and have advised vessels to transit the area with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO.

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