The arrival of the U.S. Navy's guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd at its homeport in Everett, Washington this week drew quite a bit of attention online, but it wasn't because of the millions worth of drugs it had seized during its counter-narcotics deployment. Instead, it was the giant "Jolly Roger" pirate flag it was flying from its mast. The USS Kidd (DDG-100) arrived at … [Read more...]
Nigeria Convicts First Pirates Under New Maritime Law
By Camillus Eboh and Libby George LAGOS, Aug 12 (Reuters) - A Nigerian court made the first convictions under a new anti-piracy law, giving hope to the world's shipping fleets that legal reforms will help stem rising attacks in the Gulf of Guinea. The three men fined by the court in Port Harcourt, Nigeria's oil hub, on Tuesday were among nine accused of hijacking the tanker … [Read more...]
Disgruntled Armed Security Guard Held Vessel and Crew Hostage
We're just now catching wind of a bizarre security incident aboard a Eagle Bulk vessel in which a seemingly disgruntled security guard took the vessel and its crew hostage at gunpoint for three days before surrendering. NASDAQ-listed Eagle Bulk Shipping provided details of the incident, which took place in late July in the Indian Ocean as the vessel was about to transit the … [Read more...]
Pirates Kidnap Seven Russian Sailors in Gulf of Guinea
LAGOS, July 20 (Reuters) - Pirates have kidnapped seven Russian sailors from the crew of a ship in the Gulf of Guinea, the Russian Embassy in Nigeria said on Monday. The seven Russians were among 13 crew members pirates abducted from the Curacao Trader 210 miles off the coast of Benin last Friday, the embassy said on its official Twitter account, but did not provide further … [Read more...]
Crew Kidnappings Surge in Gulf of Guinea, IMB Says
Violent attacks against ships and their crews have risen in 2020, with 77 seafarers taken hostage or kidnapped for ransom since January, according to the latest piracy report from the ICC International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB). The Gulf of Guinea off West Africa is increasingly dangerous for commercial shipping, accounting for just over 90% of maritime kidnappings worldwide. … [Read more...]