TOKYO, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Japan is working on a plan to send about 270 seamen to the Middle East to guard ships supplying Japan under a law that allows military deployments for research and intelligence gathering, the Nikkei business daily said. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering a January visit to the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, … [Read more...]
Pirates Kidnap Crew of Supertanker Off Nigeria
By Olivia Konotey-Ahulu (Bloomberg) --Pirates boarded a fully loaded supertanker off the coast of Nigeria, an act that is sure to ring alarm bells for insurers about the risk of collecting oil from Africa’s biggest producer. Nineteen crew were kidnapped and remain missing, a spokeswoman for Navios, the ship’s owner said by phone Wednesday. The incident happened late Tuesday … [Read more...]
West African Nations Failing to Coordinate Piracy Response, Togo Leader Says
By Yinka Ibukun (Bloomberg) --West African states’ failure to coordinate their response to piracy off their coastline is the main reason attacks are persisting, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe said. Seaborne assailants boarded two vessels off the coast of Togo and neighboring Benin earlier this month, the latest in a series of attacks in the world’s worst piracy hotspot … [Read more...]
Pirates Attack Micoperi OSV in Gulf of Mexico, Injuring Two
MEXICO CITY, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Pirates attacked an Italy-flagged offshore supply vessel in the southern Gulf of Mexico, injuring two crew members, the Mexican Navy said on Tuesday, in the latest outbreak of robbery and piracy to hit oil platforms and infrastructure in the area. One of the crew members of the boat, "Remas," received a bullet wound, and the other suffered a … [Read more...]
Pirates Kidnap 8 from German-Owned Cargo Ship Off Cameroon
Pirates kidnapped eight crew members from a general cargo ship off the coast of Cameroon in West Africa. The vessel's Hamburg, Germany-based shipowner, MC-Schiffahrt, confirmed the incident in a statement posted to its website. The company said its MV MarMalaita was attacked Thursday, August 14, between 23.00h and 24.00h local time at the Douala anchorage in … [Read more...]