Weekly Piracy Report: Incident Free July Off Somalia

HOA Pirate Activity, 26 July – 1 August

Weekly Incidents by Region: July 26-Aug 1

SOUTH AMERICA:

COLOMBIA: Bulk carrier was boarded on 31 July at 03:49 N – 077:09 W, Buenaventura Anchorage, Colombia. Three robbers on a black motor boat boarded the anchored carrier and broke the padlock at forecastle paint and forward stores. The duty crew spotted the robbers and notified the officer on bridge, who raised the alarm. The robbers jumped into the water and escaped in a waiting boat. The Coast Guard was informed and investigation revealed the ship’s stores were stolen. (IMB)

WEST AFRICA

NIGERIA: Vessel was boarded on 17 May at 04:39 N – 004:45 E, 45 nm off Escravos, Nigeria. Pirates armed with guns approached a landing craft doing 7 knots. Master raised the alarm, stopped the main engines, and instructed the crew to muster in the citadel. By the time the pirates boarded, only four of the eight crewmembers entered the citadel. The pirates attempted to gain access to the citadel by using hammers and firing automatic weapons. After ten hours in the citadel, the crew emerged and found the remaining crew beaten and the cabins looted. As the vessel continued underway, they noticed armed pirates approaching in a speed boat. The crew again mustered in the citadel. After six hours, they exited the citadel and all bridge equipment was destroyed. The master contacted Escravos Terminal and sailed towards it. (IMB) *Inclusion in this week’s WTS is due to time-late reporting and severity of incident.

SOUTHEAST ASIA:

MALAYSIA: Tug towing a barge was hijacked on 27 July between Kudat Port, Malaysia and Bangi Island, Sabah, Malaysia. Pirates in a speed boat attacked the tug and forced the twelve crewmembers into a life raft and set them adrift. The hijackers sailed the tug and barge to an unknown location. The Philippines Coast Guard rescued the twelve crewmembers. The tug and barge are still missing. (IMB)

Piracy Weather Forecast: Aug 2-8

Pirate Skiff Capability (Graphic courtesy of the Naval Oceanographic Office Warfighting Support Center)

GULF OF ADEN: Southwesterly winds of 15 to 20 knots and seas between 4 – 6 feet. EXTENDED FORECAST: Southwesterly winds of 15 to 20 and seas between 4 – 6 feet.

SOMALI COAST: Southwesterly winds of 18 to 23 knots, with gusts up to 28 knots, with seas of 7 to 10 feet. EXTENDED FORECAST: Southwesterly winds of 18 to 23 knots, with gusts up to 28 knots, and seas of 7 to 10 feet.

ARABIAN SEA: Southwesterly winds between 18 and 23 knots, with gusts up to 28 knots, and seas between 8 and 11 feet. EXTENDED FORECAST: Southwesterly winds between 18 and 23 knots, and seas of 8 to 11 feet, decreasing to between 7 and 9 feet by 8 August.

CENTRAL AFRICAN COAST/INDIAN OCEAN: Southerly winds of 13 to 18 knots, and seas of 5 to 7 feet. EXTENDED FORECAST: winds between 13 and 18 knots, and seas of 5 to 7 feet, decreasing to between 3 and 5 feet by 6 August.

MOZAMBIQUE CHANNEL: The Mozambique Channel will be under the influence of the normal high and low pressure interaction areas, occurring about around 40 degrees South. Winds in the northern Channel will be southerly at 13 – 18 knots, with seas of 5 – 7 feet. In the southern Channel, expect south-southeasterly winds of 13 – 18 knots and seas of 5 – 7 feet, increasing to 7 – 10 feet by 3 August. EXTENDED FORECAST: In the northern Channel, southerly winds of 13 – 18 knots and seas of 5 – 7 feet. In the southern Channel, southerly winds of 13 – 18 knots and seas of 7 – 10 feet.

SURFACE CURRENTS: Currents within the Gulf of Aden average around 1 to 2 knots. The northern section of the Arabian Sea and the Mozambique Channel currents are variable with most areas having average speeds of less than 1 knot. Water current speeds along the Somali Basin, continuing south off the northern Kenya coastline until about 5 degrees South will average around 2 to 3.5 knots.

This report is brought to you by the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence Maritime OPINTEL Report