Weekly Piracy Update: Anti-Piracy Measures Prove Effective

INDIAN OCEAN: Container ship (MSC JEANNE) was fired upon by six pirates in two skiffs on 21 November at 0536 UTC while underway in position 04:03S – 042:55E, about 198 nm east of Mombasa, Kenya.  The Master raised the alarm, took anti-piracy preventive measures, and fired flares toward the skiffs, resulting in the pirates aborting the attempted attack and moving away.  (IMB, UKMTO)

GULF OF ADEN: Bulk carrier (PIONEER PACIFIC) was fired upon by eight pirates in  two speed boats on 20 November at 1345 UTC while underway in position 12:27N – 043:47E, about 24 nm southeast of Perim Island, Yemen.  Master fired flares when the speed boats were 600 m away from the vessel and the onboard security team returned fire, resulting in the boats moving away.  (IMB)

BANGLADESH: Bulk carrier boarded and robbed 20 November at 2315 LT while anchored in position 22:12N – 091:45E, Chittangong, Bangladesh.  Duty officer noticed the robbers on the forecastle deck and alerted the deck watchkeepers, who then rushed the forecastle.  Seeing alert crew the robbers escaped with stolen ship stores.  (IMB)

VIETNAM: Oil tanker boarded and robbed 17 November at 2010 LT while anchored in position 10:13N – 107:04E, Mui Vung Tao, Vietnam.  The two armed robbers with steel rods were spotted by the duty watchmen who alerted the duty officer who raised the alarm and  mustered the crew.  On seeing crew alertness the robbers jumped overboard and escaped with stolen stores.  (IMB)

Forecast for 24–30 NOV 2011

A. GULF OF ADEN: Currently, winds and seas within the GOA are light (ENE 8 – 12 knots, 1 – 3 feet).  Expect a slight increase in winds by 25 Nov (E 14 – 18) to continue through 27 Nov.  EXTENDED FORECAST: Sea heights will rise slightly (2 – 4 feet) from the increased wind speeds and continue through forecast period.

B. SOMALI COAST: Winds and seas within the Somali Basin are light to moderate (NE 14 – 18, 2 – 4 feet) and will continue through the next 72 hours.  EXTENDED FORECAST: NE winds 14 – 18 knots and occasional increased seas of 3 – 5 feet will provide marginal impacts to small boat operations through 30 Nov.

NORTH ARABIAN SEA:  Minimal winds and seas (NE 8 – 12, 1 – 3 feet) currently exist within the North Arabian Sea and will continue through next 72 hours.  EXTENDED FORECAST: A storm system will enter the Arabian Sea by 27 – 28 Nov and transit westward through remainder of forecast.  Computer forecasts show possible tropical storm characteristics affecting the entire region, from Oman to India, by 28 Nov.  Expect high winds (Variable over 20 knots) and sea heights within the entire region over 7 ft, with some areas near the center of the storm over 10 ft.

D. INDIAN OCEAN: SE winds 8 – 12 knots with 1 – 3 foot seas exist off the Tanzania and Kenyan coastlines, continuing through the next 72 hours.  Expect minimal impacts (VRB 5 – 10 knots, 1 – 3 feet) within the sheltered waters of the Mozambique Channel through 27 Nov.  EXTENDED FORECAST:  A tropical wave in the central Indian Ocean will slowly transit toward the Tanzania coast and impact area waters by 29 Nov (ESE 12 – 16, 3 – 5 feet).  Expect occasional localized storms over the Mozambique Channel through 30 Nov.  Short-lived impacts could arise from these storms, although overall impacts through 30 Nov will remain minimal.

E. SURFACE CURRENTS: Currents within the Somalia Basin, Gulf of Aden, and into the Indian Ocean remain variable with most areas having average speeds of less than 2 knots.  An east-to-west current has set up in the northern GOA, along the Yemeni coast.  Other areas of concern exist just southwest of Socotra Island and off the southern Somali coast.  These localized areas have slightly increased speeds of up to 3 knots.