Gulf of Guinea

EU NAVFOR, Kenya cooperate to tackle piracy

On 16 of November, EU NAVFOR Italian Warship Federico Martinengo visited the Port of Mombasa, in Kenya. There the ship’s crew carried out the second combined exercise together with Kenyan Navy counterparts.

During the exercise, EU NAVFOR’s crew showed techniques to the Kenyan Navy in firefighting,  first aid and anti-flooding procedures.

This exercise comes after the visit by ‘Martinengo’ to Mombasa on the 18 of September. At that time, the exercise regarded firefighting and first aid as well,...

https://safety4sea.com/eu-navfor-kenya-cooperate-to-tackle-piracy/

Attempts in Gulf of Guinea to improve maritime security

The Gulf of Guinea is one of the regions that has the most issues with piracy. In order to address these problems, a workshop for participants from the Gulf of Guinea, was held in Ghana, from 13 to 16 November. The workshop aims to improve national capacity to advance port security.

Maritime security needs the capacity of national authorities to develop security plans and procedures, as well as the ability to self-audit.

The training focused on how to create multi-agency port and port facility...

https://safety4sea.com/attempts-in-gulf-of-guinea-to-improve-maritime-security/

Pirates attack LNG tanker off Nigeria

Pirates attacked a Bermudian-registered LNG tanker on November 6, near Nigeria. The pirates opened fire at the ship, but it managed to escape by maneuvering. The Nigerian Navy is now investigating the source of the attack.

The LNG tanker sent out a report  to the Department of Marine and Ports of Bermuda, stating that it was under attack in the Gulf of Guinea.

According to the report, the pirates fired at the vessel, but the ship’s crewmembers performed evasive action and managed to abort the...

https://safety4sea.com/pirates-attack-lng-tanker-off-nigeria/

Pirates attack two ships off Congo

The tanker Anuket Amber was bunkering the LPG tanker BW Frigg when pirates attacked both ships west of Pointe Noire, Congo. The pirates took the crew of the Anuket Amber as hostages.

Namely, pirates attacked Anuket Amber while it was bunkering BW Frigg in Congo, in a point where it is further south than where other piracy incidents have taken place.

BW Frigg managed to escape, but the pirates took the crew of the Anuket Amber as hostages.

Before this incident, armed pirates boarded and hijacked an...

https://safety4sea.com/pirates-attack-two-ships-off-congo/

Pirates Abduct 11 Crew Members Of A Container Ship Off Nigeria Coast

Anti Piracy at sea

Pirates have kidnapped 11 crew members of a container ship near the coast of Nigeria according to the ship’s management firm and Poland state media.

The ship ‘MV Pomerania Sky’ was attacked on Saturday when it was on its way to the Nigerian port of Onne, the ship’s firm Midocean (IOM) Ltd said in a statement.

The statement added that nine others crew members were left unharmed and remain onboard.

Image for representation purpose only. Credits: IMO Collection/flikr.com

Eight of the crew members are...

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/pirates-abduct-11-crew-members-of-a-container-ship-off-nigeria-coast/

11 crewmembers kidnapped from container ship off Nigeria

Pirates boarded a container ship off Nigeria, kidnapping 11 crew including eight from Poland. The container ship ‘MV Pomerania Sky’ was heading to the Nigerian port of Onne and was boarded on October 28.

According to the vessel’s management company, the pirates abducted 11 of the crew, while nine others remain on board and are unharmed.

Nigeria has already started an investigation and search and rescue mission in order to find the kidnapped crew, and further updates are expected soon. In...

https://safety4sea.com/11-crewmembers-kidnapped-from-container-ship-off-nigeria/

Record-Low Hijackings Yet Danger Persists In Gulf of Guinea – ICC IMB Report

ICC Imb-report-3

A total of 156 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported to the ICC International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) in the first nine months of 2018 compared to 121 for the same period in 2017.

A total of 156 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported to the ICC International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) in the first nine months of 2018 compared to 121 for the same period in 2017.

The 2018 figure is broken...

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/record-low-hijackings-yet-danger-persists-in-gulf-of-guinea-icc-imb-report/

IMB: 156 piracy incidents reported in the first nine months of 2018

The ICC International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) reported a total of 156 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the first nine months of 2018 compared to 121 for the same period in 2017.

These incidents can be broken down as following:

  • 107 vessels boarded;
  • 32 attempted attacks;
  • 13 vessels fired upon;
  • 4 vessels hijacked.

However, no vessels were reported as hijacked in the third quarter of 2018, marking the first time since 1994 when no vessel hijackings...

https://safety4sea.com/imb-156-piracy-incidents-reported-in-the-first-nine-months-of-2018/

West Africa to tackle money laundering in maritime

The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) will conduct a Regional Conference on Combating Money Laundering in the Maritime Sector in Freetown, Republic of Sierra Leone, from October 24 to October 26.

The program aims to strengthen the ability of law enforcement officials regarding financial crime analysis, as well as techniques for conducting such analysis.

It will also focus on advancing the understanding of participants on the concept, approach and...

https://safety4sea.com/west-africa-to-tackle-money-laundering-in-maritime/

Nigerian Pirates Kidnap 35 Seafarers in the Gulf of Guinea

Nigerian Pirates

According to security firm EOS Risk Group, Nigerian pirates have kidnapped 35 seafarers from vessels in the Gulf of Guinea so far this year. This information was disclosed in their half year review of Nigerian piracy activity in the Gulf of Guinea.

Nigeria continues to be the World’s epicentre for piracy activity. From January through June 2018, EOS recorded 34 Nigerian pirate attacks on merchant and fishing vessels in the Gulf of Guinea. These attacks resulted in the kidnap of 35 seafarers for...

http://www.sashippingnews.com/2018/08/01/nigerian-pirates-kidnap-35-seafarers-in-the-gulf-of-guinea/

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