Weekly Maritime Summary 13 – 19 January 2020

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Weekly Maritime Summary 13 – 19 January 2020

The Securewest Global Response Centre (GRC) recorded eleven maritime related incidents during the reporting period of 13-19 January 2020.

• 13 JAN 20 – General Security Warning – UKMTO is aware of recent military activity in the Gulf Region. There is no change to the information and guidance recently given to maritime trade transiting the Gulf area.
• 13 JAN 20 – Robbery – The anchored bulk carrier FEDERAL BRISTOL was robbed of spare engine parts whilst in position at Panjang Anchorage, Indonesia.
• 13 JAN 20 – Robbery – Anchored container ship NORDIC WISMAR was boarded by two robbers armed with knives in position, upon inspection it had been discovered a long rope was missing from the forward store.
• 15 JAN 20 – Stowaway – On arrival in Gambia a stowaway was discovered on an unmanned barge. The person was not seen during the towage of barge on 800 metre towing length for almost 12 days.
• 15 JAN 20 – Suspicious Approach – Anchored tanker was approached by a boat in Douala inner anchorage, Cameroon. The security guard then fired a warning shot resulting in the boat aborting its approach.
• 16 JAN 20 – Attack – MV was attacked by a small boat with five persons onboard, approximately 50nm SW of Brass, Nigeria. Armed security team fired warning shots and the small boat moved away.
• 16 JAN 20 – Kidnapping – Six gunmen kidnapped eight crew members from a Malaysia registered fishing trawler.
• 18 JAN 20 – Robbery – The KIM HOCK TUG 9 towing a deck cargo barge was boarded by seven perpetrators in the Singapore Strait. Upon seeing the crew and an approaching sister tug, KIM HOCK VIRGO, the perpetrators escaped in 2-3 sampans. Some scrap metal was stolen.
• 18 JAN 20 – Robbery – Underway barge LKH 2882 was boarded en route from Singapore to Vietnam, 20 nm E of Singapore Port. Several pieces of scrap metal were stolen.
• 18 JAN 20 – General Security Warning – Reports indicate that eastern Libyan oil ports and terminals have been closed, following a request to Libya’s National Oil Corporation from the Libyan National Army (LNA), which is under the command of General Haftar.
• 19 JAN 20 – Boarding – An MV was boarded approximately 72 nm S of Port of Cotonou in Benin. The armed intruders approached the vessel in a skiff with a long ladder.

Key:

Robbery: Theft from a vessel or from persons aboard the vessel.

Suspicious Approach: All other unexplained activity in close proximity by an unknown vessel.

Kidnapping: Unauthorized forcible removal of persons belonging to the vessel from it.

Boarding: Unauthorized boarding of a vessel by persons not part of its complement without successfully taking control of the vessel.

General Security Warning: Incidents which do not fit in the other categories, but enhance the situational awareness, e.g. flag state advisories or an attack on a non- commercial vessel such as a warship

Attack: An incident where weapons are discharged by pirates or pirate paraphernalia such as ladder, grappling hook, make contact with the vessel.

Stowaway: A person who hides aboard a ship in order to obtain free transportation.

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