The IMO issued a circular summarizing the reports it received during the first quarter of 2009 regarding acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships. Reports of 97 such acts (including 53 attempted attacks) were received during this period…
On October 19 2009 the Bulk Carrier De Xin Hai from the Peoples Republic of China was hijacked in the Indian Ocean, 350 nautical miles North East of the Seychelles and 700 nautical miles off the East coast of Somalia.An EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft…
Around noon local time, October 19th 2009, the Bulk Carrier De Xin Hai from the Peoples Republic of China was hijacked in the Indian Ocean, 350 nautical miles North East of the Seychelles and 700 nautical miles off the East coast of Somalia…
According to an Oct. 15 report from VOA News, Somali pirates have hijacked a Singapore-owned and flagged container ship in the Indian Ocean. The MV Kota Wajar was seized early Oct. 15 about 550 kilometers north of the Seychelles islands.(Source: VOA News)
On October 13, 2009, a helicopter from the EU NAVFOR German warship Bremen, identified suspected pirate craft in the Somali Basin. The suspect craft were made up of a mother skiff and two smaller skiffs, near the islands of Seychelles.The…
On October 10 two French fishing vessels in position approximately 160 nm North of Seychelles reported being under attack by pirate skiffs. The attacks were unsuccessful. EU NAVFOR reacted immediately and launched the Luxembourg Maritime Patrol…
Marsh, insurance broker and risk adviser, and REDfour (MSS) Ltd, a maritime security firm, announced they are working together to help shipowners address potential exposures associated with piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden. Shipowners…
On 7 October 1985, four members of the Palestine Liberation Front (PLF) hijacked the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro as it was in the Mediterranean Sea en route from Alexandria, Egypt to Port Said. After the Israeli Government refused their demand for release of 50 imprisoned Palestinians…
Canada's Transport Minister John Baird announced proposed regulations to improve security for domestic ferry services. Under the proposed regulations, operators would be required to have security plans in place to help detect security threats…
On the morning of 3 Oct, whilst conducting a patrol in the Gulf of Aden, EU NAVFOR Belgian warship Louise-Marie intercepted a distress call from a merchant vessel transiting in the Gulf of Aden. The merchant vessel reported a skiff, a small boat regularly used by pirates…
The Turkish flagged ship with 23 Turkish crewmembers was hijacked July 08 in the Gulf of Aden on the way from Saudi Arabia to Jordan. NATO TF 508 Turkish warship TCG GEDIZ is escorting the ship which is processing north away from the anchorage.
Late in the evening of 3 October, two of the suspected pirates who gained control of the Spanish tuna fishing vessel Alakrana the day before, were arrested by the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship Canarias. The suspected pirates had left the Alakrana…
Pirate activity has increased recently off the coast of Somalia with four attempted attacks occurring on motor vessels in the Gulf of Aden since Sept. 19. Three separate unsuccessful attacks occurred Sept. 19 and 20, while the most recent attack occurred Sept…
According to a Sept. 24 report from United Press International, Asia, armed pirates boarded a tanker in the South China Sea, assaulted a crew member and robbed the rest of the crew. The six pirates were armed with knives and machetes as they boarded the Singapore-registered Prospect…
A step-change for the international maritime industry’s escalating war against piracy is ushered in with the official opening of the Merchant Maritime Warfare Centre (MMWC), a UK based, non-profit organisation staffed by experienced maritime security specialists…