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Reported piracy attacks
worldwide has increased by 19.5% to 49 cases in
the first quarter of this year against the same
period last year.
ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB), in its
latest quarterly report, said that in the period
under review, 36 vessels were boarded and one
vessel hijacked.
Seven crewmembers were taken hostage, six
kidnapped, three killed and one missing
(presumed dead).
In the majority of incidents, the attackers were
heavily armed with guns or knives.
The use and threat of violence against seafarers
remained unacceptably high.
“It is essential that the serious incidents are
carefully analysed and the lessons learnt made
available to all ship owners and their advisors
who fall victim to serious attacks.
“This kind of data is invaluable in updating
preventive and response measures on board
vessels as well as identifying the pirates and
their groups,” said IMB director captain
Pottengal Mukundan.
Nigeria was on top of the list – accounting for
over 20% of the total pirates attack cases with
ten incidents reported.
Vessels have been fired upon and crew injured
where many of the attacks were concentrated off
Lagos.
India and the Gulf of Aden shared the second
hotspot rank with five reported incidents.
The incidents in India were low-level attacks
aimed at theft from the vessel while the attacks
in the Gulf of Aden were all aimed at hijacking
the vessel and to be taken to small ports on the
eastern coast of Somalia.
But for the first time in 10 years, Indonesia no
longer ranked the highest number of reported
incidents.
There has been a sustained drop in the number of
reported attacks in the archipelago leading up
to only four incidents reported this quarter.
Indonesia ranked fourth this quarter and the
Indonesia Navy and the Police should be
commended for the anti-piracy measures taken.
Waters around Somalia continue to be notorious
for hijacking of vessels and the abduction of
crew for ransom.
The locations of these attacks have moved from
the eastern coast of Somalia to the north and
north eastern coast and the Gulf of Aden.
There was only one attempted attack off the
eastern coastline – some 390 nautical miles from
the coastline.
The tug, Svitzer Korsakov, was hijacked in the
Gulf of Aden.
The heavier concentration of traffic in the Gulf
of Aden was taken advantage by the pirates that
did not have to range as far away from the
coast, although they now operate in an area with
a large number of Coalition Naval vessels.
For the busy Straits of Malacca, there have been
no reported incidents this quarter.
This must be attributed to the enhanced
cooperation between the littoral states.
But there is no room for complacency and it is
vital that law enforcement resources remain
deployed in the area.
In support of piracy studies and eradication,
the IMB strongly urged all ship masters, owners,
shipping industry bodies and the respective flag
states to report all incidents of actual and
attempted piracy and armed robbery to the IMB
Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC).
These attacks are always passed on immediately
to the nearest law enforcement agency and
followed up by the centre.
The reports are a vital first step in the
response mechanism.
The IMB is aware that a number of incidents went
unreported each year due to various fears and
pressures upon captains.
The PRC also provides immediate advice to ship
masters under attack, and through local
authorities, have co-ordinated medical
assistance and support. |
