The Threat of Modern Piracy- A Merged Thread

[geo]

Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of guys......

 

[FastEddy]

Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of guys......

Every now and then I read something that really picks my day up. :rofl:

Cheers.

 

[CougarKing]

Looks like they found one of those pirates' bodies with a huge amount of cash.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28607365/?GT1=43001

Pirate's body washes ashore with $153,000
The Somali man drowned Friday just after receiving a huge ransom
The Associated Press
updated 1:27 p.m. PT, Sun., Jan. 11, 2009
MOGADISHU, Somalia - The body of a Somali pirate who drowned just after receiving a huge ransom washed onshore with $153,000 in cash, a resident said Sunday, as the spokesman for another group of pirates promised to soon free a Ukrainian arms ship.

Five pirates drowned Friday when their small boat capsized after they received a reported $3 million ransom for releasing a Saudi oil tanker. Local resident Omar Abdi Hassan said one of the bodies had been found on a beach near the coastal town of Haradhere and relatives were searching for the other four.

"One of them was discovered and they are still looking for the other ones. He had $153,000 in a plastic bag in his pocket," he said Sunday.

Ransom delivery
The U.S. navy released photos of a parachute dropping a package onto the deck of the Sirius Star, and said the package was likely to be the ransom delivery.

But five of the dozens of pirates who had hijacked the tanker drowned when their small boat capsized as they returned to shore in rough weather. Three other pirates survived but also lost their share of the ransom.

Graeme Gibbon Brooks, managing director of the British company Dryad Maritime Intelligence Service Ltd, said the incident was unlikely to deter attacks.

"The loss or potential loss of the ransom means the pirates will be all the more keen to get the next ransom in," he said. "There are people lining up to be pirates."

The Sirius Star had been held near the Ukrainian cargo ship MV Faina, which was loaded with 33 Soviet-designed battle tanks and crates of small arms. The same day the Sirius Star was released, the family members of the Faina crew appealed for help, saying they were not being kept informed about the negotiations or the state of their loved ones' health.

But a pirate spokesman assured The Associated Press on Sunday that the 20 crew members on the MV Faina were doing well.

"The cargo is still there unharmed and the crew is healthy," Sugule Ali said. "Once the negotiations end in mutual understanding, the ship, its crew and the cargo as well will be released."

False alarms
There have been several false alarms about the release of the MV Faina since it was seized last September. Ali said the pirates were still negotiating with the ship's owners.

"Nothing has changed from our previous demand of $20 million ransom for the release of the ship, but as negotiations continue we are likely to reduce the amount," he said. He declined to give further details.

American warships have been closely monitoring the Faina amid fears that some of the weapons onboard could be taken onshore and fall into the hands of Islamic insurgents.

The shaky Somali government is battling insurgents the U.S. State Department says are linked to al-Qaida. But the situation is complicated by clan militias and rivalries within the Islamist movement.


The latest clashes among Islamist militias have killed at least 29 people and wounded more than 50 others in central Somalia, witnesses said Sunday. The government now only controls the parliamentary seat of Baidoa and pockets of Mogadishu, the capital.

Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991 and its lawless coastline is a perfect haven for pirates, who attacked 111 ships in the Gulf of Aden and kidnapped 42 of them last year alone. The multimillion dollar ransoms are one of the only ways to make money in the impoverished Horn of Africa nation.

An international flotilla including U.S. warships has been patrolling the area. The flotilla has stopped many attacks, but the area is too vast to keep all ships safe.

 

[CougarKing]

In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, China's missile destroyer Wuhan leads Chinese ships sailing in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009. The Chinese naval fleet arrived in the area on Tuesday to carry out the first escort mission against pirates, Xinhua said. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Qian Xiaohu)

A Chinese destroyer is pictured from a French Frigate on January 7, 2009. Somali pirates said Friday they had freed a Saudi-owned supertanker, whose capture nearly two months ago caused panic in international shipping and spurred the world into tougher anti-piracy action. (AFP/File/Stephane de Sakutin)

 

[CougarKing]

This photo taken Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009 and provided by French Defense Ministry, Wednesday Jan. 7, 2009 shows suspected pirates, intercepted by Marine commandos of the French Navy in the Gulf of Aden, off Somalia coasts, being handed to Puntland authorities. French government officials say the Jean de Vienne intercepted and captured 19 pirates Sunday as they tried to take over two cargo ships, one Croatian and the other Panamanian. (AP Photo/French Navy/French Defense Ministry/HO)

This photo taken Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009 and provided by French Defense Ministry, Wednesday Jan. 7, 2009, shows suspected pirates, intercepted by Marine commandos of the French Navy in the Gulf of Aden, off Somalia coasts. French government officials say the Jean de Vienne intercepted and captured 19 pirates Sunday as they tried to take over two cargo ships, one Croatian and the other Panamanian. (AP Photo/French Navy/French Defense Ministry/HO)

This photo taken Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009 and provided by French Defense Ministry, Wednesday Jan. 7, 2009, shows suspected pirates, intercepted by Marine commandos of the French Navy in the Gulf of Aden, off Somalia coasts. French government officials say the Jean de Vienne intercepted and captured 19 pirates Sunday as they tried to take over two cargo ships, one Croatian and the other Panamanian. (AP Photo/French Navy/French Defense Ministry/HO)

Several of the 19 captured Somali pirates, are guarded by Puntland soldiers in Bassaso Puntland, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009. The pirates were handed over to the Puntland authorities by the French Navy which came to the rescue of two cargo ships in the Gulf of Aden. The French naval vessel was on patrol off the Somali coast as part of a European Union anti-piracy force when it came to the rescue of a Croatian cargo vessel and a Panamanian ship crossing the Gulf of Aden. (AP Photo)

Somali pirates captured by French forces in the Gulf of Aden are chained in the northern port town of Bosasso, January 6, 2009. A French warship captured 19 Somali pirates on Sunday when it came to the rescue of two cargo ships threatened in the Gulf of Aden, the office of President Nicolas Sarkozy said. The French naval vessel "Jean de Vienne" was on patrol off the Somali coast as part of a European Union anti-piracy force when it came to the rescue of a Croatian cargo vessel and a Panamanian ship crossing the Gulf of Aden. REUTERS/Abdiqani Hassan (SOMALIA)

Puntland marine forces patrol the Gulf of Aden alongside the French naval vessel "Jean de Vienne" (in the background) near the northern port town of Bosasso, January 6, 2009. The warship captured 19 Somali pirates on Sunday when it came to the rescue of two cargo ships threatened in the Gulf of Aden, the office of President Nicolas Sarkozy said. It was on patrol off the Somali coast as part of a European Union anti-piracy force when it came to the rescue of a Croatian cargo vessel and a Panamanian ship crossing the Gulf of Aden. REUTERS/Abdiqani Hassan (SOMALIA)

French forces present Somali pirates (in orange jackets) captured in the Gulf of Aden to the Puntland marine forces in the northern port town of Bosasso, January 6, 2009. A French warship captured 19 Somali pirates on Sunday when it came to the rescue of two cargo ships threatened in the Gulf of Aden, the office of President Nicolas Sarkozy said. The French naval vessel "Jean de Vienne" was on patrol off the Somali coast as part of a European Union anti-piracy force when it came to the rescue of a Croatian cargo vessel and a Panamanian ship crossing the Gulf of Aden.
REUTERS/Abdiqani Hassan (SOMALIA)

Several of the 19 captured Somali pirates, are guarded by the Puntland soldiers in Bassaso Puntland, Somalia, Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2009. The pirates were handed over to the Puntland authorities by the French Navy which came to the rescue of two cargo ships in the Gulf of Aden. The French naval vessel was on patrol off the Somali coast as part of a European Union anti-piracy force when it came to the rescue of a Croatian cargo vessel and a Panamanian ship crossing the Gulf of Aden.
(AP Photo)

(AP Photo)

French forces present a Somali pirate captured in the Gulf of Aden to the Puntland marine forces in the northern port town of Bosasso, January 6, 2009. A French warship captured 19 Somali pirates on Sunday when it came to the rescue of two cargo ships threatened in the Gulf of Aden, the office of President Nicolas Sarkozy said. The French naval vessel "Jean de Vienne" was on patrol off the Somali coast as part of a European Union anti-piracy force when it came to the rescue of a Croatian cargo vessel and a Panamanian ship crossing the Gulf of Aden.
REUTERS/Abdiqani Hassan (SOMALIA) BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE

 

[geo]

Is it just me - those pictures of the pirates in custody - they strike me as being really TOO relaxed.  With all the serious money involved in the ransoms.... is it possible that these bad boys have an "in" with the judge?  Is this going to be an exercise of "catch & release" at it's finest?

Hope someone on "our" side is taking pictures & fingerprints .... just to make sure this isn't happening.

 

[Blackadder1916]

NATO Shipping Centre SOMALIA PIRACY UPDATE 7 January 2009
As at 081547Z JAN 2009 UNCLAS
http://www.shipping.nato.int/

Following a quiet period during late December pirate activity increased significantly as the new year began. Two new vessels have been hijacked: MV BLUE STAR and MV SEA PRINCESS II were taken on 1st and 2nd Jan in the Gulf of Aden and have subsequently been moved to a position off the coast of Eyl and anchored IVO several other vessels awaiting release. As they arrived in the area the release was announced of Turkish vessel YASA NESLIHAN following the payment of an undisclosed ransom demand. Her 20 crew members are reported as safe and in good spirits.
15 vessels remain hijacked.
The current slide displays last known position of hijacked vessels. (see slide below)

Over 200 merchant seamen are still held by pirates. The use of mother-ships seems to be on the rise, and potentially, vessels are hijacked with the sole intention of using them as such.

In short, the trends in latest piracy incidents are as follows:

Targeting larger cargo / oil / gas / chemical tankers
Approaches / attacks conducted from 2-3 small speedboats with 3-5 armed persons each. The number of boats involved in each incident seems to be increasing.

-----------------------------------------------

NATO Shipping Centre  SOMALIA PIRACY UPDATE 12 January 2009
As at 121611Z JAN 2009  UNCLAS

Since the turn of the new year, there has been a significant spike in acts of piracy with 10 incidents reported, all of which occurred in the Gulf of Aden. Two of the attacks were successful and resulted in the hijacking of general cargo vessel BLUE STAR on 01 Jan and been taken to a place of anchor IVO Eyl. Over 200 merchant seamen are still held by pirates. The use of mother-ships seems to be on the rise, and potentially, vessels are hijacked with the sole intention of using them as such.

Targeting larger cargo / oil / gas / chemical tankers
Approaches / attacks conducted from 2-3 small speedboats with 3-5 armed persons each. The number of boats involved in each incident seems to be increasing. 

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Is it just me - those pictures of the pirates in custody - they strike me as being really TOO relaxed.  With all the serious money involved in the ransoms.... is it possible that these bad boys have an "in" with the judge?  Is this going to be an exercise of "catch & release" at it's finest?

Hope someone on "our" side is taking pictures & fingerprints .... just to make sure this isn't happening.

I picked up on that as well, the guards were quite relaxed also. Hopefully a system like the one used in Iraq is used.

 

[CougarKing]

And the Russians continue to make their presence felt.

Russian navy saves Dutch ship from Somali pirates

1 hour ago

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The Russian navy helped foil an attack by Somali pirates on a Dutch container ship in the dangerous Gulf of Aden, a maritime watchdog said Wednesday.

Six pirates fired rocket-propelled grenades at the ship, which took evasive maneuvers while calling for help, said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center in Malaysia.

The pirates chased the vessel for about 30 minutes but aborted their attempt to board the ship after a Russian warship and helicopter arrived at the scene, Choong said.

Pirates last year attacked 111 ships and seized 42 off the Horn of Africa, many in the Gulf of Aden. An international flotilla including U.S. warships has stopped many attacks, but the area is too vast to keep all ships safe in the vital sea lane that links Asia to Europe.

Choong said it was nevertheless getting harder for Somali pirates to hijack ships because of increased naval patrols and the vigilant watch kept by ships that pass through the area.

"The attacks are continuing but successful hijackings by pirates have (been) reduced," he said.

There have been 11 attacks in Somali waters this year, with two ships hijacked. In total, 11 vessels with 210 crew members remain in pirate hands, Choong said.

Somalia has not had a functioning government since 1991 and its lawless coastline is a haven for pirates. The multimillion dollar ransoms are one of the only ways to make money in the impoverished nation.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/articl...I4-H2wD95MR1800

 

[Yrys]

Pirates release two ships off East Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN)  -- Somalia-based pirates on Tuesday released a Turkish-flagged
ship carrying 4,500 tons of chemicals that was seized two months ago off Yemen's coast,
the International Maritime Bureau told CNN. The Karagol was hijacked on November 12
near Yemen as it traveled to Mumbai, India, according to Turkish media reports. The vessel,
which is owned by an Istanbul-based company, had 14 crew members on board.

The crew was safe, and the vessel was en route to India with the chemicals, said IMB
spokesman Cyrus Mody. Pirates also released the African Sanderling on Monday, Mody said.
That ship was reportedly seized in mid-October. Mody had no further details.

Hijackings off East Africa have been a cause of growing international concern, spurring a
number of international navies to patrol the pirate-wracked Gulf of Aden. Most of the attacks
are blamed on pirates based in a largely lawless Somalia.

The Gulf of Aden links the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. About 20,000 oil tankers, freighters
and merchant vessels pass along the crucial shipping route near Somalia -- a country racked
by poverty and conflict -- each year.

The financial and human costs of piracy are extensive. Ships ranging from luxury yachts to a
Saudi supertanker have been held for ransom.  The Saudi-owned Sirius Star, the largest ship
ever hijacked by pirates, was let go Saturday after being held off the coast of Somalia for two
months. Video : Watch CNN interview with a pirate

The Kenya Seafarers Association said the Sirius Star's 23-man crew -- which included citizens
of Croatia, Great Britain, the Philippines, Poland and Saudi Arabia -- was in "good health and
high spirits" after the release.

A $3.5 million ransom payment -- down from the initial demand of $25 million -- was dropped
by parachute onto the oil supertanker on Friday, but the pirates delayed release of the vessel
after five of their group drowned while departing in a skiff.
Read blog on how CNN contacted a pirate

The ship is a VLCC, or "very large crude carrier," and more than three times the tonnage of a
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, the U.S. 5th Fleet said. The vessel's capture on November 15
sparked fears for its enormous cargo. The ship was carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil
worth about $100 million when it was captured.

According to the United Nations, there were 115 reported pirate attacks off the Somali coast
in 2008, including 46 successful hijackings. At least one major company pulled its ships from
the Gulf of Aden region in 2008, meaning cargo bound for Europe had to round the African
continent rather than use the Suez Canal.

 

[Yrys]

Five Somali pirates drown with ransom share

Exclusive: Pirate tells how comrades drowned, CNN

NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- One of the pirates who held a Saudi oil supertanker off Somalia
before releasing it for ransom has told CNN how five in his group drowned when the boat
in which they left the ship capsized as they tried to evade rival pirates seeking a cut of the
money.

Pirates seized the Sirius on November 15. A $3.5 million ransom payment -- down from the
initial demand of $25 million -- was dropped by parachute onto the ship Friday, but the
pirates delayed the vessel's release after the drownings.

"Other pirates on the shore wanted a tip from the pirates on the Sirius Star, so they started
to fire in the air as our people approached the land," Libaan Jaama told CNN. "When our
pirates heard the shots, they thought they would be robbed, so they tried to return to the
tanker. In that quick turn the boat capsized."

Jaama said he was mourning his friends, who, along with other pirates on board, took 23 crew
members hostage. The Kenya Seafarers Association said the crew -- which included citizens of
Croatia, Great Britain, the Philippines, Poland and Saudi Arabia -- was in "good health and high
spirits" when the vessel was released Saturday.

The tanker's capture in November sparked fears for its enormous cargo. The Liberian-flagged
tanker was carrying 2 million barrels of crude oil worth about $100 million when it was captured.
Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya Seafarers Association said it would have been a "disaster" if the
pirates had fired guns aboard the ship, harming the cargo or igniting a fire.

Hijackings off East Africa are a cause of growing international concern, spurring a number of
international navies to patrol the pirate-wracked Gulf of Aden.

Pirates attacked nearly 100 vessels and hijacked as many as 40 in the waters off the coast of
Somalia in 2008, according to the International Maritime Bureau. See how pirate attacks
peaked in 2008 »

The Gulf of Aden links the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. About 20,000 oil tankers, freighters
and merchant vessels pass along the crucial shipping route near the largely lawless Somalia
each year.

The pirates are based in Somalia -- a land racked by poverty and conflict -- and say hijacking
ships is all about the money and the lifestyle. "We have the best way of life," Jaama said.
"We drive in white SUVs, we enjoy driving them and there is absolutely no difficulty in our life."

Jaama warned the flotilla of coalition warships in the region ready and authorized to strike at
Somali pirates to back off. "Those foreign forces are making a mistake targeting pirates because
we only hunt in our waters," he said. "If they come to our borders, we will think of steps to take
against them."

 

[OldSolduer]

"Jaama warned the flotilla of coalition warships in the region ready and authorized to strike at
Somali pirates to back off. "Those foreign forces are making a mistake targeting pirates because
we only hunt in our waters," he said. "If they come to our borders, we will think of steps to take
against them." "

I suspect they might.

Too bad for his buddies. I hope the sharks are OK.

 

[CougarKing]

Darn. They still haven't resolved the FAINA situation.

Today in Piracy: Somali pirates cut out the middle man in Faina negotiations
Posted: January 15, 2009, 12:37 PM by Chris Boutet

As businesses the world over streamline their operations in an effort to offset the effects of this Global Economic Crisis you may have heard about, often the first people to go are those in middle management — that flabby, extra layer of bureaucracy that is can sometimes be more hindrance than help.

Indeed, it seems our old familiars the Pirates of Somalia have been doing some streamlining of their own these days, as news comes today that the swashbuckling rogues that have been holding a Ukrainian cargo ship loaded with tanks have fired the Somali middlemen trying to secure its release and are now negotiating directly with the owners. (Pirates have brokers? Who knew?) From Reuters:

    The MV Faina was carrying 33 Soviet-era T-72 tanks and other weapons when it was seized in September. The pirates initially demanded a $20-million ransom, lowered to $5-million.

    Osman Farah, an onshore associate of the gang on the Faina, said his colleagues now expected more than $5-million after they sacked the middlemen negotiating on their behalf.

  “Somali brokers had been delaying the process by reporting only half, or less, of the ransom being offered,” Mr. Farah told Reuters by telephone from the coastal town of Haradheere.

    “So the pirates are now directly negotiating with the Ukrainians and we hope things will be better now ... they are expecting more then $5-million and the ship will be freed soon.”

Last week, pirates in the Gulf of Aden released Saudi Arabian supertanker the Sirius Star, after a $3-million ransom was parachuted on deck. That vessel was carrying about $100-million worth of crude oil. According to globalsecurity.org, one upgraded Russian T-72 tank costs about $4-million, which puts the approximate value of the Faina's cargo at $132-million, not counting munitions.

On Tuesday, Somali pirates freed a Korean-owned bulk carrier held for three months, according to regional maritime officials. The Panama-flagged, Japanese-operated African Sanderling was seized with its 21 Filipino crew on Oct. 15, all of whom were in good health. It was not clear if any ransom had been paid. Somalia’s interim president Sheikh Aden Madobe has stressed to foreign companies that ransom payments only encourage piracy.

Chris Boutet, National Post

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/p.../15/229752.aspx

 

[geo]

So the brokers were committing acts of piracy on the pirates...... serves them right!

 

[Yrys]

Somali piracy 'reduces tuna haul'

Piracy off Somalia's coast is a cause of falls in tuna catches in the Indian Ocean -
one of the world's richest sources of the fish, experts say.

The head of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, Alejandro Anganuzzi, said catches
fell by about 30% last year, seriously affecting the industry. The Seychelles economy
has been badly hit as many foreign fishing fleets are based there. The reduced supply
because of piracy has also driven up the price of tuna.

Ship seizures

The Indian Ocean tuna industry is said to be worth up to $6bn.

Last year Somali pirates took 42 commercial ships with crews hostage, according to
the International Maritime Bureau, including the biggest oil supertanker ever captured.
A number of countries began naval patrols off East Africa and in the Gulf of Aden to try
to combat the attacks.

With the threat still present, fishing fleets have had to move further east from the Somali
coast, Mr Anganuzzi told Reuters news agency. About 40% of Seychelles's foreign earnings
come from tuna and related industries, the IOTC said. French and Spanish fleets based in
Seychelles caught only 50% of their expected catch. The fleets usually catch nearly two-thirds
of the year's haul off Somalia between August and November, he said.

Seychelles is paid per tonne of fish landed for port facilities and reduced catches mean fewer
calls to port. "The pirates' biggest impact, however, is reduced supply, driving prices up," the
head of the Seychelles Fisheries Authority, Rondolph Payet, told Reuters.

 

[CougarKing]

Just more updates, including a pirate attack in another area other than the Somali coast:

Pirates kill Greek ship captain off Cameroon

The captain of a Greek-owned, Cameroon-flagged trawler was killed on Saturday while trying to repel an attack by pirates off the coast of Cameroon, the Merchant Marine Ministry said.

According to the ministry, Theodoros Mastaloudis was shot at by gunmen aboard one of two vessels that closed in on his ship and another Greek trawler off Douala, Cameroon's largest city. The remaining crew members of the two ships, including another Greek, were safe.

Several other Greek vessels have recently come under attack from pirates, particularly off the coast of Somalia. Early this month, seamen aboard a Greek-flagged crude oil tanker fought off pirates' attempts to board the ship off Somalia with the help of a European Union force. In October, a Greek tanker carrying chemicals was seized by Somali pirates and released the next month after a ransom was paid.

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_artic.../01/2009_104153

Another one for the French navy

France captures 9 suspected Somali pirates
Associated Press
2009-01-28 01:10 AM

A French official says a navy ship has arrested nine suspected Somali pirates off the coast of Yemen.

Capt. Christophe Prazuck, a spokesman for the armed forces, says the suspected pirates were in two skiffs and were carrying ladders, grapple hooks and weapons. He says the arrests were made Tuesday by a French surveillance frigate hours after a tip from a cargo vessel that pirates were in the region.

A Panther helicopter took off from the French frigate "Le Floreal," and fired warning shots at the suspects before capturing them.

More than a dozen nations _ including France, Britain, China and Russia _ have deployed ships to the pirate-infested region, one of the world's busiest waterways.

http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_conten...8&lang=eng_news

 

[Blackadder1916]

Just more updates, including a pirate attack in another area other than the Somali coast:

Pirate activity is common in locations other than the GOA and off the coast of Somalia, however the nature of the incidents there and scale of the booty taken by the Somali pirates gets the media attention.  Injury (and death) to victims of piracy has been far more common in the other locations but, since they are rarely westerners and it doesn't affect our pocketbook, it is not as newsworthy .

Here are a few of the Weekly Piracy Reports from the IMB for this month (only the most current published report is available online and I missed one found it).

30 December 2008 - 5 January 2009

Suspicious crafts
None reported

Recently reported incidents
 28.12.2008: 1950 LT: Posn: 12:01.9S - 077:11.1W, Callao anchorage, Peru.
Ten robbers boarded a bulk carrier at anchor. They took hostage one duty crew and tied his hands and legs. Robbers stole ship's stores and property and escaped. Port control informed. A coast guard boat came and patrolled the area.
 26.12.2008: Posn: 12:53.5S – 38:41.15W Bahia de Todos Os Santos, Itaparica marina, Brazil.
Two armed robbers boarded a yacht at anchor and assaulted the two crew members.
Robbers stole ship’s properties, cash and crew properties before escaping. The two
injured crew were given shore medical treatment. Authorities are investigating.
 03.01.2009: 0305 LT: Posn: 03:49.6N – 077:09.4W, Buenaventura anchorage, Colombia.
One robber was sighted near the forward cargo compartment on a bulk carrier at anchor. Master raised alarm and mustered ship’s crew. Master reported to the coast guard. Later the man jumped overboard and escaped. Coast guard boarded for investigation.
 04.01.2009: 05:40 UTC: Posn: 13:3.0N – 048:42.5E, Gulf of Aden.
Six pirates in one white coloured speed boat attempted to board a bulk carrier underway. Three of these pirates were armed with machine guns and opened fire on the vessel. Master carried out evasive manoeuvres and contacted a coalition warship. Within 15 minutes a helicopter arrived at the location. The speed boats moved away on seeing the helicopter. No injuries to the crew and no damages to the ship.
 02.01.2009: 0807 UTC: Posn: 13:42N - 050:39E, Gulf of Aden.
Pirates in three skiffs attacked a tanker underway. They fired upon the tanker and attempted to board. Master raised alarm, contacted coalition warships, increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres. A coalition helicopter arrived and the pirates aborted the attempt.
 02.01.2009: 0427 UTC: Posn: 13:11N - 047:32.5E, Gulf of Aden.
Pirates in speed boats approached a tanker underway. One speed boat was spotted four nm and the other two were drifting seven nm ahead of the tanker. Master raised alarm, increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres and crew activated anti-piracy measures. The first speed boat came within two meters of the stbd quarter and fired upon the tanker. Master saw five pirates armed with machine guns. Coalition warships contacted. Pirates aborted the attempt after five minutes.
 01.01.2009: 0747 LT: Posn: 13:55N - 047:58E, Gulf of Aden.
Armed pirates attacked and hijacked a general cargo ship underway. 28 crewmembers taken hostage.
 01.01.2009: 1230 UTC: Posn: 13:53N - 049:29E, Gulf of Aden.
Four pirates in a speed boat attacked a bulk carrier underway. They fired upon the ship with automatic weapons and attempted to board. Master raised alarm, increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres. Pirates aborted the attempted attack.
 01.01.2009: 0337 UTC: Posn: 13:05N – 047:03E: Gulf of Aden.
Two skiffs approached a tanker underway and opened fire with automatic weapons. Master increased speed and made evasive manoeuvres, and sent a distress message via VHF radio. A warship and a helicopter were sent to assist the tanker. Upon seeing the warship and helicopter the skiff moved away.
 31.12.2008: Posn: 13:8.0N – 47:27.0E: 1330 UTC: Gulf of Aden.
A bulk carrier underway was chased and fired upon by pirates in speed boat. Naval warships informed and attack was prevented. Further report is awaited.

6 January 2009 - 12 January 2009

Suspicious crafts
None reported

Recently reported incidents

09.01.2009: 0130 UTC: Posn: 12:01.81S - 077:12.15W, Callao anchorage No.1, Peru.
Duty A/B onboard a container ship at anchor spotted armed robbers lowering ship’s stores. Two of the robbers tried to attack the duty A/B but he managed to run and inform the bridge. Robbers escaped in a motor boat upon hearing the alarm.

06.01.2009: 1945 LT: Posn: 12:01.5S - 077:13.1W, off Callao, Peru.
Five robbers boarded a bulk carrier at anchor. Duty crew noticed the robbers trying to break the forepeak store hatch and raised the alarm. On hearing the alarm, robbers jumped into the water and escaped. Nothing stolen. Port control informed and a patrol boat came and searched the area.

03.01.2009: 0500 LT: Posn: 12:55N - 045:10E, Gulf of Aden.
Armed pirates in four boats attacked and hijacked a product tanker underway. Information indicates the vessel has been taken to Eyl. 15 crewmembers taken hostage. Further details are awaited.

13 January 2009 - 19 January 2009

Suspicious crafts
None reported

Recently reported incidents
 15.01.2009: 0145 UTC: 06:05.37N - 001:15.68E, Lome anchorage, Togo.
Seven, armed robbers in a motor boat attempted to board a bulk carrier at anchor. Duty officer raised alarm and crew prepared fire hoses. Upon seeing crew alertness the robbers aborted the attempted attack. Port control informed.
 15.01.2009: 0235 UTC: 06:05.37N - 001:15.68E, Lome anchorage, Togo.
Four robbers in a motor boat attempted to board a bulk carrier at anchor. Duty officer raised alarm and crew activated fire hoses. Upon seeing crew alertness the robbers aborted the attempt. Master heaved up anchor and proceeded to open sea for drifting.
 12.01.2009: 0340 LT: Anchorage, Port Au Prince, Haiti.
Three robbers in a small boat approached a RORO ship at anchor. One of the robbers attempted to board via side ramp. Duty A/B shouted at the robber and raised alarm. The robber jumped off the ramp and escaped with his accomplices.
 10.01.2009: 2300 LT: Fortaleza port, Brazil.
Four robbers in a boat approached a product tanker at berth. One of the robbers boarded the tanker using a hook attached to a rope. Duty A/B noticed the robber and raised alarm. The robber jumped overboard and escaped with his accomplices and ship's stores..
 15.01.2009: 0415 LT: Posn: 10:14.97N - 107:04.02E, Vungtau outer anchorage, Vietnam.
Two robbers boarded a bitumen tanker at anchor. Duty A/B noticed the robbers and raised the alarm. The ship's whistle was sounded and crew mustered. Upon hearing the alarm, robbers jumped into the water and escaped with ship's stores in a small boat.
 14.01.2009: 1245 UTC: Posn: 13:02.18nN- 046:41.06E, Gulf of Aden.
Eight pirates armed with guns in two boats attempted to attack a tanker underway. Master raised alarm, sent distress message, contacted coalition warships and took evasive manoeuvres. A coalition warship responded and was ready to dispatch a helicopter. Pirate boats slowed down and aborted the attempt upon noticing the British security team at the bridge wings armed with axes.
 13.01.2009: 0810 UTC: Posn: 12:24.5N – 044:57.7E, Gulf of Aden.
One boat with six pirates armed with guns / RPG chased a container ship underway. Pirates open fire with RPG. Two warships in the vicinity provided assistance to the vessel. After half an hour the attack was abandoned. The Russian warship chased the pirate boat but was instructed by Aden control not to interfere.
 08.01.2009: 0030 LT: Posn: 01:44.58S - 041:29.7E, Kiunga, Kenya.
Heavily armed pirates in a speedboat came alongside a fishing vessel at anchor. They boarded the vessel and tied up all crewmembers. They stole cash, some valuable equipment and forced three crewmembers into their speedboat and escaped. Some of the crew swam ashore and reported the incident to the local police. The fishing vessel was brought back to Mombasa. Kenyan police are investigating the incident.
 04.01.2009: 0335 UTC: Posn: 13:24N - 048:15E, Gulf of Aden.
Five pirates, in a speed boat, armed with machine guns attempted to board a tanker underway. Master raised alarm and the contacted coalition warships. The crew activated anti-piracy measures. Pirates came close to the tanker but were unable to board her due to running waters from the fire hoses. Pirates aborted the attempt.
 02.01.2009: 0440 UTC: Posn: 13:13N - 047:32E: Gulf of Aden.
Two speed boats with pirates armed with guns and RPG chased a general cargo ship underway. The ship immediately contacted the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre for help. Duty officer at the, 24 hour manned, IMB Piracy Reporting Centre advised master to take evasive manoeuvres to delay and prevent boarding and then immediately contacted coalition naval forces for help. Two warships were dispatched. Meanwhile ship’s crew used various preventive measures and prevented boarding. Later, pirates aborted attempt and moved away.
 02.01.2009: 1120 LT: Gulf of Aden.
Armed pirates in a boat approached a general cargo ship underway. Master raised alarm, took evasive manoeuvres and contacted coalition warships. Pirates fired upon the ship with rockets and guns. Ship's crew fired rocket flares at the pirate boat which caught fire. Five pirates were apprehended by a coalition helicopter which arrived and shot at the pirate boat.
 01.01.2009: 0730 LT: Posn: 14:21N – 050:34E: Gulf of Aden.
One skiff with six pirates approached a bulk carrier underway. Owners contacted IMB Piracy Reporting Centre for assistance. Duty officer immediately contacted the coalition naval forces to render assistance to crew and vessel. Meanwhile, ship’s crew enforced preventive measure and master reported sighting automatic weapons and RPGs in the skiff. Attack was aborted.
 01.01.2009: 1405 LT: Posn: 14:47N - 051:47E: Gulf of Aden.
Two skiffs approached the bulk carrier from aft. Pirates in both skiffs were armed with automatic weapons and RPGs. Ship made evasive and preventive measures to prevent boarding. Pirates opened fire with automatic weapons at ship. One skiff came very close to ship’s port side. Due to aggressive preventive measures, the pirates aborted the attempted boarding. A warship arrived at location and detained the pirates who claimed that they were fishermen. Pirates threw their weapons into the water. Warship contacted vessel to obtain concrete evidence against the pirates.

20 January 2009 - 26 January 2009

Suspicious crafts
None reported

Recently reported incidents
 22.01.2009: 2050 LT: Pampallia port, Peru.
A chemical tanker, at berth was boarded by an unknown number of robbers, while cargo operations were in progress. The deck security watchman was found to be beaten up and tied up. Upon searching, no robbers were found onboard. Authorities were informed and a coast guard boat arrived and conducted an investigation. Ship’s stores were stolen. Injured crew was sent ashore for medical treatment and later returned to vessel.
 19.01.2009: 2300 LT: Tema roads, Ghana.
Robbers boarded a container ship at anchor. They broke into a container and escaped with its contents and other ship's stores.
 17.01.2009: 2200 LT: Posn: 04:10N - 007:14E, bonny offshore terminal, SPM-1, Nigeria.
Robbers armed with automatic weapons and explosives boarded and attacked a line tug being used by a tanker undergoing loading operations. The line tug captain was killed in the attack. The robbers later approached the tanker and threw grenades which luckily did not hit the tanker. Robbers gained entry into the accommodation by firing on one of the accommodation doors. The crew locked themselves in the engine room for safety. Crew and ship's property was stolen by the robbers. The attack lasted nearly one hour. All crew are safe.
 11.01.2009: 0255 LT: Guanta port, Venezuela.
Four robbers armed with long knives boarded a container ship during cargo operations. They broke open one reefer container and stole contents from it. Upon seeing the watchman, the robbers escaped. Port police informed.

 

[CougarKing]

Pirate activity is common in locations other than the GOA and off the coast of Somalia...

BA,

I was actually aware of that a long time ago, especially in areas supposedly notorious for it such as the Malacca Strait.

Btw, here we go again.

Somali pirates seize German tanker

By Robert Wright, Transport Correspondent

Published: January 29 2009 16:12 | Last updated: January 29 2009 16:12

Somali pirates have seized a German gas tanker off the coast of Somalia, ending more than two weeks when there were no reported attacks in the high-risk area.

Hamburg-based Bernard Schulte Shipmanagement, which manages the vessel, said in a statement that the MV Longchamp had been boarded by seven pirates in the Gulf of Aden, the area between Somalia and Yemen where most pirate attacks take place.

“At present contact with the vessel cannot be made but the master was briefly allowed to communicate with us and it appears that all crew members are safe,” the company said. The crew consists of 12 Filipinos and one Indonesian.

The Longchamp’s seizure marks the first pirate attack since pirates unsuccessfully tried to board a very large crude oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden on January 14. The slowdown in attacks had been widely attributed to the presence in the area of large numbers of international naval vessels, although many in the area put it down to poor local weather.

The vessel is a liquefied petroleum gas carrier. Small carriers of volatile oil products and chemicals have been disproporitionately likely to suffer pirate attacks, according to experts. Because they are slow and sit low in the water, the vessels are easy to board, while their captains are likely to be cautious about the risks to the vessel from gunfire or grenades if they resist boarding.

The Longchamp is the third vessel seized this year, according to the International Maritime Bureau, which monitors piracy. The attack brings to 10 the number of vessels currently held by Somali pirates and to 193 the number of crew held hostage.

Pottengal Mukundan, the IMB’s director, said that even after the latest attack, pirate activity was still not at the levels seen in November, when nine vessels were seized.

It was too early to say whether the recent lull marked a long-term change, Mr Mukundan added.

“We need to see over a couple of months whether this trend is sustained or not,” he said.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/332ac1c8-ee18-11...d2ac,s01=1.html

 

[old medic]

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200901290068.html

Japan to send MSDF off Somalia
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
2009/1/29

The Security Council of Japan decided Wednesday to dispatch the Maritime Self-Defense Force to help counter pirates off Somalia, the first SDF maritime security operation far from the Japanese coast.

Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada instructed Keiji Akahoshi, the MSDF chief of staff, and others to prepare for the dispatch.

An order will likely be issued in early March to send two MSDF destroyers to the sea zone where pirate attacks are rampant. Since it takes about 20 days to reach the area, the destroyers will probably start their operations between late March and early April.

MSDF security operation orders have been issued twice in the past, but only for waters near Japan.

Following the security council's decision Wednesday, Prime Minister Taro Aso, who heads the council, told Hamada, "Do it well."

Hamada later told Takashi Saito, chief of staff of the Self-Defense Forces' Joint Staff, and Akahoshi to "deal with the tasks to ensure everything is done well."

The preparations will involve the formation of a dispatch unit, on-site research of the sea zone, training and procurement of equipment.

The Defense Ministry will send personnel off Somalia for research and to select a port for refueling. The ministry will also devise a basic plan to deal with the pirates as well as guidelines for weapons use.

Meanwhile, the ruling parties' anti-piracy project team on Wednesday started drafting a new law to deal with pirates.

The existing "maritime security activities" framework is based on the SDF Law provision for patrols off the Japanese coast. Dispatching MSDF vessels off Somalia has been criticized as overstretching the interpretation of the framework.

In addition, the MSDF is currently restricted on its use of weapons abroad and whom it can protect.

The ruling coalition intends to enact a new law that clarifies the grounds for dispatching the MSDF for anti-piracy missions overseas and the rules of engagement.(IHT/Asahi: January 29,2009)

 

[CougarKing]

This seems only practical considering the recent coverage piracy has received.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090203/ap_on_re_us/fighting_pirates]

US seamen are being trained to fend off pirates
CLARKE CANFIELD Reuters PORTLAND, Maine – With an alarming number of tankers and cargo ships getting hijacked on the high seas, the nation's maritime academies are offering more training to merchant seamen in how to fend off attacks from pirates armed not with cutlasses and flintlocks but automatic weapons and grenade launchers.

Colleges are teaching students to fishtail their vessels at high speed, drive off intruders with high-pressure water hoses and illuminate their decks with floodlights.

Anti-piracy training is not new. Nor are the techniques. But the lessons have taken on new urgency — and more courses are planned — because of the record number of attacks worldwide in 2008 by outlaws who seize ships and hold them for ransom.

At the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, Calif., professor Donna Nincic teaches two courses on piracy. Students learn where the piracy hotspots are and how they have shifted over the years.

"If I've done anything, I've shown them that this isn't a joke, it's not about parrots and eye patches and Blackbeard and all that," Nincic said. "It's very real and it's a problem without an easy solution."

Emily Rizzo, a student at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, Mass., worked aboard a 760-foot cargo ship last year as part of her training. As the vessel sailed the Malacca Straits in Southeast Asia, she served on "pirate watches," learned to use hoses and took part in drills with alarms indicating the ship had been boarded.

The training "brought to light just how serious it is," said Rizzo, a 22-year-old senior from Milwaukee. "The pirates can get on board these huge ships and they know what they're doing. It's not like the old days."

The International Maritime Bureau reported 293 piracy incidents in 2008, an increase of 11 percent from the year before. Forty-nine vessels were hijacked, and 889 crew members were taken hostage. Eleven were killed and 21 reported missing and presumed dead, according to the bureau.

Piracy hotspots have been identified off East Africa and in Southeast Asia, South America and the Caribbean.

Typically, small numbers of pirates — as few as two and up to 15 or 16 — draw up alongside ships in motorized skiffs and use grappling hooks and rope ladders to clamber aboard. Some of the biggest ships might have no more than two dozen crew members.

Often the pirates are armed with knives and guns. Pirates off the coast of Somalia have taken to firing automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades.

In the old days, ships were armed with cannons to guard against pirates. But nowadays, crew members for the most part do not carry guns. And maritime instructors say that arming crews is not the answer.

It is illegal for crews to carry weapons in the territorial waters of many nations, and ship captains are wary of arming crew members for fear of mutinies, Nincic said. Also, some worry that arming crew members would only cause the violence to escalate.

Instead, the best defense is vigilance, Nincic tells students.

"If you demonstrate a culture of awareness, that you look like you know you're in pirate waters and are clearly standing watch, patrolling, etc., the pirates know you're going to be more difficult to board and are possibly going to wait for the next ship and board the one that's easier," she said.

The Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine, is putting together a new anti-piracy course on nonlethal defense for ship crews, said Ralph Pundt, chairman of the school's marine transportation department.

The course would teach how crews can use observation techniques, lights, fire hoses and evasive action. The best way to combat pirates, Pundt said, it to keep them from boarding in the first place.

Michael Durnan, a 42-year-old senior at Cal Maritime, was working on a tanker filled with soybean oil in 2001 when he confronted four pirates standing on the ship's stern in the Bay of Bengal off Bangladesh.

Durnan approached the men with a 2-by-4, but they threw some equipment overboard and then jumped over themselves, escaping into the darkness in small fishing boats.

"They take everything and sell everything," he said. "Anything on a ship can be sold to somebody for something."

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