25 - 31 January 2014 (Vol. 3; No.5/14) This Week's Newsletter :

Nexus Consulting Group Securing Your Future Throughout The World

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Attacks, kidnapping in Nigeria, MEND shows up, and confusing hijack story; Three Indians released in Nigeria; Suspect pirates transferred to Seychelles; Bunkering Fraud - Despite the overall reduction in global piracy, attack, kidnap and hijack in West Africa continue unabated in 2014. Tugboats and offshore support vessels targeted with seeming trend of kidnapping the Captain and Chief Engineer for ransom; a patrol boat is attacked as robbers attempt to escape following attack on a commercial boat. Three Indians kidnapped from MV San Miguel off Equatorial Guinea are rescued (no details), however, the tableau of MT Kerala hijack continues with claim and counter claim. A new Flag Officer in Nigeria has vowed to raise the bar in the fight against oil theft and piracy. Meanwhile, the Ivory Coast is to adding 40 new vessels to its depleted navy as it confronts a growing threat from pirates. China launches new patrol boat for Nigeria with agreement for Port Harcourt to be upgraded. Norwegian-flagged vessels to revise security measures east and south of Nigeria, all the way to and including the waters off Angola; Germany advised to prepare to combat W Africa piracy. The 5 suspected pirates detained by EU's French forces were transferred to Seychelles as one of the few nations willing to try suspects on charges of intent to commit piracy. Safer shipping lanes off Somalia have encouraged a return of trade with CMA CGM expanding its Middle East service into Mogadishu. The Indonesian Navy says it will intensify patrols along the sea border with Malaysia to deter the encroachment of territorial borders, weapon smuggling, piracy and sea crimes. $37 million worth of cocaine seized in a multi-national operation in the Caribbean. Over-use of the title pirates? At least 100 tourists were raided aboard a boat that was in the Huallaga River [Peru]. A new study says, the threat of prison is not a deterrent against pirates. In fact they are better off locked up, says a leading law professor. The concept just doesn’t work. President of the European Commission has said the issue of the Italian marines in India may have an “impact” on the European Union-India relations and “will be assessed carefully”. Also, the European Commission wants a single standard for maritime security companies working on EU-flag ships. After Dutch shipowners decried the cost of VPDs, Japanese shipping concerns have decided against inward investment in the Netherlands due to the Dutch ban on the use of PMSCs. The UN Security Council has urged countries to stop the payment of kidnap ransoms to extremist groups; a matter much debated in terms of paying ransoms for the release of hostages held in Somalia. India's Supreme Court directed the Centre to file its response on a plea seeking direction to expedite the release of Indians held captive by Somalian pirates, the Asphalt Venture crew in particular. Marine insurers, Skuld, is warning its members of the dangers of bunkering fraud, which could be on the rise, especially off West Africa. 6 out of 10 people trafficked to the West are Nigerians, claims investigative report. ‘Dramatic drop in piracy rates’… But are these reports simply too good to be true? Not another of Tom Hanks' films, but true-life. A castaway washed up on the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean has claimed he has survived the past 16 months adrift at sea.

Contents: Regional Activity; Released by Pirates; Pirates in Court; Private Security; International Response; Piracy Cost; Seafarers' Plight; And Finally...; Piracy Incidents; Situational Map

East Africa/Indian Ocean

PIRACY OFF the coast of Somalia has fallen to its lowest level for eight years, thanks to international naval patrols - BBC News Business. The safer shipping lanes have encouraged firms in the Gulf to re-open trade links. Howard Johnson reports on the goods involved and Somalia's hopes for greater investment. Video report

CMA CGM is expanding services to Somalia by extending its Middle East service Noura Express. Armed guards will be deployed on this risky service - Gulfship News. The service, which started yesterday, connects at Khorfakkan. Mathieu Friedberg, senior vice president, African lines at CMA CGM, explained: “We strongly believe in the recovery of the Somalian economy and are proud to launch the Noura Express, offering worldwide connections to and from Mogadishu. This is the first milestone of our growth plan in this region and there will be more developments in the months ahead.”

A MEMBER of Somali rebel group al-Shabab was killed Sunday by a missile fired by a suspected drone, a rebel commander said, blaming the U.S. for the strike - Navy Times. Abu Mohamed told The Associated Press that Sahal Iskudhuq, a militant commander who was believed to be close to al-Shabab’s top leader, was killed when his car was hit by a missile in Somalia’s Lower Shabelle region. The attack took place in a village called Hawai, he said. A Somali intelligence official confirmed the attack, describing the victim as a “dangerous” militant. His driver was also killed in the attack, the official said on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorised to reveal the information.

ITALIAN WARSHIPS currently in Maputo will remain in Mozambican waters for two months in order to undertake training activities with the Mozambican navy and exchange experiences in the fight against piracy - AllAfrica. The four ships are members of the Italian 30th Naval Group. They are the aircraft carrier “Cavour”, the frigate “Bergamimi”, the patrol ship “Borsini” and the supply vessel “Etna”. According to the commander of the 30th Naval Group, Rear Admiral Paolo Treu, the Italian and Mozambican navies will undertake training exercises in such areas as the protection of commercial shipping, the fight against piracy and trafficking, and rescue at sea in the event of maritime accidents. Speaking at a press conference on Monday on board the “Cavour”, Treu said the Italian navy thought it important to increase and strengthen cooperation with other navies across the world. “For us, it’s a great pleasure to collaborate with and assist the Mozambican navy”, he said. “This is an activity which will increase mutual trust between the two navies and contribute to global security”. He stressed that the presence of the Italian warships has nothing to do with the current politico- military tension in parts of Mozambique, but is merely intended to boost cooperation, particularly in the fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean.

SOMALIA'S PRESIDENT said he wanted the U.N. Security Council to extend a partial lifting of an arms embargo beyond March when the exemption is due to end because Somali troops need more and better equipment to battle al Qaeda-aligned insurgents - Reuters. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud also told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday evening that he was working to improve the management of public finances, after the resignation of two central bank governors in quick succession last year rattled Western and other donors. The election by parliament in 2012 of Mohamud, a 58-year-old former academic, marked a break from two decades of political chaos and conflict, first at the hands of feuding warlords and then al Shabaab militants who vow allegiance to al Qaeda. Since he took office, the battered capital has enjoyed a building boom, some Somalis who fled have returned and, in a sign of greater international confidence, the U.N. Security Council partially lifted an embargo, letting Mogadishu import light arms for its army for a one-year period till March 2014.

REPORTS COMING to Raxanreeb online news desk tonight are stating that Shiekh Hassan Dahir Aweys was released from the jail that he was in since his detention in June last year of the Federal government of Somalia - RBC Radio. Shiekh Hassan Dahir Aweys (pictured) escaped from Al- Qaida-Linked militants Al-shabab in Barawe, Lower Shabelle taking route on the sea to the central regions coasts. He was later under the custody of peace keeping Somali police unit centre at Shibis district, Banaadir. Hassan Dahir Aweys was the leader of the Religious militants group, Hisbul Islam. This officer is said to have taken to a house that was arranged for him by the federal government of Somalia.

SECURITY GUARDS are on high alert after intelligence reports indicated that Al-Shabaab militants were planning attacks in Kenya and other African countries with their soldiers to Somalia - Daily Nation. Information from Kenyan intelligence agencies and the 2014 US Global Threat Assessment report indicate that government buildings and other installations could be targeted. (SEE: US intelligence chief warns of new attacks on Kenya) Also targeted are Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Uganda because of those countries’ troop contributions to the African Union peace-keeping force in Somalia. The Amisom military component has 5,432 troops from Burundi, 1,000 from Djibouti, 3,664 from Kenya, 850 from Sierra Leone and 6,223 from Uganda. Ethiopia last week officially deployed 4,395 to join the force. Mr David Kimaiyo, the Inspector-General of Police, Thursday said that security had been beefed up in the areas identified as potential targets.

West Africa

SEA PIRATES on Saturday attacked a commercial boat and a patrol boat of the Joint Military Task Force code named Operation Pulo Shield along the water ways and creeks of Nembe and Southern Ijaw Area of Bayelsa State - Legis Reports Nigeria. LEGIS REPORTS gathered that while the attack on the Commercial Boat occurred along the coastal town of Ekeni in Southern Ijaw local government area of the State on Thursday, the attack on the Patrol boat of the JTF occurred on Saturday morning along the Nembe-Bassanbiri Community in Nembe area of the State leaving a soldier critically injured. The Thursday attack we gathered, led to the death of a business woman identified as Madam Rhoda Wuka Brisibe who was reportedly shot in the head while two others,Mrs. Pakemie Miss Illabai Leader and Mrs Mary John sustained injuries. It was also gathered that the attack on the coastal settlement was launched at about 11pm.The remains of the deceased woman had been deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa. Eye witness said that the Saturday morning attack launched on the Patrol boat of the JTF took the soldiers by surprise and critically injured one of the soldiers. According to a boat passenger,who identified himself as Awoigha the sea pirates had attacked a house boat along the Nembe Bassanbiri axis and were escaping with their loot when they sighted the soldiers in a boat.

ANGOLA'S NAVY said on Sunday the crew of an oil tanker that vanished off its coast on Jan. 18 had turned off communications to fake an attack, seeking to calm energy sector fears that the vessel had been hijacked by pirates - Reuters. Unconfirmed reports that the tanker had been seized raised concern that piracy off West Africa was spreading south from the Gulf of Guinea, near Africa's biggest oil producer Nigeria, where most hijacking gangs are believed to originate. Pirate attacks jumped by a third last year off West Africa. Any attack off Angola, which is the continent's No. 2 crude producer, would be the most southerly to date. Captain Augusto Alfredo, spokesman for the Angolan navy, said the missing Liberian-flagged MT Kerala has been located in Nigeria and that reports of a hijacking were false. "It was all faked, there have been no acts of piracy in Angolan waters," he told Reuters. "What happened on Jan. 18, when we lost contact with the ship, was that the crew disabled the communications on purpose. There was no hijacking." Alfredo declined to comment on how the navy had established the behaviour of the MT Kerala's crew, saying only that other authorities may provide further details later. Image - MT Kerala, (c) Johann Cuschieri/marinetraffic.com/gCaptain

THE GREEK owners of an oil tanker that vanished off the Angolan coast on January 18 said on Sunday that pirates had hijacked the vessel and stolen a large quantity of cargo, contradicting the Angolan navy's denial that such an assault took place - Reuters. Greece-based Dynacom, owners of the 75,000 deadweight tonne Liberian-flagged tanker MT Kerala, said it had managed to contact crew on the vessel who reported the pirates had left. "Pirates hijacked the vessel offshore Angola and stole a large quantity of cargo by ship-to-ship transfer. The pirates have now disembarked," the company said in a statement. It did not provide any further details on the attack or the ship's current location but added that all crew were safe.

IN A press release issued by Dynacom Tankers Management, the managers of the 'missing', then confirmed hijacked tanker, Kerala, state that the vessel and crew are safe, however, one crew member was wounded. A large amount of the oil cargo was stolen - OCEANUSLive. Precise details of the hijack are sketchy and the Angola Navy comments (not included) about faking the hijack are not commented upon in this release, but it is considered that this particular incident has many questions to answer in view of the length of time the vessel was stated as missing. The statement is as follows: We are the Managers of the vessel "Kerala" (IMO No. 9390927) which was recently hijacked at Angola, Luanda Anchorage. We are relieved to advise that on Sunday, 26 January 2014, we were able to re-establish contact with the vessel and speak to the Master. All crew members are alive and accounted for, but one is wounded [reported stabbed in the back] and all have clearly been affected by their ordeal. A large amount of cargo has been stolen. We lost contact with the vessel on 18 January 2014. We instigated our emergency response procedures and engaged professionals experienced in dealing with these type of incidents to assist us. It quickly became apparent that we were dealing with a piracy incident and that the vessel had been hijacked. In accordance with good practice, we did not provide detailed press releases whilst the situation was unfolding, but worked alongside the relevant authorities to try to resolve the incident.

THE REPORTED hijacking of Greek oil tanker Kerala off the Angolan coast earlier this month was fabricated by the crew and the vessel’s owner, according to the Angolan Navy -Bloomberg. “The oil tanker’s crew worked in collusion with the ship’s owner,” navy spokesman Captain Augusto Alfredo Lourenco said by phone today from the capital, Luanda. “There wasn’t any hijacking, they simulated it.” The Kerala, carrying 60,000 metric tons of diesel, was contracted to the Angolan state-run oil company Sonangol, which reported losing contact with the vessel on Jan. 19. It initially thought the tanker was hijacked by pirates. “While it was waiting for authorization to unload the diesel in Luanda on January 18, the tanker was contacted by the tugboat Gare,” Lourenco said. “The crew of the tanker disconnected the communication system and headed toward Nigeria together with the tug,” he said. “The empty tanker was found in Nigeria.” “There isn’t any risk of pirate attacks in Angola even though we worry about this problem in the Gulf of Guinea” to the north, Lourenco said. “We are constantly patrolling our waters.”

A SEAFARER was injured when a gang of pirates boarded and hijacked the panamax tanker Kerala off Angola last week, Dynacom Tankers has revealed - Lloyd's List (Subs). The condition of the wounded man the tanker’s Indian fourth engineer is not known, but the company is arranging to get him to hospital. Dynacom founder George Prokopiou told Lloyd’s List that after re-establishing contact with the missing tanker the company learned that the engineer officer had been stabbed in the back with a knife and hit with a gun butt. The 2009-built tanker is believed to be heading to the port of Tema in Ghana. Dynacom estimates that about 13,000 tonnes of gas oil was removed from Kerala by ship-to-ship transfer and said the pirates also stole a quantity of lubricants, ropes and provisions before they fled. The company could not say what vessels were used in the hijacking and cargo theft. Mr Prokopiou said the pirates held the master on the floor at gunpoint, leaving him “very shocked”. Dynacom also confirmed that the tanker was hijacked at Angola’s Luanda anchorage, where it is understood to have been operating for Sonangol in a storage role.

ON JANUARY 18th, a Greek shipping firm lost radio contact with one of its vessels, a Liberian- flagged, 75,000-ton oil tanker named Kerala, when it was just a few miles off the port of Luanda, Angola. What happened next is still in dispute. But maritime experts think the Kerala's disappearance marks a dangerous new escalation of the oil-driven piracy that has increasingly tormented mariners across the infamous Bight of Benin - Foreign Policy. Maritime hijackings off of Somalia and the rest of Africa's eastern coast are in sharp decline. But pirate attacks in West Africa have crept upward, turning the waters around the Gulf of Guinea into one of the centers of global piracy. About one out of every five reported pirate attacks last year took place in the Gulf of Guinea, the International Maritime Bureau reported, but it estimates that only about one-third of West African attacks are actually reported. The piracy on the western coast of African bears little similarity to piracy off the east coast, however. In short, it's even more aggressive. And oil companies operating in the area, West African countries dependent on energy revenues for their fiscal well-being, and regions that rely on sub-Saharan crude such as Europe and China worry that this new breed of pirates may turn the region into a no-go zone for shippers and operators.

THE NIGERIAN Navy has intercepted a Greek owned merchant tanker, MT KERALA allegedly hijacked off the coast of Luanda after a four day search in the Gulf of Guinea - AllAfrica. The ship was intercepted with the use Nigerian Navy's remote surveillance system and search patrols. MT KERALA is currently under Ghanaian custody in the Port of Tema and Interpol operatives are investigating the circumstances of the hijack of the ship, a statement by Navy Spokesman Commodore Aliyu Kabiru said. He explained that, "On 23 January 2014, the Nigerian Navy received a report from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) that MT KERALA had been hijacked off Luanda in Angola. Subsequent report from IMB on 25 Jan 14 located her about 50nm south west of Pennington Oil Terminal in Nigeria." Commodore Aliyu said three Navy patrol vessels were deployed to search for MT KERALA. Two other vessels, MT ITRI and a tug boat GARE were reportedly in the vicinity of MT KERALA conducting ship-to-ship transfer of products with KERALA in gross violation of existing regulations in Nigeria. He explained that in a twist of events, the ship owners, who were initially cooperating, later refused to divulge information as requested by the Nigerian Navy towards locating the ship. Likewise, the Angolan Navy in a public notification on 26 Jan 14, contended that the ship was not hijacked. Rather, it was an internal conspiracy and dispute among the crew and the ship-owners. [MV ITRI was hijacked at Abidjan anchorage, Ivory Coast 16 Jan 2013. Vessel and crew released after cargo theft on 22 Jan.]

SEVEN PIRATES attacked a Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) tugboat today in the firm's oil fields in Bayelsa State, abducting the captain and engineer - Sahara Reporters. The tugboat, with six crew members, was coming from Port Harcourt to Brass to load crude at the terminal. The four others on board had their valuables taken. The attack comes at a time of rising insecurity in the Niger Delta region. A security officer not authorized to speak for company said, "Nobody knows their whereabouts." But he added the incident happened at Peter's town in Nembe Local Government area, Bayelsa. In a related story, another gang of pirates attacked a passenger boat on Sunday afternoon. The pirates took passengers' valuables and to immobilize the boat removed its engine.

AFTER WHAT looked like an interlude, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which had been the arrow head of the agitation and violence in the Niger Delta, Monday announced that it was the mastermind of the weekend attack on the tugboat belonging to Agip Nigerian Oil Company (NOAC) and the abduction of two personnel on the waterways of Nembe in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Similar claims by the group in the past have always been dismissed as hoax by the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Polo Shield - AllAfrica. This is more so as the weekend’s attack was reportedly carried out by suspected pirates. The MEND statement, which was signed by it spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, reads: “The MEND confirms that the attack on a Joint Task Force (JTF) patrol boat on Saturday, January 25, 2014, in the Nembe-Bassanbiri waterways, Bayelsa State was carried out by our fighters. “This relatively insignificant attack is a reminder of our presence in the creeks of the Niger Delta and a sign of things to come. Contrary to speculations, they were not ‘sea pirates’, but a new group of MEND trainee fighters. “Our silence thus far, has been strategic and at the right time, we will reduce Nigerian oil production to zero by 2015 and drive off our land, all thieving oil companies.

THE NEW Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Samuel Alade, has vowed to raise the bar in the fight against oil theft and piracy within his area of responsibility - This Day Live. Alade, who is the command’s 34th FOC, gave the assurance while taking over the command’s leadership from Rear Admiral Ibok Ibas, at the Western Naval Command, Apapa, Lagos. He said Lagos, being the economic gateway of the nation, would be given the deserved security attention, so as to ensure free flow of economic activities on the sea. Alade pledged to give his best to the nation without compromising the interest of the nation, adding that the command would continue to strictly follow the Chief of Naval Staff’s strategic guidance 01 and 02. Earlier, during the passing out parade held in his honour, Ibas said the command sustained its commitment to effective internal security operations in its host state.

IVORY COAST is adding around 40 new vessels to its depleted navy as it confronts a growing threat from pirates in the Gulf of Guinea, the country's defense minister said on Tuesday - Reuters. Attacks on commercial vessels off the coast of oil-rich West Africa jumped by a third last year. The first known hijacking of a vessel in Ivory Coast territorial waters occurred late in 2012. Similar attacks followed. "These vessels will provide security on our rivers, the lagoon and at sea," Defence Minister Paul Koffi Koffi said. "They will fight piracy, infiltration and illicit trafficking and will be managed by the navy." Ivory Coast's navy was seriously damaged by 10 years of political upheaval that culminated in a brief civil war in 2011. Efforts to rebuild it have been hampered by a -imposed embargo on weapons imports However, the UN has approved the purchase of the new vessels, Koffi Koffi told Reuters, and some of them have already arrived. The order was placed with 's Raidco Marine and includes around 30 inflatable speed launches. The rest are 9- to 12-metre craft and 33-metre patrol boats.

US OIL giant Chevron has announced it will “vigorously” oppose a $5 billion lawsuit filed in the United States by Nigerians residing in the vicinity of a deadly offshore natural gas rig exploration in 2012 - Oil Price. Nigerian coastal residents filed the $5 billion lawsuit earlier this month in a federal court in California, two years after the explosion at Chevron’s offshore gas exploration site in the oil-rich Niger Delta, which killed two workers, burned for 46 days and allegedly poisoned the air and water. In January 2012, Chevron’s KS Endeavor drilling rig exploded approximately 6 miles of the coast of Nigeria. The company was in the process of drilling a gas exploration well in the Funiwa field off the Niger Delta at the time. The Nigerian plaintiffs allege that Chevron’s negligence was to blame for the explosion and they are seeking a ruling that would hold the oil giant liable for economic losses and environmental damages.

THE CHINA Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company launched the Nigerian Navy’s first of two P-18N offshore patrol vessels on Monday - DefenceWeb. The launch ceremony took place at Wuchang Shipyard in Wuhan, China, and was attended by numerous Nigerian dignitaries, including Nigeria’s First Lady, Patience Faka Jonathan. She said her husband Goodluck Jonathan’s administration is committed to recapitalising the Nigerian naval fleet to enable it to address various maritime security challenges, IHS Janes reports. The vessel was assigned the pennant number F91 (the pennant number F90 is assigned to the NNS Thunder, an ex-US Coast Guard cutter). The offshore patrol vessel’s launched ceremony also marked the hull formation ceremony of the second vessel, F92. Only the first offshore patrol vessel (OPV) will be built entirely in China as between 50 and 70% of the second ship will be constructed in Nigeria in an effort to enhance local shipbuilding capability and provide technology transfer. Delivery of F91 is expected in the middle of this year and the second vessels is also expected to arrive sometime in 2014, and be completed either late this year or early 2015. China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company (CSOC) has also signed a contract to upgrade the Nigerian Naval Shipyard in Port Harcourt so that it can build OPVs and maintain vessels up to 10 000 dwt. Upgrades to the dockyard include a new jetty, a new dry dock and other additions. Image - via DefenceWeb

MARITIME SECURITY is as important to Germany as to any other nation on Earth. Its export economy depends on the free and uninterrupted movement of goods across oceans in order to reach far-flung markets. Increasingly, however, this freedom has come under attack. Due to piracy off the coast of Africa, trade prospects have dimmed, leaving many wondering what is to be done. The time has come for Germany to act, writes David Petrovic - Atlantic Community. The way in which Somali pirates have managed to threaten shipping lanes in the Gulf of Aden shows how the instability of seemingly far-off countries can have a direct impact on developed nations. In the medium term, the fragility of these states and the increase in the numbers of attacks in West Africa could drive Germany to become more involved in the protection of shipping routes in this area. Germany’s dependence on the sea has to be mirrored by an increase in its engagement in this respect. Some specific recommendations:

1. Germany must recognize its dependence on the sea. The importance of the sea for natural resources, food, transportation and as an arena for international conflicts will continue to grow in our maritime 21st century. In strategic documents, Germany needs to focus on its interests more strongly and boldly than ever before. It is also vital that the German public be made aware of the importance of the sea for the country’s prosperity and of the need to deploy political and military capabilities to safeguard access to trading routes. 2. Germany also has to be prepared to combat piracy off the coast of West Africa.The increase in attacks in this area is a cause for concern. Consideration should be given to assisting the coastguards in Nigeria and Benin to expand their capacity, and to providing support for the West African economic community ECOWAS. Germany must be prepared to react appropriately to such developments, both politically and militarily. Click to read more.

THE NORWEGIAN Maritime Authority refers to ISPS notification dated 19.12.2013, related to West Africa - Norwegian Maritime Authority. In that notification, the area where security level 2 is required was expanded to the waters off Togo and Benin, which was an addition to the already existing (since 2007) requirements for security level 2 in the waters off Nigeria. Furthermore, on the same date (19.12.2013), the Norwegian Maritime Authority recommended that Masters carefully consider implementing relevant security measures for areas west of Togo (all the way to and including Ivory Coast) and east/south of Nigeria (all the way to and including Gabon). The relevant areas were marked on the map as “area where measures according to SSP for level 2 should be carefully considered”. Due to recent and credible reports of Nigerian piracy activity off the coast of Angola, NMA advises vessels flying the Norwegian flag to carefully consider relevant security measures east and south of Nigeria, all the way to and including the waters off Angola. The Norwegian Maritime Authority emphasizes that the required security level for the said area west of Togo and east/south of Nigeria is still level 1. Read Notification (PDF)

Southeast Asia THE AUSTRALIAN Federal Government last week announced it would inject an extra A$88M ($76.7M) in funding for Customs and Border Protection towards screening of international cargo - IHS Maritime 360. Inspection rates of sea cargo in major ports of Sydney and Melbourne will increase by 20%, the Minister for Customs Scott Morrison announced. "This will result in an additional 1,500teu containers being physically examined by ACBPS officers in sea cargo environment," the minister said in a statement. "There will now be additional equipment, new technology, and extra Customs and Border Protection officers to enhance the capability of the Service to undertake the examination of cargo." The funding will include $24M to expand the operations of container examination facilities in Sydney and Melbourne and increase the number of containers physically examined per year in those ports; $15.7M in new technology including mobile x-ray and detection technology to provide increased capability, flexibility and agility in the inspection and examination of air and sea cargo; $3.7M to provide eight additional officers to support the intelligence activities necessary to target and identify high risk illicit cargo.

JAKARTA POLICE said yesterday that the search to find 16 missing passengers would continue a week after a ferry sunk near the capital’s Thousand Islands district due to bad weather - Seaship News. The KM Sahabat sank 35 km off Tanjung Priok port in North Jakarta last Tuesday en route to Tanjung Pandan in Bangka-Belitung province. More than 130 passengers have been rescued, but 16 people remained missing on Monday, police said.

THE [INDONESIAN] Navy says it will intensify patrols along the sea border with Malaysia in 2014 - Jakarta Post. Preparation for the operation, codenamed “Operasi Benteng Hiu-14″, was discussed in detail at a meeting headed by Com. Aan Kurnia in Surabaya, East Java, on Thursday. According to the Navy information service, Operasi Benteng Hiu-14 will involve six warships, a company of marines and a maritime spy aircraft as well as an intelligence task force. The warships include the KRI Oswald Siahaan-354 destroyer and the KRI Lambung Mangkurat- 374 anti-submarine ship, Antara news agency reported. The focus of Operasi Benteng Hiu-14 will be sea patrols along the frontier area to deter the encroachment of territorial borders, weapon smuggling, piracy and other criminal offenses in the sea, Aan said. Aan said the Navy often received reports on armed robbery targeting Indonesian fishermen in the sea off Sebatik Island by unidentified people who fled into Malaysian territory.

South America/Caribbean

THE BLOW that the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary has struck to drug lords in the Americas this winter now stands at £230m after more than a tonne of cocaine was seized by RFA Wave Knight - Navy News. The tanker and its US Coast Guard allies pounced on a speed boat off the Dominican Republic – bringing it to a halt with disabling fire before recovering 45 bales of cocaine. The illicit cargo would be worth more than £60m on the streets of Britain. The hunt began on the night of January 22 when a US Coast Guard patrol aircraft, Wave Knight and a Coast Guard helicopter embarked on the tanker all gave chase to a speedboat racing through international waters south of the Dominican Republic. The Coast Guard helicopter fired warning shots in an attempt to get the boat to stop but as the suspected smugglers were observed jettisoning the bales of drugs overboard the decision was made to use disabling fire on the vessel. Wave Knight quickly launched one of her sea boats with a US Coast Guard boarding team to board and question those on board the suspect vessel. At the same time the tanker launched a second boat to haul in the ditched bales of cocaine, and succeeded in recovering 45. Four crew of the go-fast were detained, while the haul of drugs was checked; it totalled around 1.25 tonnes of cocaine with a value of more than £60m. The cocaine and detainees were handed over to the US authorities off the coast of Puerto Rico. Image - The 25-foot go-fast boat (right) seized by US Coast Guard and RFA Wave Knight

THE U.S. Coast Guard has offloaded $37 million worth of cocaine seized in a multi-national operation in the Caribbean in what it referred to as a ‘historic’ haul in a joint operations with the British Royal Fleet - FOX News. The Coast Guard said Tuesday that the 2,500 pounds of cocaine was seized on Jan. 22 south of the Dominican Republic when a 25-foot go-fast boat was spotted with suspicious packages. The U.S. Coast Guard launched its helicopter from the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary Wave Knight to intercept the suspected drug smugglers seen throwing packages overboard during the pursuit. Four suspected smugglers were detained and will be transferred to law enforcement authorities in the U.S. Authorities did not immediately release their identities or nationalities. Image - The U.S. Coast Guard offloads 2,500 pounds and $37 million worth of cocaine at the Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, Fla. (AP/THE MIAMI HERALD)

A BAND of "pirates" raided at least 100 tourists from home and abroad, while traveling aboard a boat that was in the Huallaga River [Peru] - Trome Peru. The ship, which departed from the town of San Lorenzo bound for Yurimaguas in the Loreto region of the police station in San Lorenzo , was boarded by criminals; two policemen who were on board were injured. The thieves, who took money, bags, cameras, cell phones, laptops and other valuables, escaped on board a feeder vessel which slipped away after the assault. Both policemen were admitted to the Emergency Hospital in Santa Gema.

Other

PORTS IN Africa are the most inefficient in the world, claims Port Finance News

EGYPT'S TOP military body has given its approval for armed forces chief Field Marshal Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to run for the presidency - BBC News ME. The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf) said: "The people's trust in Sisi is a call that must be heeded as the free choice of the people." Security sources say he will resign and announce his candidacy within days. Field Marshal Sisi led the ousting of President Mohammed Morsi in July, following mass protests against him.

TONY BLAIR has given staunch backing to Egypt's government following a meeting on Wednesday with its army leader, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi - The Guardian. In a television interview on Thursday morning, Britain's former prime minister said Mohamed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood had stolen Egypt's revolution, and the army who deposed him last July had put the country back on the path to democracy. "This is what I say to my colleagues in the west," said Blair, visiting Egypt as a representative of the UN, the US, the EU and Russia in their attempts to mediate the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "The fact is, the Muslim Brotherhood tried to take the country away from its basic values of hope and progress. The army have intervened, at the will of the people, but in order to take the country to the next stage of its development, which should be democratic. We should be supporting the new government in doing that."

SYRIA HAS given up less than five percent of its chemical weapons arsenal and will miss next week's deadline to send all toxic agents abroad for destruction, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday - Reuters. The deliveries, in two shipments this month to the northern Syrian port of Latakia totaled 4.1 percent of the roughly 1433 metric tons of toxic agents reported by Damascus to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "It's not enough and there is no sign of more," one source briefed on the situation said.

DEPUTY PRIME minister of Libya, Sadiq Abdulkarim has survived unhurt after gunmen fired on his car in Tripoli, the capital city - Information Nigeria. Abdulkarim, who also serves as interim interior minister, said he was attacked on Wednesday while en route to the General National Congress assembly from the Interior Ministry. “I tell those who did it that Libya is bigger than you and Libya’s men will not be threatened by bullets, guns or rockets,” Abdulkarim said in a brief televised statement later on Wednesday. According to the state news agency, Abdulkarim, who appeared healthy in his television appearance, had not been wounded in the attack.

AN OFFICIAL says Nigeria’s military has helped rescue three Indian nationals who were kidnapped from a cargo ship off Equatorial Guinea and held hostage in Nigeria - The Washington Post. Marilyn Ogar, a spokeswoman for Nigeria’s government, says no ransom was paid and five kidnappers were arrested during Thursday’s operation that freed the captives in Nigeria’s Rivers state. She provided few details about the operation. The Indians were kidnapped Jan. 3 from MV San Miguel, a ship belonging to Equatorial Guinea company Martinez Hermanos Limitada. After being freed, they were handed over to the Indian High Commission and the Equatorial Guinea Embassy in Nigeria. Ogar said the leader of the kidnappers remains at large.

PIRATES IN COURT ACCORDING TO a new study, the threat of prison is not a deterrent against pirates. In fact they are better off locked up, says a leading law professor - Shiptalk. US Academic professor Eugene Kontorovich says that piracy prosecutions are now widespread, with more than a dozen nations holding trials – but despite this, the concept just doesn’t work. The reasons are that sentences are often quite short, while conditions of confinement are often superior to life in Somalia. The hard truth seems to be that it’s better to be in a foreign jail than fighting for life and money in (or off) Somalia. Another problem with the legal route and prosecutions is that it tends to only focus on the lowly “foot soldiers” – and tends to paint a veneer of success against piracy, when actually the real powerbrokers behind maritime crime are free to continue. Kontorovich says that while arrest and jail have a role to play in tackling piracy, it has actually been the use of armed guards which have really made a difference.

FIVE SUSPECTED Somali pirates were transferred to the Seychelles police late last night by the French EU Naval Force (EU Navfor) Somalia Operation Atalanta flagship FS Siroco - OCEANUSLive. According to police superintendent Bruce Bursik, the five suspected pirates are aged between 16 and 24 years old and they were brought to the police headquarters last night for further questioning. He added that the transfer was “successful and legal” and that “all the paper work has been done well”. According to the EUNavfor website, on January 18, 2014 the FS Siroco apprehended the five suspected pirates believed to be responsible for an attack on an oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden a day earlier. The website added that the oil tanker had issued a distress call to the UK Maritime Trade Operation (UKMTO) on the evening of Friday January 17, reporting to be under attack. The attack was repelled by a private armed security team embarked on board the oil tanker. The pirates’ skiff then headed to a dhow which lingered nearby. The website continued writing that the EU Naval Force, in cooperation with other counter piracy forces, reacted quickly to this incident. A Japanese maritime patrol aircraft and a helicopter from the Japanese vessel JS Samidare, in associated support to the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF/CTF 151), initially located the dhow. The EU Navfor flagship FS Siroco was then able to close distance to the dhow and launch their helicopter and boarding team. Upon nearing the dhow, the helicopter crew and boarding team observed that people on board the dhow were throwing equipment over board, deepening the suspicion that the dhow was indeed the reported pirate mother-ship. Once the Siroco’s team boarded the dhow, five Somali suspect pirates surrendered and were separated from the dhow’s crew and transferred to FS Siroco for further investigation. The website added that the master’s initial statement supported the suspicion that his dhow had been pirated and his crew taken hostage several days ago off the coast of Somalia. He also stated that the suspect pirates were responsible for the attack on the oil tanker the day before. The unsuccessful attack was the first launched by Somali pirates in 2014. Image - The arrival in Victoria of the suspected pirates late last night via The Nation

Italian Marines

THE PRESIDENT of the European Commission has said the issue of the Italian marines in India may have an “impact” on the European Union-India relations and “will be assessed carefully” - The Hindu. Jose Manuel Barroso, the president of the European Commission, met Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta in Brussels Wednesday and discussed the case of the two Italian marines who are being held in India. “A point that Prime Minister Letta has raised with me and on which we have been in close contact with the Italian authorities is the issue of the Italian marines in India. The European Union (EU) continues to follow the situation very closely,” Barroso told a joint press conference with Letta afer the meeting. “Any decision on the case may have an impact on the overall European Union-India relations and will be assessed carefully. The European Union encourages India to find, as a matter of urgency, a mutually satisfactory solution to the longstanding case of the Italian marines arrested in February 2012, in accordance with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” he said. Barroso said “this issue has also a bearing on the global fight against piracy, to which the European Union is strongly committed”.

THE EUROPEAN Commission wants a single standard for maritime security companies working on EU-flag ships. Speaking at SAMI's security seminar in London - IHS Maritime 360, Robert Missen of the commission's Directorate General for Transport, said greater support from shipowners and the maritime industry for a single standard was required. "There isn't the demand," said Missen, explaining that this was delaying the commission from effecting a single standard. He told IHS Maritime the shipping industry needed a stronger and more consolidated lobby in Europe, adding that was insufficient willingness from member states to subscribe to a single standard. Missen said the commission supported member states' shipowners deploying armed guards if public security resources were unavailable, but required greater legal clarity on "what may be permitted".

AT LEAST two Japanese shipping concerns have decided against inward investment in the Netherlands due to the Dutch ban on the use of private maritime securities companies, the head of the country’s main shipowner association has claimed - Lloyd's List (Subs). The impasse is now seriously damaging the Netherlands’ 400 or so shipowners and in some cases has acted as a spur for them to flag out, according to Tineke Netelenbos, chairwoman of the Koninklijke Vereniging van Nederlandse Reders. Despite attempts to bring Dutch laws into line with those of all major European shipping nations, the process is likely to take at least two years, assuming a political consensus can be found. At issue is objection from both the centre-right Christian Democrats and the hard left, which believes that the use of force should be the monopoly of state agencies such as the military and the police. Although vessel-protection detachments from the Dutch armed forces are available, many owners find their services bureaucratic and costly and would prefer to use PMSCs at least in some instances, Ms Netelenbos said.

THE HIGH level Committee on Piracy (HLCP) has resumed its work for the new calendar year, with a meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, chaired by the Minister for Home Affairs and Transport, Mr. Joël Morgan, on Thursday 23rd January 2014 - OCEANUSLive. The first meeting of the year provided an opportunity to discuss issues pertaining to maritime security and in particular Seychelles’ participation at an upcoming Contact Group for Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPS) meeting in Paris, France, which will be chaired by the European Union Contact Group on anti-piracy. While piracy activity has been significantly dampened by the combined operations of regional and international naval forces since it peaked in 2010, it is universally agreed that strong vigilance needs to be maintained. As reported, a number of hijackings have been attempted in recent weeks and one pirate crew has been detained near the Gulf of Aden by the EU after a failed attack on a tanker. “With the seasonal change in sea state we need to remain prepared for possible piracy attacks. Our experience has been that it is in this period that we need to be most on our guard,” said Minister Morgan. The High Level Committee on Piracy as well reviewed a requested transfer agreement for suspected pirates, other approaches for cooperation and security related exchanges from regional nations and international partners, and discussed reviewing the terms of reference, for its own work, so as to better reflect its current engagement this in the context of maritime security in general.

THE U.N. Security Council urged countries on Monday to stop the payment of kidnap ransoms to extremist groups like al Qaeda, which have earned hundreds of millions of dollars from such crimes - Reuters. Although states are already required not to pay kidnap ransoms under an anti-terrorism resolution adopted in 2001, the British-drafted resolution was designed to increase political pressure on countries not to pay ransoms. The resolution creates no new legal obligations. "We estimate that in the last three and a half years, al Qaeda-affiliated and other Islamist extremist groups have collected at least $105 million," British U.N. Ambassador Mark Lyall Grant told reporters. "It is therefore imperative that we take steps to ensure that kidnap for ransom is no longer perceived as a lucrative business model and that we eliminate it as a source of terrorist financing," he said. "We need to break that cycle." The United States has estimated militant groups have received $120 million over the past decade, including ransoms paid to al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. The United States and Britain do not pay ransoms, but some European governments do. "Hostage takers looking for ransoms distinguish between those governments that pay ransoms and those that do not - and that they make a point of not taking hostages from those countries that refuse to make concessions," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said in a statement. "Every ransom paid to a terrorist organization encourages future kidnapping operations," she said. The resolution said member nations should "prevent terrorists from benefiting directly or indirectly from ransom payments or from political concessions and to secure the safe release of hostages." It also urges countries to encourage the private sector to follow relevant guidelines and good practices for preventing and responding to kidnappings by extremist groups. The council said that ransom payment "incentivizes future incidents of kidnapping for ransom."

‘PIRACY FALLS to a six-year low’ or ‘Dramatic drop in piracy rates’… These kinds of headlines looked great splashed across a web page or newspaper cover, and it’s the kind of good-news story that readers find hard to resist. But are these reports simply too good to be true? - Institute for Security Studies Africa. At first glance, the International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB’s) annual report on piracy and armed robbery against ships indeed shows that the threat of African maritime piracy continues to dwindle. However, upon closer scrutiny, a far more complex situation emerges. According to the IMB, a total of 79 incidents occurred around Africa in 2013. Of these, 15 were attributed to Somali pirates and occurred near Somalia and the Horn of Africa; down from a total of 75 Somali piracy-attributed attacks in 2012. This downward trend is all the more notable given there were 237 attacks attributed to Somali piracy in 2011. Many have optimistically concluded that the reduction in Somali incidents indicates that piracy is no longer the threat it once was; indeed, it could soon disappear altogether. Such conclusions, however, fail to take into account recent controversies around statistical inadequacy in reports on African security, politics and economics. A different perspective on maritime security also emerges, raising questions about the accuracy of the piracy data. These questions have serious security implications and affect not only how the threat of piracy and armed robbery is perceived, but also how these and other maritime threats should be responded to. The IMB does acknowledge some shortcomings in their report and suggests the real number of incidents is far greater. The main reason cited for the missing data is the widespread reluctance of shipping owners to report actual and attempted attacks, since they sustain additional costs and unwanted delays while an incident is investigated. The IMB therefore cautions that the annual report cannot provide definitive evidence that the threat of piracy has diminished.

MARINE INSURERS Skuld is warning its members of the dangers of bunkering fraud, which could be on the rise - Ship & Bunker. "Fuel prices rose over the last 10 years and never really fell significantly," the group said. "Such values may provide a strong incentive for criminal designs to commit fraud, the incidence of which is said to be on the increase." Skuld notes a number of common types of bunker fraud, including overstating the quantity of bunkers supplied using tricks to make the fuel volume appear greater, supply of off- spec fuel, and collusion between suppliers and crew members to short-change the vessel. The insurer also warns against attempting to illegally buy fuel in West Africa, which could result in criminal charges for the vessel's crew or make them vulnerable to a pirate ambush. "A deal that looks too good, probably is," Skuld writes. DURING THE recent years, the shipping industry and maritime commerce has seen a sharp increase in not only the number of fraud cases, but also the variety of fraud. Fraudsters are becoming more and more ingenious in their design and execution of scheme, including the use of modern technology, such as computer hacking, but sometimes tried & tested “old school” methods, such as document fraud, work just as well - Skuld. Fraud in commerce is as ancient as commerce itself, with examples going back to the Roman world and before. The International Maritime Bureau defined maritime fraud as: “An international trade transaction involves several parties – buyer, seller, shipowner, charterer, ship’s master or crew,insurer, banker broker or agent. Maritime fraud occurs when one of these parties succeeds, unjustly or illegally, in obtaining money or goods from another party to whom, on the face of it, he has undertaken specific trade, transport and financial obligations.” Maritime fraud is becoming more common due to a number of reasons: Criminals are increasingly turning to new methods such as computer hacking, ports are adopting new technologies that in the worst case can enable new types of fraud (such as automatise container operations) and as shipowners are under pressure to win new business, many have disregarded due diligence when dealing with new business partners. As both the greater reliance on IT and electronic trading platforms and documents increases, so does the need to stay ahead of the game played by the Fraudsters. There is a “cost” of course, to greater security, both in terms of investing in better technology and processes, but also in potential business opportunities. Download: Fraud in the Maritime Industry (PDF)

Smuggling/Pirate Fishing

SIX OUT of 10 people who are trafficked to the West are Nigerians. PREMIUM TIMES investigative reporter, Tobore Ovuorie, was motivated by years of research into the plight of trafficked women in the country, as well as the loss of a friend, to go undercover in a multi-billion dollar criminal enterprise. She emerged, bruised and beaten but thankfully alive, after witnessing orgies, big money deals in jute bags, police-supervised pickpocketing, beatings and even murder. This is her story - AllAfrica. We are 10 at the boot camp: Adesuwa, Isoken, Lizzy, Mairo, Adamu, Ini, Tessy, Omai, Sammy and I. We have travelled together in a 14 seater bus from Lagos, hoping to arrive in Italy soon. We are eager to get to the 'next level' as it is called: from local prostitution to hopefully earning big bucks abroad. But first, it turns out, we have to pass through 'training' in this massive secluded compound guarded by armed military men, far from any other human being, somewhere in the thick bushes outside Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos.Our trafficker, Mama Caro, welcomes us in flawless English, telling us how lucky and special we are; then she ushers us to a room where we are to sleep on the floor without any dinner." I had not expected this. We had exercised, through a risk analysis role play, in advance: my paper PREMIUM TIMES, and our partners on the project, a colleague - Reece Adanwenon - in the Republic of Benin, and ZAM Chronicle in Amsterdam. We had put in place contacts, emergency phone numbers, safe houses, emergency money accounts. We had made transport and extraction arrangements. Ms. Reece is waiting in Cotonou, 100 kilometers to the West in neighbouring Benin, to pick me up from an agreed meeting place. But we hadn't foreseen that there was to be another stop first: this isolated, guarded camp in the middle of nowhere. It dawns on me that we could be in big trouble.

THE ISSF has pushed back the final decision on its possible blacklisting of a vessel accused of IUU fishing. The organizations says the investigation into IUU fishing allegations of a Dongwon owned vessel are still ongoing - Atuna. The outcome, that was supposed to be reached at the close of 2013, is now postponed again and only expected to materialize in spring this year. Dongwon-owned tuna purse seiner, F/V Premier, faced allegations in March last year of IUU fishing activities in African waters, as well as forging government documents. As Korea’s largest tuna company and one of the global leaders, Dongwon is listed as an ISSF member through its US StarKist tuna brand. The ISSF told atuna.com in October 2013 what the outcome would be decided by the end of last year. Mary Sestric of communications at the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) told atuna.com: “While the Compliance Committee was in the process of finalizing its work, additional pending allegations of IUU activity by other fleets were addressed by appropriate regulatory bodies in the United States, Pacific and West African regions

WHEN THE Russian owned factory ship Oleg Naydenov was recently seized by armed Senegalese commandos for illegal fishing in Senegal’s exclusive territorial 12-mile fishing zone, it shone a much-needed spotlight on the problem of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, or “pirate fishing” as it is commonly known - The Conversation. The worldwide loss of fish stocks from pirate fishing costs legitimate fisheries between US$10-23.5 billion every year. Pirate fishers are also notorious for their involvement in smuggling drugs and firearms and for serious human rights abuses. Developing countries with poor governance are particularly targeted by pirate fishers. For example, more than a third (37%) of all reported catches from the coast of West Africa are thought to be illegal. Since 2010, the Environmental Justice Foundation has documented more than 200 reports of illegal fishing there by Korean vessels alone. Such plundering of the seas deprives law-abiding fishers of earnings, and food. From an environmental perspective, illegal fishing has a considerable impact on the replenishment of fish stocks. By using banned and harmful practices, pirates remove juvenile fish that have not had a chance to breed, and destroy vital fish habitats. A study from Guinea-Bissau reported that if all fishing nets of an illegal mesh size (and so small enough to catch juveniles) were eliminated, legal fishers would see their profits rise by perhaps 50–100%. Image - Pirate fishers harm economies, ecosystems, and often their crew. Shawn Eggert/USN

THE SUPREME Court today directed the Centre to file its response on a plea seeking direction to it to expedite the release of Indians held captive by Somalian pirates in international waters - Deccan Herald. A bench headed by Justice T S Thakur issued notices to the Centre, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Shipping and Director General of Shipping on a petition filed by the wife of an Indian seamen claiming that her husband, along with six others, have been held hostage by Somalian pirates since September 2010. In her plea filed through advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, Rajni Singh said on September 28, 2010, the pirates had hijacked a vessel, MV Asphalt Venture, which was managed by Mumbai- based OMCI Ship Management Pvt Ltd. She said seven crew members of the ship are still in captivity of Somali pirates. She also referred to several similar incidents in which Indian citizens have been held hostage by the pirates. "It is respectfully submitted that the above instances of the Somalian piracy itself raise a serious doubt on the issue of safety and security of the seamen as the persons who live at sea must not be put at risk," the petition said. It also alleged that due to the "lackadaisical approach" of the government, one of the Indian citizen was killed by the Somalian pirates.

Aid Workers' Plight

NSTR

NEMESIS AT the weekend caught up with a 14-year-old boy, one Julius (surname withheld), who had conspired with hoodlums to abduct his grandmother for ransom - Sun News Online Nigeria. The suspect lives in Oleh in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State with his 62-year- old grandmother, Hope (surname also withheld). Julius conspired with some persons suspected to be kidnappers to seize his grandmother last year. Distraught relatives of the victim paid N4 million to secure her release. Sources said the suspect was rewarded with N150,000.00 by his gang for “his co-operation.” Bolstered by the proceeds from the previous kidnap escapade, Julius again allegedly conspired with his partners in crime to kidnap a four-year-old child, Victory on January 17, 2014. Julius organised his kidnap with other two victims. He was later dropped off on the road. The gunmen held on to the two victims until last Saturday when they were released. But through information, the police arrested Julius for allegedly conniving with his gang to kidnap his grandmother and upon interrogation, he allegedly confessed his role in the two kidnappings.

A CASTAWAY who washed up on the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean has claimed he has survived the past 16 months adrift at sea - International Business Times. The emaciated man, who was discovered with long hair and a beard and dressed only in a pair of underpants on a remote Pacific atoll, said he survived by eating turtles, birds and fish and by drinking turtle's blood when there was no rainwater. The man, who speaks only Spanish, says he left for El Salvador in September 2012 with a companion, who died several months ago. He claimed he survived on their 24-ft fibreglass boat for 16 months by catching his food with his bare hands as there was no fishing gear. He was found more than 8,000 miles away from his setting-off point on tiny Ebon Atol. "His condition isn't good, but he's getting better," Ola Fjeldstad, a Norwegian anthropology student doing research on Ebon, said. "The boat is really scratched up and looks like it has been in the water for a long time." The locals who found the man took him to the main island, Majuro. The mayor took up his case and phoned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hijacks:

 NSTR.

Unsuccessful Attacks/Robberies (All regions):

 Gulf of Guinea - Cyprus-flagged tug, Lamnalco Hawk, reported attacked and boarded by 3 pirates at 0430 LT in position 04:11.51N - 005:44.40E, Pennington Terminal area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Crew managed to lock themselves in citadel, evading the pirates who later left the vessel, possibly after ransacking the vessel. Reported 30 Jan. (Unconfirmed)  Gulf of Guinea - Nigeria-flagged OSV, Cee Jay, attacked and boarded by pirates at approx 2215 LT, in position 04:20.6N - 005:17.5E, around 28nm off Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Pirates reported to have kidnapped Master and Chief Engineer, and also robbed the crew. Robbers left the vessel around midnight. Reported 29 Jan. Unconfirmed as of 31 Jan. (Unconfirmed)  SE Asia - LATE Report | Five robbers fired upon and boarded Panama-flagged bulk carrier, Oriental Sapphire, at 0200 LT in position 01:06.15N - 104:10.28E, Eastern Batam anchorage, Indonesia. Robbers went to the engine room. OOW reported to the POCC and along with himself, members of crew locked themselves in the bridge while the robbers were still inside the engine room. Later, the robbers stole personal belongings and ship’s property before escaping. RSC Tanjung Pinang arrived in area and contacted on VHF Ch 16. There was no injury to the crew but dents were found on the ship. Reported (via ReCAAP) 18 Jan.

Other Incidents:

 NSTR

Suspicious Activity

 NSTR

IMB - Vessels: 0 Hostages: 57. (as at 21 January). Worldwide Incidents 2014: 12 reported incidents Somalia - NATO & EUNAVFOR state Vessels: 0; Hostages: 50; UKMTO - 2 vessels (including dhows & FVs), 64 hostages.

VESSELS are reminded that the coalition forces' warships may not be in the vicinity of a pirate attack, subsequently, it is emphasised that seafarers can greatly reduce their chances of being pirated if they follow precautions as recommended in the Best Management Practices, increasing speed and carrying out evasive manoeuvres is a proven deterrent to piracy attacks. BMP version 4 is available at the link above; a high resolution version can be downloaded here. VESSELS are advised to exercise extreme caution when navigating in the vicinity of any reported positions of attacks and maintain maximum CPA with any ship acting suspiciously. Additionally, registration of vessel movement with MSC(HOA) prior to transiting the region is recommended.

A change of regional map in light of the increase in pirate activity off West Africa over Horn of Africa. An interactive version of this situational map is available through registration of verified access to OCEANUSLive

Reported incidents in the HoA/IORHRA. OCEANUSLive.org permits the reproduction of this image providing source and link are published (Map ToU)

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