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WEEKLY THREAT ADVISORY NO. 439 (23 - 29 January 2020)

Summary of Threat Activities and Conclusion

1. Pirate and maritime crime activity in East Africa waters is at a low level. There were no piracy/criminal related incidents reported this past week.

2. UKMTO is aware of recent military activity in the Gulf Region. There is no change to the information and guidance recently given to maritime trade transiting the Gulf area. Vessels should proceed in accordance with their company and FlagState direction, and are encouraged to report to UKMTO in accordance with BMP5. UKMTO continues to monitor all shipping transiting through the Straits of Hormuz (SOH) and recommends that ships maintain their AIS transmissions throughout the Gulf region, reporting any irregular activity to UKMTO [email protected] or +44 (0) 2392 222060

3. UKMTO Notice 004 Jan 2020

3.1. UKMTO is issuing this Notice to global maritime operators in order to remind mariners and ship operators of the recommended procedures for transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

3.2. BMP5 remains the basis for merchant ship conduct, reporting and monitoring in the area. In addition vessels and companies will need to be aware of their own Flag State guidance.

3.3. All vessels are strongly advised to remain within International Waters and, where practicable, should avoid transiting through Iranian TTW, including the areas claimed by Iran around the islands of:

3.3.1. Abu Musa, 250 52’ N 550 02’E 3.3.2. Greater Tunb 260 15’N 550 16’E 3.3.3. Lesser Tunb 260 14’N 550 08’E

3.4. In the event of merchant vessels being hailed masters should respond with ship’s name, flag state and confirm that they are proceeding in

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accordance with International Law. If contacted by Iranian authorities, it is recommended thatmasters contact UKMTO.

3.5. UKMTO recommends all merchant shipping maintain transmissions on AIS throughout the region to avoid mis-identification and to assist with merchant shipping monitoring.

4. MARAD ADVISORY 2018-014-GPS Interference-Eastern Mediterranean and Red Seas: This revised advisory cancels U.S. Maritime Advisory 2018- 007 Reference: U.S. Maritime Alerts 2018-004A, 2018-004B, 2018-008A. Issue: Multiple instances of significant GPS interference continue to be reported by vessels and aircraft operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. These reports have been concentrated near Port Said, Egypt, the Suez Canal, and in the vicinity of the Republic of Cyprus. Additional instances of similar interference were reported in October 2018 near Jeddah Port, Saudi Arabia. This interference is resulting in lost or otherwise altered GPS signals affecting bridge navigation, GPS-based timing and communications equipment. Guidance: Exercise caution when transiting these areas. The U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Centre (NAVCEN) and NATO Shipping Centre websites contain information regarding effective navigation practices for vessels experiencing GPS interference. The information reaffirms safe navigation practices when experiencing possible GPS disruption, provides useful details on reporting possible GPS disruption, and is intended to generate further discussions within the maritime community about other disruption mitigation practices and procedures. This guidance also recommends taking note of critical information such as the location (latitude/longitude), date/time, and duration of the outage/disruption, and providing photographs or screen shots of equipment failures during a disruption to facilitate analysis. The NAVCEN information is available at: https://go.usa.gov/xQBaU. Contact Information: GPS disruptions or anomalies should be immediately reported to the NAVCEN at https://go.usa.gov/xQBaw or via phone at 703-313-5900, 24 hours a day. The NATO Shipping Centre has requested that instances of GPS interference also be reported to them using the format on their Cyber Interference link: https://shipping.nato.int/nsc/page10303037.aspx. Cancellation: This message will automatically expire on May 2, 2019.

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5. On Aug 17, UKMTO issued ADVISORY NOTICE 001/AUG/2017: - 1. Category: Notice. Description: GUIDANCE ON TRANSITS THROUGH THE BAB EL MANDEB AND ASSOCIATED WATERS. The following information from the UK government relates to transits through the Bab el Mandeb (BeM) and associated waters. It replaces previous guidance UKMTO Notice 001 July 2017 (which refers to CMF advice dated 16 July 2017) and UKMTO Notice 002 July 2017. Recent attacks against merchant shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Bab el Mandeb have highlighted the risks associated with transiting these waters. Daylight attacks by small boats were conducted against two tankers in the southern approaches to the BeM. The method of these attacks has seen two or more skiffs approaching at high speed. In each case, one or more have fired small arms and Rocket Propelled Grenades and carried explosives. In both attacks, the skiffs carrying explosives detonated at a distance from the target vessel, but the presumed intent was to detonate the explosives against the hull. The assessment of the attacks against merchant vessels in the southern approaches to the BeM indicates that due to the low levels of sophistication, the exposure to the threat is greater in daylight hours. However, an attack during the hours of darkness cannot be excluded. The risk of the conflict in Yemen spilling into the maritime domain also continues to exist in the area to the North of the BeM and around the Hanish Islands. Even though we do not expect merchant vessels to be targeted by the forces fighting in Yemen, the threat of collateral damage to commercial shipping is present and should not be ignored. This threat is assessed as greater in the hours of darkness (when attackers may be more likely to misidentify their targets) to the North of the Traffic Separation Scheme to the West of the Hanish Islands. Therefore, operating in these waters requires thorough planning and the use of all available information. The maritime threat environment is dynamic; the risks will not remain constant for subsequent visits. It is essential therefore, that Masters, Ship Security Officers and Company Security Officers carry out detailed Risk Assessments for each voyage to the region and for each activity within the region. All vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden and Bab el Mandeb should follow the guidance of BMP 4 to the maximum extent possible and consider the use of embarked armed security. Recent attacks in 2017 serve to emphasize the importance of robustly following this guidance. This information is aimed to help inform effective mitigating actions and has been developed through cooperation between Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and UKMTO. The use of BMP4,

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armed security, shifting transit times, or any other defensive measures remain the sole decision of the vessel operator based on its own dedicated risk assessment and the requirements of the flag state. Cancel UKMTO Notice 001/JUL/2017 & UKMTO Notice 002/JUL/2017. Any queries regarding this UKMTO Notice ring 0044 2392 222060 for further information.

6. U.S. MARITIME ADVISORY 2017-004 / Threat Type: - Piracy / Geographic Area: Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, and Gulf of Oman: U.S. flag vessels are advised to remain vigilant and adhere to the counter- piracy annex of their approved Vessel Security Plan when transiting the Sulu and Celebes Seas, in light of recent boarding and kidnappings for ransom that have taken place in the area. Over the past 12 months, there have been at least 14 reported kidnappings and one murder, of which at least ten incidents were reportedly linked to Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), a violent Islamic separatist group operating in the southern Philippines. Previously, only towing and fishing vessels were targeted and crewmembers kidnapped. However, since October 2016, ASG has reportedly targeted three large commercial vessels and one yacht. In November 2016 ASG boarded a German yacht and killed one crewmember, and in February 2017 killed the remaining crewmember after a ransom demand was not met. Thus far, no U.S. vessels have been involved in these incidents. Guidance: Additional information on this threat, including specific recommendations for vessels transiting the area, is available on the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) website at www.recaap.org. Mariners operating in or near this area are also advised to consult the Department of State Travel Warnings for this area and the information can be found at www.travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings/philippines- travel warning.html. All suspicious activities and events must be reported to the U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center at 800-424-8802 in accordance with 33CFR101.305. A Ship Hostile Action Report (SHAR) should also be sent to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) at: http://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_st=&_pageLabe l=msi_portal_page_70&subCode=06 as soon as possible following an incident or suspected activity (including apparent surveillance being conducted by small vessels/boats).

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Reference: https://msi.nga.mil/NGAPortal/MSI.portal?_nfpb=true&_st=&_pageLab el=msi_portal_page_62&pubCode=0009 for further guidance.

7. ReCAAP WARNIING 01-10-2018 Date: 30 Oct 2018: - The ReCAAP ISC has received information from the Philippine Focal Point (Philippine Coast Guard) that a group of approximately 10 ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group) members armed with pistol, rifles and grenade launcher is planning to conduct kidnapping activities at any opportune time in undisclosed areas in Sabah primarily targeting businessmen or ship's crew of foreign vessels passing through the area. They are using unmarked coloured blue and white motorbanca locally known as jungkong. Ship masters and crew are strongly urged to exercise extra vigilance when transiting the waters off eastern Sabah and Sulu-Celebes Seas. Source: Philippine Coast Guard. ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) Email: [email protected], tel: +65 6376 3084, fax: +65 6376 3066.

8. Pirate and maritime crime activities in West Africa waters is at low level following last week’s reported five incidents. There was one criminal related incident reported during the reporting week.

9. NIGERIA: On 25 Jan, robbers boarded a tanker during cargo operations while anchoraged in Laogs Anchorage.

10. In other parts of the world, there were three reported piracy and criminal incidents against commercial shipping.

11. PERU: On 28 Jan, two individuals in skiffs boarded an anchored tanker in Callao Anchorage.

12. ATLANTIC OCEAN: On 27 Jan, Portiguese forces announcved that they has intercepted a sailing yacht in the north Atlantic carrying 1,820 kilograms of cocaine.

13. INDONESIA: On 22 Jan robberys boarded a bulk carrier anchored in Taboneo Anchorage.

14. The navies of China, Japan, India, Russia, Korea and Iran continue to provide escort naval services to their flag vessels due to the continued

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presence and danger posed Somalia-based piracy threats. These efforts combined with the increased deployment of armed maritime marshals on board commercial shipping have significantly reduce the success of Somalia-based piracy in the HRA in hijacking commercial vessels of late but not the presence of pirate groups operating in the HRA. International Intelligence Agencies’ assessment is that existing presence of Somali- based piracy threats can easily be translated to successful hijacks as were experienced in 2009/2010/2011 by should these preventive measures be eased off by all stakeholders.

15. Weather Conditions. High pressure dominates the weather pattern over the region producing mostly clear skies. Tropical Cyclone 02A is influencing all areas; expect increased winds and seas until 17 June. Southwest monsoon conditions resume after and will continue until September. Expect increased localized wind flow through the Strait of Hormuz due to funnelling effects.

Instructions and Piracy Related News

16. Warning for Red Sea, Bab el-Mandab Straits and Gulf of Aden

16.1. There have been numerous attacks and suspicious approaches reported near the southern entrance to the Bab el Mandeb Strait during the reporting period. Levels of pirate activity in the Indian Ocean remain elevated, with five hijacks reported since March 2017 (MT ARIS 13, CASAYR II NO.30, AL KAUSAR, SALAMA 1 and OS 35). The threat of further attacks and hijacking remains high. All Masters are advised to exercise heightened vigilance within the High Risk Area (HRA), stringently implement BMP4 and liaise closely with embarked armed security teams (AST) and regional authorities. If not making calls in Yemen, it’s recommended by UKMTO that vessels should use the IRTC and western lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Bab el Mandeb / southern Red Sea region, to provide a greater lee from Yemen. Further such incidents and hijackings are likely to take place, and all vessels transiting this region are advised to remain vigilant. While international naval patrols and anti-piracy measures on-board commercial vessels have practically eradicated Somali piracy since its peak in early 2011, poverty coupled with other factors that motivate pirates remain and some vessels transiting this region may have

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increasingly become complacent in the belief that the piracy threat had diminished.

16.2. While the international community has over the past several years taken significant steps in order to improve security in the region, including boosting naval forces in the area and requiring ships to take protection measures, including reporting in and out of high risk areas, sailing at top speed as far away as possible from the Somali coast and travelling with armed escorts on-board, the threat of an attack and hijacking remained as the real root of the cause on the ground in Somalia has never been properly addressed. After five years without a successful attack, analysts say that complacency may have set in and this week’s successful hijacking is likely to result in potential copycat attacks, as pirate action groups head-out in a bid to successfully hijack a commercial vessel. Masters are advised to remain vigilant at all times inside the HRA and are advised to adhere to strict guidance and protective measures as set down in BMP5. Sailing yachts should avoid transiting the HRA. Past activity has demonstrated that pirates will attack both large and small yachts transiting this region. While successful attacks and hijackings of merchant vessels have significantly decreased over the past two years, the possibility of attacks and the successful hijacking of sailing vessels continue to remain high. This is due to the reduction of revenue sources from pirated merchant vessels and the fact that sailing yachts are vulnerable and easier targets. PAG’s continue to conduct “soft approaches” on merchant ships transiting the area. Skiffs have approached vessels in order to probe the reaction of the crewmembers and any possible Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel (PCASP) on-board. If the pirate approach does not elicit a response, the pirates will likely proceed with an attack, in which additional skiffs may participate. Vessels transiting the greater Gulf of Aden region should operate under a heightened state of alert. This is due to increasing tensions in the region, which in turn can escalate the potential for direct or collateral damage to vessels transiting the region. These threats may come from a number of different sources such as missiles, projectiles, or waterborne improvised explosive devices. Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the 1 October 2016 attack on a UAE vessel.

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16.3. UMS HQ advises all vessels transiting this region to report any hostile activities immediately. Somali pirates have recently shown an ability to mount hijacking expeditions far out into the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, and inshore traffic might be an easier target. EUNAVFOR spokesperson Commander Jacqui Sherriff said that the recent series of attacks against commercial shipping again highlights the need for vigilance and adherence to self-protection measures (by the deployment of on-board AST) and compliance to Best Management Practices (BMP) 5. It is crucial that Somali pirates are denied opportunities to attack vessels so that there will no chance of a successful hijack. One successful hijack is one hijack too many because it will encourage and motivate more Somalis to taking up piracy!

16.4. CMF and EUNAVFOR and intelligence agencies have warned of increased complacency amongst stakeholders which may give rise to opportunities for piracy action groups and organizations funding piracy activities to revive the threat. All stakeholders are advised to heed the latest UN Report on Somalia and the possibility of the piracy threat being resuscitated back to haunt the shipping community. The report was shared in WETA No. 378 and WETA No. 379.

17. Here We Go Again. New Year, New Attacks on Shipping and Crews.

17.1. In the worst incident so far, gunmen abducted eight crew from a Malaysia-registered fishing trawler off Sabah, according to the Singapore-based Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre (ISC). At the time of writing, three of the crew had been recovered safely but the authorities were still trying to rescue the others.

17.2. Meanwhile there have already this year been attacks on ships closer to home, in the Singapore Strait. ISC reports that, on Jan 8, 2020 there was an attempt to board a tanker, the British Mariner, while under way in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS).

17.3. Then on Jan 18 two incidents occurred within an interval of five hours to the same barge carrying scrap metal while under way in the

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eastbound lane of the Singapore Strait. In both incidents, the perpetrators stole some scrap metal. There was no confrontation between the perpetrators and the crew.

17.4. ISC says that it is concerned with the continued occurrence of incidents in the Singapore Strait, and the persistence of the perpetrators in their attempts to board ships as demonstrated in the two incidents on Jan 18, 2020. It strongly advises all ships to exercise utmost vigilance, adopt extra precautionary measures and report all incidents immediately to the nearest coastal state.

17.5. In 2019 a total of 31 incidents occurred in the Singapore Strait, of which 15 took place in the westbound lane of the TSS mostly from January to August, and 16 in the eastbound lane from the end of September to December.

17.6. Worrying incidents

17.6.1. Fourteen out of 15 incidents in the westbound lane of the TSS were on board barges towed by tugs and the stolen items were mainly scrap metals from barges. Since the barges were unmanned, there was no confrontation between the crew and perpetrators and no injuries to the crews.

17.6.2. Those incidents were bad enough but those in the eastbound lane were even more worrying. Eight bulk carriers, five tankers and three barges towed by tugs were boarded. In 10 incidents, nothing was stolen since the perpetrators escaped empty-handed once an alarm was activated.

17.6.3. In six incidents, items such as engine spares, scrap metals, locks and ropes and personal belongings were stolen. In seven incidents, the perpetrators were discovered in the engine room and this, ISC suggests, may indicate that they targeted engine parts.

17.6.4. The really concerning aspect here is that there were confrontations between crews and perpetrators. In one incident two crew members received minor injuries and in three incidents

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crew members were tied up. It would be very easy for such confrontations to lead to serious injury, or worse.

17.6.5. The International Chamber of Commerce's International Maritime Bureau (IMB) annual piracy report notes that overall piracy incidents worldwide have declined. That is welcome, although any such incident is one too many.

17.6.6. Unfortunately, the situation in the Singapore Strait seems to be deteriorating once more. ISC notes that there were 99 incidents in 2015, two in 2016, eight in 2017, seven in 2018 and then a deeply troubling 31 in 2019.

17.7. There is, though, one area of the world which is much more dangerous. IMB says that there has been an "unprecedented number of crew kidnappings in the Gulf of Guinea despite drop in overall global number".

17.8. In 2019, IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre received 162 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships worldwide, in comparison to 201 reported incidents in 2018. The incidents included four hijacked vessels, 11 vessels fired upon, 17 attempted attacks, and 130 vessels boarded.

17.9. IMB says the number of crew kidnapped in the Gulf of Guinea increased more than 50 per cent from 78 in 2018 to 121 in 2019. This equates to over 90 per cent of global kidnappings reported at sea with 64 crew members kidnapped across six separate incidents in the last quarter of 2019 alone. The region accounted for 64 incidents including all four vessel hijackings that occurred in 2019, as well as 10 out of 11 vessels that reported coming under fire.

17.10. n fact, the situation is probably worse than these figures suggest as it is thought that a significant number of attacks go unreported.

17.11. Unprecedented rise

17.11.1. IMB director Michael Howlett said: "We remain concerned that this region has recorded an unprecedented rise in

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crew kidnaps. These latest statistics confirm the importance of increased information exchange and coordination between vessels, reporting and response agencies in the Gulf of Guinea Region. Without the necessary reporting structures in place, we will be unable to accurately highlight the high-risk areas for seafarers and address the rise of piracy incidents in these persistently vulnerable waters."

17.11.2. Last June members of the shipping community, flag states and agencies from Gulf of Guinea gathered at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for a day-long symposium on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. The shipping industry, along with seafarer groups, organised the event to highlight the continuing danger to seafarers operating in the Gulf of Guinea.

17.11.3. In opening the symposium, Grahaeme Henderson, chair of the UK Shipping Defence Advisory Committee and vice- president of Shell Shipping and Maritime, said: "Simply put, the high level of piracy and armed robbery attacks in the Gulf of Guinea is not acceptable. Yet it is happening every day and this is not business as usual. We need to take urgent action now."

17.11.4. Dakuku Peterside, director general and CEO of the Nigerian Maritime Authority and Safety Agency (Nimasa), in his keynote address to the meeting, acknowledged the maritime security risks present in the Gulf of Guinea. However, he stated then that new initiatives under way to improve the joint capacity of Nigerian law enforcement and Navy capabilities could make seafarer kidnappings "history" within a matter of months.

17.11.5. It would be wonderful to see that promise turn into reality in the coming year.

18. Australia Assumes Command of Combined Task Force 150

18.1. In December, Commodore (CDRE) Ray Leggatt assumed command of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150) in a ceremony held at Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain.

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18.2. CDRE Leggatt’s team, comprised of members of the Royal Australian (RAN), Royal Canadian (RCN), and Royal New Zealand (RNZN) navies, came together as strangers in late September. After six weeks of preparation and Mission Readiness Evaluations in Sydney and two weeks of handover with the outgoing UK/French contingent in Bahrain, the team is now tightly knit and ready to assume the duties of CTF 150.

18.3. “I am truly honoured to be taking this command; the 8th time that Australia has led CTF 150,” said CDRE Leggatt on assuming command. “We are fortunate to have an Australian, Canadian and New Zealand staff composition, which I believe will bring valuable diversity in thinking and experience, providing us with agility and unity of effort in prosecuting our mission to disrupt terrorist organizations by restricting their freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain.”

18.4. CTF 150, headquartered in the Kingdom of Bahrain, is one of three combined task forces within the CMF.

18.5. The 33 member nations of CMF work together to strengthen maritime security in the Middle East Region, conducting maritime security operations, capacity building activities, and regional engagement.

18.6. “It’s taken a lot of work to get to this point and we’ve put in a lot of miles,” said CTF 150 Deputy Commander CAPT Sean Stewart, RNZN. “We are excited to be here and really looking forward to getting stuck into the work we’ve trained for.”

18.7. For this mission, Australia has deployed 16 Royal Australian Navy personnel, while 7 members from the Royal Canadian Navy and 5 from the Royal New Zealand Navy make up the remainder of the staff. They will join around 100 coalition members currently supporting CMF.

18.8. “Doing the work ups in Sydney and coming to Bahrain to take part in this mission with such a diverse team is one of the highlights of my career,” said Operations Room Officer LCDR Rob Brunner RCN. “I’ve learned a lot from our Australian and New Zealand team members and I’m sure the Canadians here have passed on some tricks to them.”

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18.9. This Australian lead rotation of CTF 150 is expected to run until late March 2020 when another CMF participating nation will take over.

19. South Korea Sending Naval Forces to Strait of Hormuz to Boost Security

19.1. South Korea will send naval forces to the Strait of Hormuz in response to a US request to boost security in the region. Around 70 percent of the South’s oil imports pass through the waterway and its vessels sail through it hundreds of times every year. Tensions have been higher in the Middle East since a top Iranian general was killed earlier this month in a US airstrike. There have also been jitters about maritime security in the strait, where oil tankers have been attacked and vessels have been seized.

19.2. But there are warnings that the South’s decision could strain relations with major oil producer Iran, even though the anti-piracy Cheonghae Unit will not be joining an international US-led coalition.

19.3. “In view of the current situation in the Middle East, we decided to extend the operational radius of the Cheonghae Unit for a limited time so as to ensure the safety of our people and the freedom of navigation of South Korean vessels,” Jung Suk-hwan, a policy adviser to Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, told reporters on Tuesday. He stressed that the unit would not operate as part of the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) led by US naval command headquarters in Bahrain.

19.4. Instead, South Korea is scheduled to dispatch liaison officers to share information and help facilitate potential cooperation with the IMSC.

19.5. The 300-strong Cheonghae Unit has been stationed in the Gulf of Aden since 2009. A 4,400-ton destroyer codenamed the KDX-II is sent to the region on a rotational basis. Among its missions were the rescue of a South Korean ship and its crew in 2011, shooting eight people suspected of being pirates and capturing five others.

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19.6. The Defense Ministry said that the unit’s operational area would expand to 2,830 km from the Gulf of Aden to the Arabian Gulf. “The Middle East is home to about 25,000 South Korean residents and the Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important area that accounts for some 70 percent of our crude oil shipments,” Jung said, adding that South Korean ships sailed through the waterway around 900 times a year.

19.7. The South has said its operations will be independent, but Iran has expressed its displeasure. “The Korean government has informed us that it wants to dispatch a part of its fleet in Aden to the region for patrolling missions, but outside the US coalition, and we have told them that the decision is unacceptable,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Monday. He said such a decision was in line with the US policy of “adventurism” and that it did not fit in with the friendly relations between Tehran and Seoul.

19.8. Experts said it was a balancing act and that there could be repercussions for the South. “It’s a delicate decision by Seoul to meet the demands of Washington and Tehran, as well as to minimize the damage in relations between the two governments,” Jung Sang-ryul, a professor at the Institute of Middle Eastern Affairs at Myungji University, told Arab News. “But the decision doesn’t suit Iran’s taste.”

19.9. The Cheonghae Unit’s KDX-II destroyer is equipped with enhanced defensive equipment, including an updated anti-submarine sensor and a close-in weapon system, according to a military source. “Three key threats to the Cheonghae Unit are drone, torpedo and missile,” the source said, requesting anonymity. “The KDX-II destroyer is now armed with systems to respond to those threats effectively.”

19.10. Shin In-kyun, head of the Korea Defense Network thinktank, said an attack on the destroyer during patrol missions could not be ruled out because the South was not operating wholly independently of the US.

19.11. Washington has welcomed Seoul’s deployment decision.“As we have stated in the past, this is an international problem that requires an international solution,” Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Dave Eastburn

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was quoted by Yonhap News Agency as saying. “We welcome our South Korean allies helping to ensure freedom of navigation in the Middle East by supporting the IMSC.”

20. Maritime Industry Take Note: Iran Threat Puts Spotlight on Cyber- Security

20.1. With the United States’ killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, the threat of cyber-attacks against U.S. businesses and government agencies has reached a fever pitch. The global maritime industry should take note.

20.2. Not even three years ago, the NotPetya malware attack crippled the global network of A.P. Moeller-Maersk, owner of the world’s largest shipping line and marine terminals across the globe. The company put the cost of the cyber-attack at $200 million to $300 million, with the total economic cost estimated at hundreds of millions more as the attack engulfed the global transport sector.

20.3. Although not linked to Iran, the NotPetya attack goes to the show the damage that can be inflicted when a cyber-attack hits a globally-interconnected industry like maritime.

20.4. In the wake of Soleimani’s death, Iran has vowed retribution against the United States and experts agree that cyber-attacks are high on the list of possible retaliatory actions within the capability of the Iranian government.

20.5. Earlier this week, New York’s Department of Financial Services, which regulates New York’s robust financial, insurance and banking industries, published an alert to “all regulated entities” warning of the heightened risk of cyber-attacks from hackers affiliated with the Iranian government. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Monday issued similar guidance, it’s first since the Soleimani airstrike, warning of the potential for “retaliatory aggression” from Iran.

20.6. While no specific threat from Iran has been identified, the maritime industry should be prepared. Even before these recent

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geopolitical developments, the U.S. Coast Guard agreed that maritime cyber security and port resilience are some of the most challenging security issues facing the global Marine Transportation System (MTS) today.

20.7. In 2018, a ransomware attack hit the Port of San Diego, infiltrating the port’s computer network and disrupting administration systems. In another incident in February 2019, a U.S.-flagged containership inbound to the Port of New York and New Jersey had its shipboard network disabled. While an investigation into that ultimately determined that the attack was benign, the incident prompted the Coast Guard to issue a Marine Safety Alert with recommendations to ship and facility owners, operators, and other responsible parties to step up their cyber security measures due to the seriousness of the threat.

20.8. These incidents have also prompted a re-focusing of the Coast Guard’s cyber security efforts. In December 2019, Coast Guard Sector New York, along with members of the Area Maritime Security Committee (AMSC) for the Port of New York and New Jersey, formed a cyber-coalition bringing together leaders from various business sectors, government agencies, and academia to combat the maritime cyber security threat. The goal of the coalition is to facilitate the sharing information and enhancement of maritime cyber security through routine cyber exercises and the establishment of a Cyber Advisory Committee, made up of cyber and industry experts ready to assist in a cyber-incident response.

20.9. “The fact that port partners across different industry sectors came together to develop this plan speaks to the serious nature of the cyber threat and is a testament to the shared equities at stake,” said Capt. Jason Tama, Coast Guard Captain of the Port and Federal Maritime Security Coordinator.

20.10. The financial services sector, for example, is heavily vested interest in the maritime industry and its ability to deliver goods and services to U.S. ports. Any disruption to cargo, oil, and gas, or passenger ferries could mean big impacts to the financial markets, especially commodities.

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20.11. “Cyberattacks are a 21st century reality and an ever-present operational risk that we must be ready for,” said Jeff Milstein, of Vitol vessel operations, one of the world’s largest energy traders, and former chair of the AMSC. “We have witnessed first-hand the disruption that a cyber-incident can cause in our nation’s ports, and we’re committed to taking action to minimize those risks.”

20.12. Recognizing the cyber threat, the Port of Los Angeles in April 2019 proposed establishing a Cyber Resilience Center to share cyber threat information across businesses within the port complex to help prepare companies against cyber risks that could impact the cargo supply chain ecosystem.

20.13. “Ports are a key part of a complex system that must address cyber risks,” said Tom Gazsi, Deputy Executive Director and Chief of Public Safety and Emergency Management at the Port of Los Angeles. “Over the past few years, we have seen how cyber incidents have impacted some ports across the world, threatening the operations of the entire maritime supply chain. That’s why we’re taking a collaborative approach to strengthen our cyber security posture.”

20.14. So while there’s no telling when or how Iran may retaliate, the global maritime industry should take notice and make cybersecurity a top priority. Global trade just might depend on it.

21. Duke Crew Released by Pirates, One Died in Captivity

21.1. Following the attack on the oil tanker MT Duke and abduction of 20 crew members on December 15, U.K.-based ship owner Union Maritime has issued a statement confirming that 19 of the crew members have now been released. 21.2. One able seaman was evidently taken ill and died shortly after capture. Union Maritime said in a statement: “We are seeking further information from those crew members that have been released and a full investigation will be held into the AB’s demise.”

21.3. All the crew who have been released have undergone medical checks and are reported to be well, given the circumstances of their

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ordeal. They will be debriefed by the local authorities and then return home to their families.

21.4. The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker was attacked as she sailed from Luanda, Angola, to Lomé, Togo. Six pirates boarded the vessel about 115 nautical miles south-east of Lomé and kidnapped all but one on board - believed to be a Nigerian national. The remaining crew of 20 Indian seafarers were kidnapped.

21.5. According to a report from Dryad Maritime late last year, the specific methodology used are unclear, but given that the incident occurred a significant distance offshore, the pirates are likely to have used a mothership to aid operations.

21.6. The incident was the largest kidnapping event in West Africa last year, and it followed the kidnap of 19 Indian nationals from the Nave Constellation on December 4. The vessel was boarded and four personnel were kidnapped, three of which were recently released with the fourth dying from illness whilst captive.

21.7. It incident is the 10th maritime security incident and fourth kidnapping incident in the waters off Togo within 2019. However, Dryad Maritime notes that it is not the largest kidnapping in the region. In February 2018, 22 Indian seafarers were kidnapped from the Marine Express offshore from Benin.

21.8. According to the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) annual piracy report, the number of crew kidnapped in the Gulf of Guinea increased more than 50 percent from 78 in 2018 to 121 in 2019.

21.9. An increasing number of kidnap incidents are occurring beyond the Nigerian EEZ, and Dryad Maritime says this may reflect more effective policing within the zone. Pirates could now be considering that the costs of working further of shore require a larger payback - kidnapping rather than theft. “This realistically could explain the recent uptick in kidnappings within the last 18 months against a broader trend showing a reduction in incidents

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22. Unlike the presence and substantial involvement of international navies, numbering more than 25 countries and the legit deployment of armed security team (AST) on-board commercial vessels transiting the East Africa and Indian Ocean HRA, the situation in the West Africa HRA is about just the opposite. Nigerian government laws and regulations prohibit the deployment of ASTs other than those brokered by local security companies that used personnel from the Navy which the government has declared as not supported by it. Besides the Nigerian Navy, there is also no other naval forces that provides security and deterrence to the pirates managed by criminal syndicates operating from Nigeria. In other words, the waters and ports around Nigeria are almost a perfect hunting ground for the local criminal syndicates. Given this situation, the threat of piracy at this point of time is higher and more dangerous than that posed by Somali pirates in the East Africa and Indian Ocean HRA, although depending on the continued presence of the navies of EUNAVFOR and CMF and the other independent naval forces and the continued used of on-board ASTs, the situation may quickly reverse. Somali pirates still have the intent, skills, and resources to attack merchant ships.

23. Fundamentally naval forces and intelligence agencies have repeatedly called for continued vigilance and preparedness in the fight against the threat of piracy at both the East Africa and Indian Ocean HRA and the West Africa HRA. Ignoring these warnings is to place one’s business, vessels and crew members at risk!

24. UMS HQ therefore advises all stakeholders never to take the security and safety of their vessels and crew members for granted. CURRENT LOW PIRACY THREAT doesn’t mean NO PIRACY THREAT!

25. Remember Always “Be Vigilant, Be Safe and Never Be Sorry”

LTA (NS) Anthony Lim Assistant Operations Officer Universal Maritime Solutions HP: +65 97581690