10 – 16 August 2013 (Vol. 2; No.33/13)
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10 – 16 August 2013 (Vol. 2; No.33/13) Sponsor the newsletters - Click Ask us how you can be a sponsor of this newsletter in 2013 - click here. Feedback on the newsletter is welcomed too. Gulf of Guinea hijack ends in two days, but no threat to shipping off Yemen and Suez, yet - Gulf of Guinea piracy continues to draw attention and deep concern. A tanker hijacked whilst at anchor off Lagos on Sunday was released the following Tuesday. Two days later, another attempt on a tanker is made, in total three incidents in the week. Passenger boats are attacked resulting in three deaths, but the JTF and Nigerian Navy make crude oil theft arrests. The Chief of Naval Staff discloses that the bulk of crude oil is stolen from the export terminals. A shortage of gunboats and fast craft said to be attributing to the increase in oil theft in the Delta. The UN Security Council states their deep concern and reiterates the call for prosecution of pirates and robbers in the GoG. Ghana makes a formal application to join GCC. Al Qaeda threat in Yemen and troubles in Egypt remain latent threats to shipping. Curfew call and state of emergency in Egypt has not affected shipping, so far. Incarcerated pirates in Kenyan jails are enjoying "a transformative stint," in jail. The second in command of Enrica Lexie arrives in India for questioning, but the Italian marines have refused to say anything further. India and Taiwan issue notice on the employ of armed guards on their flagged vessels. As New Zealand sends a warship to the Horn of Africa as EU and NATO Commanders reiterate the need to continue his vis anti-piracy operations. What are the top five hotspots for kidnapping of oil & gas workers? CMF warship rescues sailors adrift in the Gulf of Aden for 5 days. Medecins Sans Frontieres begins closing humanitarian ops in Somalia due to the level of attacks on staff, but Somalia's government asks them to reconsider as news breaks of the dangerous outbreak of the "crippling polio virus." Want to know the location of every freighter and cruise ship plying the Earth's oceans? ExactEarth says it is not easy but it can be done. 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 SUSPECTED al Qaeda militants killed four Yemeni soldiers in their sleep early on Sunday in an attack on forces guarding the country's only liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal, a local official said - Yahoo News. The assault follows an escalating campaign of drone strikes by the United States over the past two weeks and warnings of militant attacks that prompted Washington to close embassies across the Middle East and evacuate some staff from Yemen. The official said the gunmen infiltrated a checkpoint guarding the Balhaf LNG terminal in the southern Shabwa province, killed one soldier and then entered a cargo container where four more troops were sleeping and shot them dead. The attackers fled in a vehicle, he said. A Yemeni government spokesman said last week that the $4.5 billion gas facility, jointly managed by Yemen LNG and France's Total, was one of two energy targets that suspected al Qaeda militants had been plotting to attack. VESSELS transiting the Gulf of Aden via the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor do not need to adjust their ship security plans, according to G4S Risk Management head of maritime security - Lloyds List. With the average distance from the port of Aden being 60 miles, the threat is largely against ports rather than shipping, says the former Navy counter piracy expert. SECURITY along the Suez Canal was ratcheted up yesterday [[12 Aug] as well as along neighbouring roads with an intense checking of vehicles heading to and from Sinai - Gulfship News. In addition aircraft have been deployed to monitor ships transiting the waterway. The canal has been the focus of protest against the military in the past month while there has also been speculation about a terrorist threat. EGYPT'S interim president has declared a month-long state of emergency to combat worsening violence after riot police moved to clear two sprawling encampments of supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi - AP. A statement by the office of President Adly Mansour said Wednesday that the state of emergency takes effect at 4 p.m. (1400 GMT, 10 a.m. EDT). It didn't provide details but says Mansour also ordered the armed forces to support the police in their efforts to restore law and order and protect state facilities. A STATE of emergency has been declared throughout Egypt by President Adly Mansour. Ships calling at Egyptian ports are recommended to maintain a constant security watch throughout their stay and crew changes are advised to be both limited and to only take place during daylight hours - Standard P and I club. A curfew is in place throughout most of Egypt between 19:00 - 06:00 so delays are anticipated, however no disturbances have yet been reported at ports or at the Suez Canal. Members are advised to remain in close contact with their local agents and to contact the Managers should further assistance be required. SUEZ Canal transits are continuing as normal, despite Egypt’s interim leaders declaring a one- month national state of emergency on Wednesday, following violent clashes between security forces and protesters. THE UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, global ports operator DP World and Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC) announce they are co-convening the third international counter-piracy conference in Dubai on 11-12 September - Gulfship News. More than 500 participants comprising foreign ministers, senior government officials, executives of global maritime-sector companies, and leading experts will convene for the two-day event entitled: Countering Maritime Piracy: Continued Efforts for Regional Capacity Building. Building capacity in the region includes addressing piracy in the short term through effective security initiatives, including co-ordination between international navies and merchant vessels, and longer term initiatives that support the development of local economies. The humanitarian impact of piracy on seafarers and their families continues to be a focus, and a highlight of this year’s conference will be a discussion with Captain Juwaid Saleem, a former captive of pirates in Somalia, and his family, who will share their experiences. Captain Juwaid and his crew were held for more than two years and his two daughters featured in a documentary premièred at last year’s conference highlighting the humanitarian cost of piracy, when he was still a prisoner. He and seven of his crew were released six weeks after the 2012 conference; the remaining 15 crew members are still missing in Somalia. A MARITIME attack from Al-Qaeda or other affiliate terrorist groups is now increasingly likely maritime security firm Gulf of Aden Group Transits (GoAGT) has warned. “The resurgence of Al-Qaeda and affiliate organisations is occurring alongside some of the worlds’ most strategically vulnerable and crowded waterways. The largely unforeseen consequence of the Arab Spring is that it has given terrorists groups a new lease of life and the means to do real harm to maritime activity in the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal and at other key strategic choke points,” said Gerry Northwood OBE, COO of GoAGT. “The growth of sea traffic has made the maritime industry a target rich environment and it isn’t just the obvious targets like oil platforms and large cargo ships which are at risk, but the cruise liner industry provides Al-Qaeda with another opportunity to hit targets where the casualty numbers could be in the thousands,” he warned. “A terrorist attack targeting any of these key assets could have a high impact both physically and mentally in a traditionally terrorism free environment, but would be seen by Al-Qaeda as a headline attack that would promote their cause.” He added: “An attack of this nature could lead to significant influence on global energy security and international trade. For Al-Qaeda a maritime attack could be highly attractive, we have already seen the affect that piracy has had on the global economy and the shipping community.” THEY once terrorised the Indian Ocean, seizing dozens of ships every year, extorting millions of dollars in ransom money, and eventually drawing a military response from the international community - Guardian UK. Now the pirates of the Horn of Africa are in danger of becoming extinct. It is not just that warships patrol the waters with a 30-minute response time and that many target vessels now carry armed guards. It's that many of the pirates are currently enjoying a transformative stint in jail. There are more than 100 convicted and suspected pirates incarcerated at the Shimo la Tewa maximum security prison on the Kenyan coast. "They like it here," a warden says. The residential quarters of the prison's piracy wing is behind a heavy metal door. The 111 convicted and suspected pirates do not call themselves pirates; they prefer "fishermen". As many as 30 have never had their cases heard in court, according to prison staff. Some have been on remand since 2009. Asked whether they felt abandoned or dissatisfied with the legal system, most said no. "It's fine here," says one. The objective at Shimo la Tewa prison is that inmates leave with the means to earn a living and do not fall back into piracy, the warden says. Inmates are taught to read and write, given free healthcare and adequate food, and taught new skills.