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29 June – 5 July 2013 (Vol. 2; No.27/13) This Week's Newsletter is kindly Sponsored by: For the cyber and specialist "Intelligence" industry in a unique and refreshing approach to service provision 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. Key message of cooperation and collaboration; oil theft, disasters at sea and IUU Fishing are main concerns– As piracy takes a yearly backseat, eyes turn to disasters at sea, the cause and effect of piracy relating to the matters affecting governments on land, but also the scramble for influence in piracy regions. Experts and commentators reiterate the need for information sharing and cooperation but how it can be all-inclusive remains the core issue for many. Kismayo infighting, internal wrangling in the Somali Federal Government and the “khaki envelope” demonstrates the difficulty in monitoring capacity building and is reflected in West Africa as near-replication of approach to piracy begins. Regulation of arms continues to hinder progress of maritime security despite focus on standards and responsibilities of the Master and PSCs. Oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering in Nigeria at a sufficiently worrisome level, MD for Shell Nigeria blames well-financed and highly organised criminals for running a parallel industry with $6 billion revenue lost annually; increasing cases, however, mean that the Nigerian Navy may not be able to contain the scourge. Bribery and corruption in W Africa ports challenge security along with piracy. Gambia rejects an agreement with the US on cooperation due to unequal partnership, which is likely to be repeated for West African states’ joint cooperation. Malaysia, too, calls for dialogue and negotiations to strengthen coordination and cooperation in the South China Sea. International navies conduct an operation in the southern Red Sea, BaM, western Gulf of Aden in conjunction with merchant shipping to counter piracy and terrorist threats as senior Commander suggest concluding the successful mission in the Horn of Africa could destabilise Somalia. Oil price soars as coup in Egypt takes hold but ports and Suez Canal continue to operating normally. IUU fishing, costing $10-23 billion annual losses is the background to agreements reached and actions planned around the African coastline; Seychelles is the first African country to formally hand its document of accession to an international accord aimed at combating illegal fishing and is in talks to develop Somalia’s blue economy. 40 percent of fish caught in W Africa is illegal. The depth of the global problem sees Palau become the first Pacific nation to ban commercial fishing in its EEZ. Pirate fishing is an issue as big as the global piracy problem everyone knows. Sinking, broken, burnt and abandoned ships, missing crew, a seafarers life is not an easy one. The forcing down of Bolivian President Evo Morales's plane – denied airspace by France, Spain and Portugal f or the "fugitive" Edward Snowden – was an act of air piracy and state terrorism, says the Guardian UK. Already banned in most of Europe, US and Canada, the UK, despite advice to the contrary, bans the herbal stimulant loved by Somali pirates – khat is out of the bag. 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 THE apparently accidental publication of a diplomatic letter has exposed a rift between the Somali government and Kenyan troops - supposedly allies - BBC News. The letter, verified as genuine by the BBC, accuses the Kenyan army of causing recent faction fighting that left at least 65 dead in the port of Kismayo. Kenyan troops are part of the African Union force battling Islamist militants in support of the UN-backed government. The Kenyan authorities have not yet commented on the letter in detail. Some regional diplomats say Kenya is trying to create a buffer state, known as Jubaland, inside Somalia run by local politicians it can control. Image - Kenyan forces captured Kismayo from al-Shabaab in October 2012 AN alert was issued on 26 June when the owners of a Taiwan fishing vessel, Chun Ying, reported they had lost contact with their ship at 0110 local time - OCEANUSLive. By the end of the day the report changed to one that the vessel had been destroyed by fire and abandoned by the crew. The longliner, Chun Ying, but also stated as being named Chin Yung, owned by Chyan Maan Oceanic, Taiwan, was last reported at 01:13N 055:24E, approximately 720nm east of Mogadishu, Somalia and approximately 320nm north of The Seychelles. The vessels two life rafts were reported missing. The fishing vessel was stated to be carrying a crew of 28 and a further 3 maritime security guards. The fates were unknown at the time and it was considered that they may have abandoned the vessel and embarked the two life rafts onboard. A search and rescue mission commenced which saw an EU maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, UKMTO, IMB, and the Seychelles Coast Guard involved in efforts to locate the stricken vessel. The EU MPRA reported locating a life raft with 14 persons onboard. The second life raft was yet to be sighted as at 27 June. With the adverse conditions of the Indian Ocean at this time of year, the possibility of finding the remaining crew and life raft began to fade as the search continued. A sister fishing vessel, Chun Ying 777, was directed to assist the life raft with the 14 persons. The burnt out and abandoned vessel was found following a search by CTF 150 unit. The second life raft was found 28 June with two dead bodies on board. The remaining 15 crew are still missing. THE [Seychellois] Police have reported that a fishing vessel bearing the name of Chun-Ying, which reportedly caught fire on the 19 June while fishing on high seas between Somalia and Seychelles, has been pulled into Port Victoria this morning, 5 July - OCEANUSLive. The Taiwanese boat, registered in Singapore was pulled in by Chun-Ying 777, another boat from the same company which was contacted on the 21 June to find Chun-Ying after their base had lost contact with the former. From a total of thirty one (31) crew members including the Captain, only fourteen (14) of them were found alive and rescued from a rescue life raft; two (2) burnt bodies were later discovered on another, this time partly damaged, rescue life raft while fifteen (15) others are reported missing. MORE than 7,000 small arms used in escorting marine vessels into the country are still under police custody, Inspector general of police David Kimaiyo has said - The Star Kenya. The assorted arms were surrendered to the police for safe custody upon arrival of vessels at the port of Mombasa. According to Kimaiyo, vessels with private escort have their security team surrender their arms before going into the main land. Most specialized private security companies providing armed maritime security escorts for vessels usually have their men alight upon arrival in Mombasa. This is to allow the offloading of cargo. They are required by the law to surrender their arms for safety and security reasons and collect them when the vessel is leaving the country. According to Mombasa County Police boss Njoroge Mbugu, the security men cannot be allowed to move around with the firearms since they go into the city where they mingle with the public. “This is a security measure since some of them even go to relax at entertainment spots. They cannot be allowed into the main land armed so they keep the firearms with us,” said Mbugu. However, IG has said most of the arms remain uncollected with some dating years back. Kimaiyo was speaking in Mombasa during the recent forum on port efficiency and trade facilitation. SOMALIA has become the target of Iranian own logistics companies to make quick money by Establishing small logistics company in the neighbouring countries, these companies are often given UN and EU cargo shipments because they are claiming to be Somalia logistics expert- Shabelle.Net. All these companies are under the control of SIMATECH SHIPPING LLC which has been mentioned into our last article. Another regional player in the East African Market is SIMA MARINE AFRICA which is not hiding their ownership and their association with SIMATECH SHIPPING LLC, According to their website, they are Confirming that they have been handling cargo shipments for UNHRC and DANISH REFUGEE COUNCIL to Somalia. DRC is a Danish Government Agency which has been working in the region for poverty reduction and women’s issue. Most of these consignments are not advertised in a public tender because Simatech and its subsidiaries are often connected to a low level managers whom are not aware the background of these Iranian companies. These companies are often targeting conflict zones and they are in apart of Iranian network groups. which is controlled by Bandar Abas based Iranian businessmen, Their main shipping line is PERMA LINE SHIPPING which is the main partner for Simatech around the world. WRITING in a newspaper, Mrs Tebbutt told how she learnt of her husband David’s death during a conversation with their son Ollie, 25, on a mobile phone from one of the ransom negotiators - Telegraph. She also disclosed how she was kept in filthy conditions and forced to wear robes and cover her head, which made her start to fear for her own sense of identity. She listed the torment she faced. “To be confined to a bare and filthy room, to be shouted at by angry men in an indecipherable language, to be shrouded in an alien set of clothes uncomfortable against one’s skin, to be humiliated and ridiculed, made to feel like nothing,” she said.