piracy safety
Where does piracy begin and end?
There are differing views on whether Somali-style piracy is entering a new phase and being exported to other parts of the continent
P
irates are adaptable. While their success may have diminished in the Somali basin, operations are spreading
into new areas. What is not clear is whether such attacks are becoming more co-ordinated and whether recent incidents denote a new tactic: swarming. This essentially sees the pirates attacking a vessel from different angles and overwhelming it by sheer numbers. In July, Neptune Maritime Security issued a
Sabya Jizan
briefing document detailing unusual patterns of activity off Eritrea. This included the July attack on oil tanker, Front Pride, which was set upon by a single skiff containing six pirates while underway in position 13:27N-042:39E, approximately 27nm NNW off Assab, Eritrea. Pirates fired an RPG at the vessel, but the armed security team on board returned fire and the pirates aborted the attack. Then, on 21 July, a cargo vessel was fired upon by a single skiff containing six pirates while underway in position 13:29N 042:26E, approximately 30nm off Assab. The location of this second attempted hijacking is just 3.5nm from the scene of the incident on the previous day and Neptune believes it is highly likely that this was the same pirate group. On this occasion, the attempt was again deterred by armed security personnel on board the cargo vessel. This incident occurred some 48nm away from
Abha Najran San‘a
the first swarm attack on 7 August, but without further intelligence Neptune admits it is impossible to state whether this was a small raiding party or a single pirate group on a scouting mission operating far from its base of operations. Indeed, both incidents may be entirely unrelated to the spate of attempted swarm attacks in August, although their proximity to three of the attempted hijackings in August does suggest that pirates have been driven into the Red Sea by local monsoon conditions in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast. This incident is but one in a series of
similar-style attacks says Neptune. From the data it has examined, the consultancy draws the conclusion that “pirate activity in the Red Sea area and the new trend of attacking in large groups are something that all shipping companies and vessels transiting the area should be aware of and prepared for.” Another reported trend is that Somali-style
piracy is proliferating. It’s a view that owner and CEO of Risk Intelligence, Hans Tino Hanson, rejects. “The recent media reports that Nigerian pirates are copying Somali pirates are written by people who have very little insight into both types of piracy.” Nigerian piracy, which also stretches to other parts of the Gulf of Guinea, focuses on armed robbery at sea, kidnap for ransom as well as hijackings of tankers with the primary aim of stealing the cargo, says Mr Hanson. “Nigerian piracy has been ongoing for more years than the Somalis. The criminal groups that are behind the tanker hijackings are stealing cargo that is sometimes worth much more than any ransom ever paid in Somalia, and within a time span of less than a week instead of eight months in Somalia. So before offering such ‘analysis’ to the media they should ask themselves who
Lawdar Ahwar Shaqra
attack 3, Aug 17 attack 2, Aug 10
attack 1, Aug 7 0 100km Bender Qaasim
Neptune Maritime Security plotted a series of attacks in July which it says imply swarming
Djibouti
www.tankershipping.com Saylac
Naval forces may need to redeploy to West Africa, although it is not a new theatre for piracy Ceerigaabo
Tadjoura Karin
Berbera Gulf of Hurdiyo
Caluula Qandala
Irqah
Hans Tino Hanson (Risk Intelligence): “People have very limited insight into both types of piracy”
should copy who.” Some 31 offshore attacks against chemical
Shibam Al Mukalla
and product tankers have been recorded in the Bight of Benin (Lagos/Cotonou/Lomé) since 24 December 2010. The attacks started off Cotonou before spreading to Lagos and Lomé and spreading further offshore. So far six attacks have been recorded off Lagos, 23 off Cotonou and two off Lomé. The furthest attack offshore took place on 2 October 2011, approximately 135nm from the coast. As attacks are carried out further at sea, the actual location off the coast has become less relevant. Effectively, the entire Bight of Benin is currently an area of severe threat to tankers.Whereas Somali pirate success rates are declining in the Indian Ocean, Nigerian pirates are becoming more adept and realise profits from cargo theft which are well in excess of the ransom payments made at the Horn of Africa. TST
Ash Shihr
Ra’s Fa
Abd-Al-K Caseyr
Ras Xaa Xaafuun Tanker Shipping & Trade I October/November 2011 I 35
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