Latest ICC CCS Weekly Piracy Report (to 12 November 07)

The latest ICC Commercial Crime Services (to 12 Nov 07) can be found here. Highlights:

09.11.2007: 0800 LT: 28:41N-049:46E, Persian Gulf. A suspicious craft approached a tanker, underway, from the stern. Master sounded general alarm, increased speed, crew mustered and fire hoses standby. The speed boat closed to 0.1nm, and when it noticed crew alertness, aborted approach and moved away.

08.11.2007: 0400 LT: 13:48N - 053:45E, 65 NM North of Socotra Island, Somalia.C/O onboard a car carrier, underway, noticed an unlit boat at 3NM off the port bow with a speed of 19 kts. The boat reduced speed to match the speed of the vessel. When the craft was about 1nm off master raised alarm, crew mustered and switched on deck lights. At 0430 LT another unlit boat was observed 2NM of port bow of the ship. Both boats altered course towards Socotra at 0445 LT and moved away.

06.11.2007: 2130 LT: 03:55.2N - 099:46.2E, Malacca Straits. An unidentified small watercraft approached a chemical tanker underway. OOW raised alarm, sounded ship's whistle, crew mustered and directed searchlight at the craft. The craft came within 150 metres and aborted the attempt

06.11.2007: 1800 UTC: 22:06N-062:31E: Arabian Sea.
A bulk carrier underway detected an unlit suspicious craft, on radar, approaching directly towards own vessel at a speed of 19 knots. Master took all preventive measures to prevent boarding. Suspicious craft reached 0.1 NM from vessel, on seeing crew alertness, the suspicious craft reduced speed and altered course towards another nearby vessel. All vessels were warned on VHF radio about suspicious craft approach.

05.11.2007: 2150 LT: 12:33N – 113:42E: South China Sea.
One suspicious boat followed a general cargo ship at a range of 100m for about an hour. Crew mustered and fire hoses with pressurised water jet standby and action taken to prevent any boarding. Later, master informed the Piracy Reporting Centre that the distance between the boat and the ship was increasing. Vessel continued passage to destination port.