Latest ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping Report (to 30 July 09)

The latest ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping Report (to 30 July 09) can b found here. Highlights:

G.  WEST AFRICA:
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     1.  ATLANTIC OCEAN:  General cargo ship reported attempted boarding 30 Jun 09 at 0500
UTC while underway in position 11:20N ñ 017:15W, approximately 60NM off the coast of
Guinea Bissau.  Twelve armed men in a boat reportedly attempted to board the vessel while
underway.  Due to the quick action and defensive measures by the master and crew, the armed
men were unable to board and aborted their attempt (IMB).
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     2.  C‘TE DíIVOIRE:  Tanker robbed 12 Jul 09 at 2336 UTC while anchored in position
05:12.5N ñ 004:03.9E, Abidjan anchorage.  Two robbers armed with knives boarded the tanker
via the forecastle.  The robbers stole the ships stores, and escaped in a small boat when
discovered (IMB).
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     3.  C‘TE DíIVOIRE:  Bulk carrier boarded 29 June 09 at 0200 UTC while anchored in
position 05:12.98N ñ 004:02.98W, Abidjan anchorage.  Two robbers boarded the vessel and cut
the shipís line in an attempt to steal it.  One robber then approached the duty watch man with a
long sharp knife when the watch man sighted and shouted at the robbers.  The watch man ran
away and raised the shipís alarm.  The robbers escaped with nothing stolen and there were no
injuries reported (IMB).
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     4.  NIGERIA:  Oil facility attacked 12 Jul 09 at 2230 local time at the Atlas Cove jetty in
Lagos.  Four naval officers and four civilians were killed in an attack reportedly carried out by
MEND.  The militants exchanged gunfire with naval officers guarding the facility, before they
used dynamite to hit 10 pipes. A MEND spokesman confirmed that the group was responsible
for the attack.  According to the spokesman, 18 militants in two gunboats were involved in the
attack.  About 20 workers were injured in the fire (LM: AllAfrica).
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     5.  NIGERIA:  Chemical tanker (SIEHEM PEACE) boarded, crewmembers kidnapped 5 Jul
09 at 2045 local time while underway, approximately 20NM from Escravos.  The militant
organization MEND claimed it seized the six crewmembers from the vessel and would hold the
crew until further notice.  The group also claimed it had destroyed a strategic Chevron facility. 
There were no indications of casualties (AP, Bloomberg).
***
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     2.  MALAYSIA:  Container ship reported suspicious approach 28 Jul 09 at 2157 local time
while underway in position 04:39.2N ñ 112:45.0E, approximately 75NM west of Miri.  Twelve
men in a 7m long, unlit boat approached the vessel underway.  They chased the ship and tried to
get alongside.  The duty officer raised the alarm, conducted evasive maneuvers, and alerted
crewmembers while the master fired three rocket flares.  The men aborted their pursuit (IMB).
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     3.  MALAYSIA:  Tanker boarded 21 Jul 09 at 0030 local time while underway in position
01:17.94N ñ 104:09.24E, approximately 3NM south of Tanjong Stapa.  Six men armed with
machetes boarded the vessel and tied up the vesselís captain and the 15 Thai crewmembers. 
Malaysian marine police received a tip-off about the attack and responded, arresting five of the
men as they were robbing the ship (IMB, AFP).
***

Pretty quiet week really.