A Couple of Weeks Worth of Anti-Shipping Activity

As found at the ASAM port of Maritime Safety Information (activity near Somalia in reddish hue):

Date of Occurrence: 06/18/2011 Reference Number: 2011-300 Geographical Subregion: 24 Geographical Location: 10° 17' 18" N 64° 43' 06" W Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: CARGO SHIP Description: PUERTO LA CRUZ, VENEZUELA: Master onboard an anchored general cargo vessel noticed a speed boat approaching the vessel. He ordered the duty crew to investigate. Later, one AB entered the bridge in a frightened state and reported that robbers had boarded the vessel and taken hostage the second duty watchman at knife point and had stolen ship stores. Alarm raised and crew mustered. Port control and CSO informed.

Date of Occurrence: 06/18/2011 Reference Number: 2011-299 Geographical Subregion: 63 Geographical Location: 8° 29' 00" N 76° 40' 00" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: CHEMICAL TANKER Description: AROUND 15 MILES OFF TRIVANDRUM, INDIA: Master onboard a chemical tanker underway noticed a white hulled skiff around three miles ahead. The skiff was noticed to increase speed and approach the vessel at high speed. Vessel increased speed, altered course, sounded alarm and took anti-piracy measures. The skiff continued to chase the vessel for around 10 minutes before stopping. Master reported five to six persons in the boat and also reported noticing some guns in the boat. The skiff was later heard to have attacked another tanker.

Date of Occurrence: 06/18/2011 Reference Number: 2011-298 Geographical Subregion: 63 Geographical Location: 8° 37' 00" N 76° 26' 00" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: CHEMICAL TANKER Description: AROUND 30 MILES OFF TRIVANDRUM, INDIA: Pirates in a skiff chased a chemical tanker underway. The vessel enforced anti-piracy preventive measures, sent SSAS alert. Later a naval helicopter arrived at location.

Date of Occurrence: 06/17/2011 Reference Number: 2011-301 Geographical Subregion: 24 Geographical Location: 6° 49' 18" N 58° 10' 12" W Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: CONTAINER SHIP Description: GEORGETOWN INNER ANCHORAGE, GUYANA: Four robbers armed with knives boarded an anchored container ship. They took the bosun as hostage and stole ship's properties and escaped. The alarm raised and crew mustered. Authorties informed.

Date of Occurrence: 06/15/2011 Reference Number: 2011-292 Geographical Subregion: 61 Geographical Location: 9° 18' 00" N 51° 15' 00" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: CARGO SHIP Description: AROUND 26 MILES OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA: Four pirates in a skiff chased and fired upon a general cargo ship underway. One pirate managed to board the vessel but had to jump overboard after the crew successfully confronted him. All crew safe.

Date of Occurrence: 06/14/2011 Reference Number: 2011-297 Geographical Subregion: 57 Geographical Location: 5° 52' 00" N 2° 36' 00" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: CHEMICAL TANKER Description: COTONOU ANCHORAGE, BENIN: Armed robbers boarded and hijacked an anchored chemical tanker. They forced the captain to sail the vessel to an unknown location. The pirates stole ship's properties and left the vessel.

Date of Occurrence: 06/13/2011 Reference Number: 2011-291 Geographical Subregion: 24 Geographical Location: 10° 18' 30" N 75° 32' 36" W Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: BULK CARRIER Description: CARTAGENA TANKER ANCHORAGE, COLOMBIA: Duty AB onboard a bulk carrier at anchor spotted robbers trying to gain access via the hawse pipe. The AB alerted other crew members who rushed forward resulting in the robbers aborting the attempt and moving away. Later as the AB moved aft during his rounds he observed barefoot marks on the deck and noticed that the ship's stores were stolen.

Date of Occurrence: 06/12/2011 Reference Number: 2011-294 Geographical Subregion: 56 Geographical Location: 30° 42' 18" N 32° 20' 39" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: CONTAINER SHIP Description: SUEZ CANAL ANCHORAGE, EGYPT: Robbers boarded and stole ship property from an anchored container vessel. The incident was reported to the local authorities who managed to track down the robbers and reclaim the stolen property.

Date of Occurrence: 06/12/2011 Reference Number: 2011-290 Geographical Subregion: 62 Geographical Location: 12° 33' 00" N 61° 46' 00" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: BULK CARRIER Description: AROUND 420 MILES EAST OF SOCOTRA ISLAND: Four pirates in a skiff chased and fired upon a bulk carrier underway. The skiff closed to around five meters from the ship. Effective anti-piracy measures including fire hoses and electric wire around vessel prevented the pirates from gaining access.

Date of Occurrence: 06/11/2011 Reference Number: 2011-286 Geographical Subregion: 62 Geographical Location: 12° 17' 00" N 61° 27' 00" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: BULK CARRIER Description: AROUND 400 MILES EAST OF SOCOTRA: Four pirates in a skiff approached and fired upon a bulk carrier underway. Onboard security team fired warning shots resulting in the pirates moving away.

Not a Somali Pirate!

Date of Occurrence: 06/11/2011 Reference Number: 2011-287 Geographical Subregion: 62 Geographical Location: 12° 19' 00" N 61° 30' 00" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: CHEMICAL TANKER Description: AROUND 405 MILES EAST OF SOCOTRA: Four pirates in a skiff chased a chemical tanker underway. Weapons sighted in the skiff but not used. Security team onboard fired warning shots and the skiff moved away.

Date of Occurrence: 06/11/2011 Reference Number: 2011-288 Geographical Subregion: 62 Geographical Location: 13° 42' 06" N 42° 35' 48" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: TANKER Description: 40 MILES NORTH OF ASSAB, ERITREA, RED SEA: Five pirates in a skiff chased a tanker underway. Small arms and ladder observed in the skiff. All crew except master and OOW were mustered at safe point. Security guard onboard fired warning shots and pirates moved away.

Date of Occurrence: 06/11/2011 Reference Number: 2011-295 Geographical Subregion: 62 Geographical Location: 12° 10' 00" N 61° 45' 00" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: BULK CARRIER Description: ARABIAN SEA: Bulk carrier (EMPEROR) was fired upon by one skiff with four pirates onboard 11 June at 0315 UTC while underway in position 12-10N 061-45E, approximately 426NM southeast of Socotra Island, Yemen. Onboard security team fired warning shots and the pirates aborted the attack. (IMB, UKMTO)

Date of Occurrence: 06/11/2011 Reference Number: 2011-289 Geographical Subregion: 62 Geographical Location: 13° 29' 00" N 42° 43' 00" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: TANKER Description: AROUND 27 MILES NORTH OF ASSAB, ERITREA, RED SEA: While underway the duty officer onboard a tanker spotted a skiff on radar. When the skiff approached closer, seven pirates were observed in the skiff. The pirates could not board the vessel due to high freeboard. Later the skiff moved away.

Date of Occurrence: 06/11/2011 Reference Number: 2011-296 Geographical Subregion: 62 Geographical Location: 13° 32' 00" N 42° 41' 00" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: TANKER Description: RED SEA: Chemical/oil products tanker (EMMA VICTORY) experienced an attempted boarding 11 June at 0451 UTC while underway in position 13-32N 042-41E, approximately 31NM northwest of Assab, Eritrea. Vessel spotted five skiffs but was only attacked by one. Skiff attempted to put on a ladder on the vessel, but could not due to razor wire and evasive maneuvers. (UKMTO, Operator, Commercial Sources)

Date of Occurrence: 06/10/2011 Reference Number: 2011-285 Geographical Subregion: 62 Geographical Location: 13° 29' 00" N 42° 37' 00" E Aggressor: PIRATES Victim: BULK CARRIER Description: AROUND 30 MILES NORTH OF ASSAB, ERITREA, RED SEA: Six pirates in one skiff chased and fired upon a bulk carrier underway. Vessel took all anti-piracy measueres and contacted the coalition forces resulting in the pirates aborting the attempt.

A couple more from IMB's Live Piracy Report:

23.06.2011: 0531 LT: Posn: 05:52S – 013:24.72E, Matadi anchorage, Democratic Republic of Congo. Robbers boarded and stole ship stores from an anchored refrigerated cargo vessel on three occasions between 0500lt and 0740lt. Duty crew spotted the robbers and raised the alarm on each occasion resulting in the robbers jumping overboard and escaping in a waiting boat. No response received from port authority when called on VHF.

23.06.2011: 0240 LT: Posn: 7:11.5S – 112:43.5E, Surabaya anchorage, Indonesia.
Robbers boarded an anchored bulk carrier from the stern as the duty crew was taking routine rounds forward. They stole ship's stores and escaped. When the duty crew reached the stern, he found ship's stores missing and raised the alarm. Port control and local agents informed.

18.06.2011: 0210 LT: Posn: 05:51.9S – 013:2.57E, Boma anchorage, Dem. Rep. of Congo.
A vigilant deck watchman onboard an anchored refrigerated cargo vessel noticed a robber with a long knife hiding on the forecastle deck. The robber jumped overboard when the deck watchman illuminated the area with his flashlight. Nothing reported stolen.

16.06.2011: 0800 UTC: Posn: 13:43.8N – 042:56.8E, around 42nm NxE of Assab, Eritrea, Red Sea. A skiff with five pirates approached a general cargo ship underway at a speed of 25 knots. As the skiff closed a pirate with a gun was observed. When the skiff closed to 100 meters the onboard armed security team fired warning shots resulting in the skiff moving away.