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Denmark Finds Nigerian Man Guilty in Pirate Case, Delivers No Sentence
![© jivimages / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/jivimages-adobe-stock-137001.jpeg)
A Danish court on Monday found a Nigerian man guilty of endangering the lives of Danish military personnel in a shooting incident last November involving Denmark's navy and a crew of suspected Nigerian pirates in the Gulf of Guinea.However, the court declined to sentence the Nigerian, Lucky Frances, 40, despite a call from the prosecutor for a prison sentence of 12 to 15 months.As part of international anti-piracy efforts, Denmark deployed a frigate to the Gulf of Guinea in October last year.
The Amazon Model in Global Naval Deterrence
![The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52) launches a Standard Missile (SM) 2 during a live-fire missile exercise as part of Pacific Vanguard (PV) 22 while operating in the Philippine Sea. PV22 is an exercise with a focus on interoperability and the advanced training and integration of allied maritime forces. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Greg Johnson)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/eigh-burkeclass-guidedmissile-destroyer-136851.jpg)
IMO announced that the Indian Ocean High Risk Area (HRA) will be removed on 01 Jan 2023. It was a rare but really reassuring example that international cooperation can be successful.Meanwhile at the time of this writing, the war in Ukraine carries on. Ukranian resistance has been bolstered by very significant western democracy support in the form of weapons supply that have done a great job of stopping Russia in its tracks.
“A Captain’s Duty” - Captain Phillips To Speak At Mass Maritime
![Captain Richard Phillips, author of A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, will discuss his encounter, his remarkable rescue and lessons learned, in an Ed Fouhy Speaker Series program presented by the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center on October 6. Photo courtesy Mass Maritime](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/captain-richard-phillips-author-of-135308.jpg)
On Thursday October 6, Captain Richard Phillips, author of A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, will discuss his encounter, his remarkable rescue and lessons learned, in an Ed Fouhy Speaker Series program presented by the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center. The program will begin at 7:00 PM at Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Admirals Hall, 101 Academy Drive, Buzzards Bay…
Back to the Drawing Board: Pondering Truths in Design
![“The great liability of the engineer compared to men of other professions is that his works are out in the open where all can see them. His acts, step by step, are in hard substance. He cannot bury his mistakes in the grave like the doctors. He cannot argue them into thin air or blame the judge like the lawyers. He cannot, like the architects, cover his failures with trees and vines. He cannot, like the politicians, screen his shortcomings by blaming his opponents and hope that the people will f](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/the-great-liability-of-the-135069.jpg)
In producing a column for the Marine Design issue, I considered a number of subjects, but in starting to write about them, somehow my mind connected to “Beam is Cheap.” I have a faint memory of being made aware of this during a discussion of a ship design by a design luminary very early in my career, but I don’t remember who it was.When first putting pencil to paper on some design, I always think about that when I make my first rough sketch.
USS Whidbey Island Decommissioned
![USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) (Photo: Rachael L. Leslie / U.S. Navy)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/uss-whidbey-island-lsd-41-133914.jpg)
Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship namesake, USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) held a decommissioning ceremony at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va. on July 22 before its inactivation next month.The ship’s decommissioning ceremony was held on the quay wall, alongside the moored USS Whidbey Island. The ceremony was attended by nine of her previous Commanding Officers and over 50 plankowners. “The last crew of Whidbey Island performed with great dignity and resiliency,” said Cmdr.
BIMCO Urges Gulf of Guinea States to Crack Down on Piracy
![© Lucia / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/lucia-adobe-stock-128763.jpeg)
Shipping organization BIMCO is urging states in the Gulf of Guinea region to take responsibility and step-up prosecution efforts when pirates are apprehended by international navies, following the release of three suspected pirates held in custody on board Danish frigate Esbern Snare.“The presence of international navies is a very important step in the right direction to keep seafarers safe but establishing…
Danish Frigate Releases Suspected Gulf of Guinea Pirates
![(Photo: Danish Defense)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-danish-defense-128727.jpg)
The Danish navy has released three suspected Nigerian pirates who were picked up by a frigate in the Gulf of Guinea in November after it failed to find a country in the region to take them, the Danish Armed Forces said on Friday.The three, who had been detained aboard the frigate Esbern Snare, were put to sea on Thursday in a small dinghy with enough food and fuel for them to reach shore safely to shore."They have no relation to Denmark…
Danish Frigate Kills Four Pirates in Gulf of Guinea
![(Photo: Danish Defence)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-danish-defence-127738.jpg)
A Danish frigate has killed four pirates in waters south of Nigeria in an operation to protect shipping in the Gulf of Guinea, the Danish military said on Thursday.The Esbern Snare, deployed last month to the Gulf of Guinea amid heightened security risks from pirates, on Wednesday spotted a fast-moving vessel carrying eight suspected pirates near a number of commercial ships, the Danish military said.The incident took place in international waters,25 to 30 nautical miles south of Nigeria's terri
BIMCO Calls for Continued Naval Support in Gulf of Guinea After Piracy Incident
![(Photo: Danish Defence)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-danish-defence-127739.jpg)
Following the incident in the Gulf of Guinea on 24 November involving the Danish frigate Esben Snare and a suspected pirate vessel, BIMCO calls on all naval forces in the area to further increase the pressure on piracy groups and hopes a continued naval presence will act as a deterrent.According to the Danish Armed Forces, Danish frigate Esben Snare has been involved in an incident involving suspected pirates on 24 November in the waters south of Nigeria.
BW Offshore's FPSO to Stay in Nigeria for One More Year
Norwegian floating oil and gas production systems owner BW Offshore has secured a one-year contract extension in Nigeria for one of its FPSOs.The contract, with…
Iranian Navy Foils Pirate Attack on Oil Tanker
![](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/-127065.jpeg)
The Iranian navy thwarted a pirate attack against an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, Iranian state TV said. "Before crossing the Bab al-Mandeb straight, the tanker was approached by four boats carrying armed men who were prevented in their attack after the Iranian escort fired warning shots," state TV reported.Iran’s navy has extended its reach in recent years, sending vessels to the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to protect Iranian ships from Somali pirates.
Russian Navy Destroyer Fends Off Pirate Attack on Container Ship
![Credit: Russia's Defence Ministry](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/credit-russias-defence-ministry-126886.jpg)
A Russian Navy destroyer has fended off a pirate attack on a container ship near the western coast of Africa, Russia's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.Destroyer Vice Admiral Kulakov received a distress signal from Panama-registered container ship Lucia en route from Togo to Cameroon on Monday, the ministry said in a statement, and dispatched a unit of marines on a helicopter to it.The pirates immediately fled…
Iran's Navy Thwarts Pirate Attack on Iranian Tanker
![© momentscatcher / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/momentscatcher-adobe-stock-126685.jpeg)
Iranian naval forces intervened on Saturday to repel pirates who attacked an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden, Iran's state media reported.Pirates in five speedboats attacked the unidentified tanker, but they fled after facing heavy fire from Iran's navy, the state broadcaster IRIB said on its website.Iran’s navy has extended its reach in recent years, dispatching vessels to the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to protect Iranian ships from Somali pirate attacks.(Reporting by Dubai newsro
Pirates Attack Cargo Ship off Somalia
![(Photo: EU NAVFOR)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-eu-navfor-125325.jpg)
On Friday, August 13, EU NAVFOR ATALANTA Joint Operation Centre received an alert according to which the Turkish-flagged cargo vessel Anatolia (IMO 9005869) was under attack by a skiff with four or five armed persons on board.Reportedly, the skiff attempted to approach the vessel and opened fire with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG). One of these RPG caused damage in the vicinity of the bridge.
Drones, Navies, Attack Boats: Will They be Enough to Tackle the World's Latest Piracy Hotspot?
![© remipiotrowski / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/remipiotrowski-adobe-stock-125211.jpeg)
Helicopters hover above a patrol vessel in Nigeria's frenetic Apapa port as attack boats zoom past. On the dock, drones emblazoned with the Nigerian flag sit ready to deploy – all part of a $195 million U.S.-backed "Deep Blue" initiative to deter pirate attacks in the world's most dangerous area for seafarers.The more than 2.35 million square kilometer (910,000 million square mile) expanse of the Atlantic Ocean that borders some 20 West African nations is known as "pirate alley"…
Ten Men Get 12 Years in Prison for Chinese Ship Hijacking
![Credit: Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (File photo)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/credit-fisheries-committee-for-the-124639.jpg)
A court in Lagos sentenced 10 men to 12 years in prison on Friday for kidnapping the crew of a Chinese-flagged merchant vessel last year, the navy said, a verdict that officials hope will help tackle piracy in the waters off Nigeria's coast.Federal high court Justice Ayokunle Faji, who also fined each man 250,000 naira ($608) for each of the three counts for which they were charged, said their actions in kidnapping 18 crew from the FV HAILUFENG II in May 2020…
Denmark to Send Frigate to Protect Shipping in the Gulf of Guinea
![(Photo: Photo: Danish Navy)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-photo-danish-navy-123111.jpg)
Danish Parliament on Tuesday approved plans to send a naval warship to boost maritime security in one of the world's top piracy hot spots. In the fall of 2021 the European country will deploy its frigate Esbern Snare to the Gulf of Guinea off Africa's west coast where it will contribute to international efforts to curb rampant piracy.As the world’s fifth largest marine nation Denmark said on average 30-40 Danish operated ships sail through the Gulf of Guinea daily…
Ever Given Fiasco Illustrates Importance of the Shipping Container
![(Photo: Suez Canal Authority)](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-suez-canal-authority-121839.jpg)
Take a look around you.Perhaps you’re snacking on a banana, sipping some coffee or sitting in front of your computer and taking a break from work to read this article. Most likely, those goods—as well as your smartphone, refrigerator and virtually every other object in your home—were once loaded onto a large container in another country and traveled thousands of miles via ships crossing the ocean before ultimately arriving at your doorstep.Today…
Piracy and Ship Attacks in the Gulf of Guinea
![© remipiotrowski/AdobeStock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/remipiotrowskiadobestock-121717.jpg)
Incidents of piracy and attacks on merchant vessels in waters of the Gulf of Guinea are endemic. There are multiple factors at play, including but not limited to: poverty, limited government presence in coastal communities, minimal maritime law enforcement capability among coastal states, and corruption. Some foreign nations, primarily European, conduct patrols outside the 12 nautical mile territorial seas…
Iran, Russia Navies Start Exercises in Indian Ocean
![© Oleksii / Adobe Stock](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/oleksii-adobe-stock-120329.jpeg)
Iran and Russia on Tuesday embarked on joint naval exercises in the Indian Ocean which will include thwarting a mock pirate attack on a merchant ship, Iranian state media reported.Iran has recently conducted several military exercises as it tries to push the United States to return to the 2015 nuclear agreement.Admiral Gholamreza Tahani told state television that night and day time firing was practiced.The…