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InterManager President Warns Against Stopping Ransoms
![Alastair Evitt.](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/alastair-evitt-7952.jpg)
Any move at the government level to ban the payment of ransoms to pirates would have a massively detrimental effect on the risk to the world's seafarers and the global economy, according to Alastair Evitt, Managing Director of Meridian Marine Management, President of InterManager and the newly appointed Chairman of the Save Our Seafarers Campaign. Addressing the opening session of this year's Connecticut Maritime Association (CMA) conference in Stamford…
Piracy Attacks Reported in West Africa Waters
![Pirates: Photo credit USN](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/pirates-photo-credit-usn-7943.jpg)
The Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) message from ONI provides information on threats to, and criminal action against, merchant vessels worldwide. DEM.REP.CONGO: Refrigerated Cargo Ship boarded while anchored in the E, Boma Anchorage. Ten robbers in two boats boarded the ship stole cargo, stores took crewman as temporary hostage. NIGERIA: Chemical tanker approached off Port Harcourt Fairway Buoy.
Pirates in Gulf of Aden Watched from Sky
![AĂ©ronavale Falcon 50 Over-flys Merchant Vessel: Photo credit EUNAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/aronavale-falcon-50-overflys-merchant-7938.jpg)
Counter-piracy forces from the European Union will gain another valuable asset with the addition of a Falcon 50 maritime surveillance aircraft from the French Navy. Based from Djibouti, the aircraft has the range to cover the Gulf of Aden and waters off the horn of Africa. Its speed and range are instrumental in guiding surface units to apprehend suspect vessels and can provide advance warning to escorted convoys of aid to Somalia…
Pirates Losing Battle to Capture Ships
![Piracy Patrol: Photo credit NATO](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/piracy-patrol-photo-credit-nato-7850.jpg)
The NATO piracy update mentions in its overview of the week, four piracy related incidents in the High Risk Area (HRA): a Pirate Attack Group (PAG) was disrupted (017/12), one merchant vessel was hijacked (Alert 018/12), one merchant vessel was approached by suspected pirates (NSC 010/12) and one merchant vessel was attacked ( 019/12). As the monsoon period is over and the sea state becomes more favourable for small boats…
Pirate Hostages Released by German Warship
![FGS Berlin Rescue: Photo EUNAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/fgs-berlin-rescue-photo-eunavfor-7775.jpg)
Gernan warship FGS Berlin attempts rescue 25 Indian hostages in the Gulf of Aden. EUNAVFOR Warship FGS BERLIN received a call from a merchant vessel reporting that they had successfully repelled a pirate attack in the Gulf of Aden. The warship dispatched one of its helicopters to the scene and quickly located a skiff and an Indian flagged and crewed dhow. It was established that the dhow had been pirated and its crew of 25 Indian nationals were being held hostage.
Pirates Kidnap Two From Dutch Ship Off Nigeria
Pirates opened fire on a Dutch cargo ship a few miles from the Nigeria's Port Harcourt, kidnapping the ship's master and an engineer and stealing cash, anti-piracy group AKE said on Wednesday.
Pirates Seize Hostages off Nigeria Coast
Nigerian pirates stormed cargo shilp off Port Harcourt. For first time ever, hostages were taken. Eight armed pirates boarded and started firing toward the bridge…
EU NAVFOR Piracy Update
![Piracy development 2011](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/piracy-development-2011-7706.jpg)
EU NAVFOR hosted a press conference on 20 February 2012 to present an update on Operation ATALANTA, piracy off the Horn of Africa and a view towards future developments. The briefing was hosted by Operation Commander Rear Admiral Duncan L. Potts with Deputy Operation Commander Rear Admiral Rainer Endres and the NATO Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Commodore Bruce Belliveau. Countering piracy in the…
SOS: Laments Somalia Findings Ignore Seafarer Hardships
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SOS SaveOurSeafarers welcomes piracy conclusions of Somalia Conference but disappointed that seafarers not mentioned. SOS SaveOurSeafarers welcomes the London Conference on Somalia which was attended by 55 delegations from Somalia and the international community, and willingly supports its focus on unifying the international community in its coordinated support to Somalia, in the hope that a new era of Somali politics, supported by the international community, will bring peace to Somalia.
Statement from SOS SaveOurSeafarers
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Following Tuesday’s conference on Somali piracy organised by the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office and held at the IMO’s London headquarters, Giles Heimann, Chair of the SOS SaveOurSeafarers campaign, said, “We welcome the acknowledgement of the importance of the continuing partnership between the shipping industry, the naval forces and governments, and their ongoing commitment in tackling the issue of piracy off the coast of Somalia. We look to reinforce these relationships.
Seafarer Voices: Piracy on the High Seas
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A YouTube video series describing pirate attacks. Among discussions of anti-piracy measures in the Gulf of Aden and special courtrooms in the Seychelles and Mauritius, the maritime industry has begun to broach a gentler, less politically hot topic in the wake of 237 pirate attacks off coast of Somalia in 2011. What happens to seafarers, held often for months on end, after release from a pirate hijacking?
The Pirate Surge That Never Was
![](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/-7634.jpg)
In September 2011, as the monsoon began to blow itself out, there were grave warnings from a number of sources and analysts that the shipping industry could expect to see a significant surge in pirate activity as conditions in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean became more favorable. But as conditions cleared, the anticipated increase in pirate activity failed to materialize, to the surprise of many in the industry.
Piracy Notice: MV Free Goddess Reported Hijacked
Neptune Maritime Security received information via credible channels that the vessel, MV FREE GODDESS (IMO 9107045), has been successfully hijacked by Somali pirates.
ICS Board Meets in London
![ICS Chairman, Spyros M Polemis.](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/ics-chairman-spyros-m-polemis-7546.jpg)
The Board of Directors of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), whose member national shipowners’ associations represent all sectors and trades and more than 80% of the world merchant fleet, met in London on 6 February. ICS members reviewed the continuing threat to shipping from Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean. Noting that the capability of Somali pirates is actually higher than it has ever been…
NATO's Weekly Piracy Assessment
Reporting period: 19 to 25 January 2012 (Updated: 25 January 2012). The reporting period of 19 to 25 January 2012, has been very quiet. There was one disruption…
Successful EU NAVFOR Anti-Piracy Operation
![](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/-7387.jpg)
EU NAVFOR warship FGS LUEBECK successfully releases Indian dhow and crew. After three days of persistent pressure, FGS LUEBECK has forced Somali pirates to release an Indian dhow with 15 Indian mariners held as hostages. On the 17 January 2012 the EU NAVFOR warship FGS LUEBECK re-located an Indian registered dhow which had been used as pirate mother-ship involved in the attack on M/V FLINTSTONE early the same day.
New EU NAVFOR Deputy Operation Commander
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Rear Admiral Christian Canova (French Navy) hands over the responsibility of Deputy Operation Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia, Operation ATALANTA to Rear Admiral Rainer Endres (German Navy) on 12 January 2012 at the Operational Headquarters (OHQ) in Northwood, near London. Rear Admiral Canova added this duty to an impressive career including three commands at sea and three operational duties in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf.
Pirate attack on the EU NAVFOR Flagship
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At first light on 12 January 2012, having just completed the escort of a World Food Programme ship carrying food-aid into Somalia and while operating close to the Somali port of Mogadishu, the EU NAVFOR Flagship, the ESPS PATINO, was approached by one skiff with a group of suspected pirates onboard. The suspected pirates opened fire with light calibre weapons and tried to board the PATINO. The ship’s force-protection team returned fire in self-defense and the ship’s helicopter was launched.
Trawlercat Introduces Anti-Piracy (PEV) Design
![purpose-designed anti-piracy personal escort vessel (PEV).](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/esigned-antipiracy-personal-escort-vessel-7291.jpg)
Trawlercat Marine Designs of New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada is seeking joint venture partners to join them in building their purpose-designed anti-piracy personal escort vessels (PEV). Trawlercat Marine’s president, Captain Graham Pfister states that “Individual PEV’s can chase pirates away from unarmed and even armed ships. They can prevent groups of pirates from “swarming” and getting close enough to fire their weapons and cause injuries, do damage or even board a ship.
Ince Welcomes FAC Piracy Report
The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee Report on “Piracy off the coast of Somalia”, published today, sets out the findings of the Foreign Affairs Committee…