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Combined Maritime Forces Responds to Pirate Attack
USNS Lewis and Clarke (T-AKE1) and USS Winston Churchill (DDG 81) assisted in the response to a suspected pirate attack on Chinese-flagged cargo ship M/V Tai An Kou, Nov. 20.
MV Northern Valour Outpaces Pirates
![Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-courtesy-eu-navfor-4304.jpg)
On 18 November, in the early evening, a pirate action group failed in its attempt to pirate the MV Northern Valour in the Somali Basin, thanks to use of best management practices. The MV Northern Valour reported it was under attack by pirates and been fired upon with machine guns and an RPG, approximately 400 nautical miles (750 kilometres) South East from Mogadishu (Somalia). As the two skiffs approached to within 200 metres…
Over 500 Seafarers Still Held by Pirates
The world’s independent tanker owners, INTERTANKO and its Members and Associate Members, are pleased that Paul and Rachel Chandler have been freed from captivity…
MV Hannibal II Pirated in Somali Basin
![Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-courtesy-eu-navfor-4265.jpg)
Early on the morning of Nov. 11, the MV Hannibal II, a Panamanian-flagged vessel, was pirated whilst on route from Malaysia to Suez. The 24,105 tonne chemical tanker was carrying vegetable oils from Pasir Gudang to Suez at the time. The master of the vessel reported that he had been attacked and boarded by pirates in an area some 860 nautical miles East of The Horn of Africa which is considerably closer to India than it is to Somalia. The MV Hannibal II has a total of 31 crew on board.
Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010
On Friday, October 15, President Obama signed into law the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 (H.R. 3619). This is the first such authorization act for the Coast Guard since 2006.
Pirates Attack EU NAVFOR Warship
![Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-courtesy-eu-navfor-4247.jpg)
During the night of November 6, the EU NAVFOR warship SPS Infanta Cristina was attacked off the East coast of Somalia by a vessel identified as the MV IZUMI, a ship that had itself been pirated on 10 October. The EU NAVFOR warship had been escorting the MV Petra 1, which had been chartered by the African Union Military Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), at the time. This is the first ever attack on an EU warship conducting an AMISOM escort.
EU NAVFOR HNLMS Amsterdam Disrupts Pirates
![Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-courtesy-eu-navfor-4246.jpg)
On 6 November 2010, the EU NAVFOR Dutch ship HNLMS Amsterdam successfully located and disrupted one Pirate Action Group (PAG) comprised of two skiffs with nine suspected pirates onboard. On 5 November, two suspicious skiffs were detected, during a patrol flight by the warship’s helicopter. A number of people were observed onboard the skiffs, along with a large quantity of fuel and several ladders.
Pirates Fail in Attack on MV Go Trader
![Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-courtesy-eu-navfor-4217.jpg)
On the morning of 30 October 2010, the Malta-flagged MV Go Trader was reported under attack from one skiff approximately 280 nautical miles (520 kilometres) south east from Salalah, Oman. Pirates had managed to board the vessel; however, after a couple of hours they eventually abandoned it, after having been unable to get control over the crew who had locked themselves in the ship’s citadel. The 24 crewmembers are reported safe.
Pirate Attack Fails Against LPGC Maido, Somali Basin
![Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-courtesy-eu-navfor-4210.jpg)
On 26 October 2010, late afternoon, the French-flagged Liquefied Petroleum Gas Carrier (LPGC) MAIDO was reported under attack from one skiff approximately 100 nautical miles south east from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. Pirates had managed to board the vessel; however, later in the evening they eventually abandoned it, after having been unable to get control over the crew who had locked themselves in the ship’s “citadel.” The 14 crewmembers are reported safe.
Merchant Vessel Pirated in the Somali Basin
![Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-courtesy-eu-navfor-4200.jpg)
On the morning of 24 October, the MV York, a Singapore-flagged tanker, was confirmed pirated in the Somali Basin. The MV York had recently left Mombasa on route to the Seychelles. The vessel was attacked on 23 October by two skiffs, approximately 50 nautical miles East from Mombasa. The Turkish warship Gaziantep, operating under the Combined Maritime Forces (Task Force 151) launched her helicopter to investigate. The helicopter was able to observe pirates with weapons on board the vessel.
Pirates Seize German Ship off Kenya
According to a report from Xinhua, a German freight ship was seized on the morning of Oct. 24 by pirates off the coast of Kenya, a spokesman for the German army said.
EU NAVFOR Flagship FS De Grasse Disrupts Pirates
![Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-courtesy-eu-navfor-4188.jpg)
In the early hours of 20 October, while conducting a patrol along the Somali coastline, the EU NAVFOR French Flagship FS De Grasse spotted and intercepted a pirate action group comprising of two skiffs and one whaler, thereby averting a future attack. On spotting the suspect vessels, FS De Grasse immediately launched her helicopter to investigate. After several warning shots were fired, the suspected…
Pirates Move to South China Sea
According to a report from World Tribune, Western navies and the weather are putting pirates out of commission in the Gulf of Aden. NATO and other countries are…
Korean Ship Hijacked by Somali Pirates
According to a report from The Korea Times, a South Korean fishing boat was hijacked by Somali pirates Oct. 9 in waters off Lamu, Kenya, which was considered a relatively safe maritime area…
Merchant Industry Meets on Piracy Threat
![Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-courtesy-eu-navfor-4168.jpg)
On 14 October 2010, EU NAVFOR Operational Headquarters (Northwood, UK) welcomed maritime industry representatives to provide them with an update on the current piracy threat in the Horn of Africa. A variety of topics were covered throughout the meeting, but of particular note were the possible ways to improve the military support to merchant vessels and the challenges for masters of vessels transiting the area.
BMP Saves Three Vessels from Pirates
![Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-courtesy-eu-navfor-4167.jpg)
The EU NAVFOR reported that over a period of 15 days, piracy of three merchant vessels was prevented through the use of Best Management Practices, proving the value of such self-protection measures. On 10 October, the MV Kavo Portland, transiting approximately 1,000 nautical miles from the coast in the Somali Basin and the MV Anuket Jade, transiting close to the Tanzanian coast, both reported they were attacked by groups of pirates using rocket propelled grenades or firing.
Pirating of MV Izumi in the Somali Basin
![Image courtesy EU NAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/image-courtesy-eu-navfor-4154.jpg)
On the afternoon of 10 October, the owners of the Panama-flagged MV Izumi reported that they had received an automatically released distress signal indicating that the vessel was likely to be under pirate attack. The Danish warship HDMS Esbern Snare of the NATO counter piracy force was dispatched to intercept and investigate. In the early hours of 11 October the captain of the vessel made contact with the Danish warship, stating that pirates were in charge of the MV Izumi.
Evaluating & Implementing Effective Anti-Piracy Technology & Technique
![](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/-4153.png)
There is a new focus on technological solutions for ship self-defense against pirate attacks. Although some systems have been around a bit longer, the surge in new products is attributable largely to the dramatic increase in attacks on ships by Somali pirates over the last few years, the expanding areas of their attacks, and the worldwide attention these attacks have garnered. Suppliers have rushed to adapt existing products and develop new ones for the counter-piracy mission.
Verdict for Third EUNAVFOR Piracy Case in Kenya
The conviction involved eleven Somali men accused of acts of piracy. The presiding Magistrate, the Hon Ole Tanchu, delivered the verdict at the Mombasa Law Courts on 29 September…
MV Lugela Abandoned by Pirates in Somali Basin
![Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR](https://images.marinelink.com/images/maritime/w200h200c/photo-courtesy-eu-navfor-4106.jpg)
The Panama flagged MV Lugela, which was reported on 25 September as having been pirated, 900 nautical miles east of Eyl, in the Somali Basin, has been abandoned by pirates. Late on 26 September, the company owning the ship stated that the pirates had abandoned the vessel and that it was now underway to a place of safety. The 12 Ukrainian crew are reported to be safe and EU NAVFOR is monitoring the situation.