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Contents:

Libya and Tunisia

- Tunisia

- National unity government

- Analysis

Yemen

- Update

- Ports

Mediterranean

- Aegean Sea

- EUMSA

- Greece

- Analysis

Regional theatres of piracy, crime, terrorism and news

- Indian Ocean Region

- Gulf of Guinea

- South East Asia

- Central & South America

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Charts and analysis detailing piracy, suspicious

approaches, boarding's and hijackings.

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Editor: Alexander Farrow

9th March 2016 Issue 15

Issue 15 of the series continues to follow the developing conflicts in Yemen and Libya, as well

as detailing reports on security instances and news from around the World.

“Making the maritime environment a safer place to live and work”

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Controlled by the Council of Deputies and Libyan National Army

Controlled by the New General National Congress and Libya Shield Force

Controlled by so called ‘ISIS’

Control of Northern Libyan territory

(1st March 2016)

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Libya and Tunisia 2 Italian hostages held by ISIS in Libya have been freed and returned to Italy following a ‘raid’ on early Friday. The details of the raid are currently unclear, and the 2 hostages have made no comment. They had been captured near coastal town Sabratha in July 2015 while working for an Italian construction company. 2 other Italian co-workers were allegedly exe-cuted.

“Making the maritime environment a safer place to

live and work”

Tunisia:

On Monday 7th March, the Tunisian town Ben Guerdan which is on the Libyan border, was attacked by dozens of Islamist fighters. The army and police were targeted leaving at least 50 dead.

The Tunisian government is engaged in talks with the German authorities about the possible training of Libyan security forces in Tunisia.

Libyan national unity government:

Martin Kobler, Head of UN support to Libya, was keen to

push through the unity government as fast as possible,

not only in order to bring a quick resolution to the civil

war, but because the prospect of the government being

formed looks slimmer day on day. Again the Tobruk

based House of Representatives could not form a

quorum on the 8th March, thus preventing the house

from debating or voting on the national unity

government.

Analysis:

As many as 3,000 Tunisians are thought to have pledged allegiance to IS and other extremists groups over the last few years and travelled abroad to train and fight. Tunisia is now dealing with returning jihadists, as well as a spill over from Libya.

This attack In Ben Guerdan has occurred at a time when ISIS is under pressure in Syria and Iraq. It is possible this is a demonstration that they have the ability to strike elsewhere in north Africa and have done so in order to disrupt and destabilise law and order and policing along the Tunisia/Libya border.

Ben Guerdan

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Houthi

Pro Hadi Government Forces

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

Control of Yemen territory (28th February 2016)

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Yemen It has been reported that a gunman opened fire and killed a police colonel and his aid in

Aden on the 5th March. In a separate incident on the 4th March, gunman attacked an old peoples home killing at least 15 people - AQAP has denied responsibility.

“Making the maritime environment a safer place to

live and work”

Port Aden:

The port of Aden is now under the protection of the Republic of Yemen security forces.

Curfew in effect for Aden, 2000-0500 daily.

Merchant vessels wishing to enter Yemeni ports must first apply for a permit through the Yemeni Ministry of Transportation; contact: yemen.transport@gmail.com for more information.

Final clearance to enter Yemeni ports (with permits in place) is authenticated by the coalition guard ship.

Aden is the only port in Yemen currently able to facili-tate container vessels. The container terminal has recently increased its capacity.

Port Hudaydah: Capacity 5 berths. Reduced vessel berth

capacity from 8 to 5 due to substantial damage from air

strikes in July, especially to cranes. Only 1 of 5 shore

based cranes in partially operation, Container vessels

highly recommended to have their own internal cranes.

Port Mokha: No recorded activity since August 2015.

Port Salif: Capacity 2 berths. Operating at capacity.

Vessels experience severe delays due to minimal port

equipment.

Port Al Mukalla: Capacity 2 berths. Mukalla remains

under AQAP control. Higher port tariffs have resulted in

fewer calling vessels. Due to a lack of reporting, there

are uncertainties regarding the port.

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Mediterranean A speculative EU-Turkey deal to return all irregular migrants crossing the Aegean back to Turkey for financial incentives, has been branded as possibly illegal by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Other EU incentives included faster visa free travel for Turks within the EU and re-invigorated talks of Turkey’s EU membership.

“Making the maritime environment a safer place to

live and work”

EU Maritime Safety Agency (EUMSA): The

Executive Director of EMSA has said that they

don’t have the tools to monitor small boats at the

moment in all areas, but the use of drones is a cost

effective method to increase surveillance. EUMSA

has been piloting projects with drones in Malta,

Portugal and the Netherlands over the last year

which have proved very encouraging. It is likely

that later this year the scheme will be rolled out

across Mediterranean migrant hotspot routes.

Map depicting major migrant routes in the Mediterranean. Source: UNHRC

Graph depicting refugee Mediterranean sea crossings 2014-2016

Analysis:

The EU’s toughening stance on accepting migrants is starting

to take shape in an EU border enforcement plan which will;

initiate returning migrants before reaching

EU shores, combat people smuggling and

increase intelligence on routes and associat-

ed criminal networks. The vast majority of

migrants use the Turkey to Greece route. It

is unlikely that this will stem the attempts of

migrants in the short term, but as the people

smugglers are checked, the exponential

increase of migrant crossings should be

reduced.

Aegean Sea: The UK is sending amphibious land-ing ship, RFA Mounts Bay, to the Aegean Sea to partake in NATO counter people smuggling operations. Defence secretary Michael Fallon has said the “primary mission” was to “build up a proper picture of the smuggling route”.

NATO’s deployment of naval assets to the Aegean

Sea to support FRONTEX, the EU’s border agency,

will expand their activity to include operations

within territorial waters. NATO and FRONTEX

have agreed on arrangements at an operational

and tactical level. Liaison officers will be

exchanged as well as real time information and

intelligence.

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2014

2015

2016

GREECE: On 28th February, authorities in the port of Souda

searched the Togo flagged cargo ship TRADER and found

weapons and ammunition in six shipping containers. The ship

had recently arrived from Mersin, Turkey and was intercept-

ed by the Greek Coast Guard off Crete. Greek authorities

have made similar seizures in recent weeks.

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“Making the maritime environment a safer place to

live and work”

Indian Ocean Region Incidents: 1. Kenya: A robber armed with a knife boarded an anchored Liberian flagged product tanker at 0445 LT in position 04°04’60S 039°39’80E, Mbaraki Wharf North, Mombasa. Duty crew on routine rounds spotted the robber, who fled with ship’s stores. The duty crew informed the OOW. The alarm was raised and crew mustered. Mombasa port control informed.

Hijack

Kidnap

Approach/Attack

Suspicious Activity

Theft

News:

Arabian Sea: Australian warship HMAS Darwin has seized nearly 2,000 AK-47 assault rifles, 11 RPG launchers and 50 machine guns. The weapons were on a fishing vessel bound for Yemen or Somalia. MAST’s COO Gerry Northwood comments in The Telegraph.

India/Pakistan: An MoU between the Indian Coast Guard and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency has been extended by mutual consent for a period of 5 more years from March 17 this year, the external affairs ministry said on the 26th February.

Somalia:

The Pentagon has stated that more than 150 Al Shabaab fighters have been killed in a US airstrike on

Raso training base about 120 miles north of Mogadishu.

7 Somali fisherman accused wrongly of piracy have been released from a Kenyan prison after 7 years.

Germany Navy corvette FGS Erfurt, part of Operation Atalanta, provided specialist training to Somaliland Coast Guard students in coordination with EUCap Nestor under the Local Maritime Capacity Building efforts. To read the full article click here.

Seychelles: Five accused Somali pirates are standing trial in the Seychelles for acts of piracy committed in 2014. To read the full article click here.

1st December 2015 HRA limits

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“Making the maritime environment a safer place to

live and work”

Gulf of Guinea Nigeria: It has been reported that the Nigerian navy has inaugurated 25 security boats which will add to the security of the Niger Delta rivers. To read the full article click here.

Hijack

Kidnap

Approach/Attack

Suspicious Activity

Incidents: 1.Nigeria: On the 5th March 10 armed pirates in a black

speed boat approached and opened fire on Panama flagged chemical tanker, Madonna 1, at 0900 LT in position 04°05’N 006°41’E, approximately 29nm SE of Brass. They boarded the tanker using a grappling hook and ladder. The alarm was raised and non-essential crew members retreated to the citadel. Pirates kidnapped four crew members and left after an hour.

News: Nigeria: It has been reported that Nigeria will break up its state-owned oil company into 30 separate units with-in weeks in a bid to reform the unprofitable entity. To read the full article click here. Nigeria: It has been reported that the Nigerian Federal Government is to invest heavily in shipping and regulate the maritime industry in order to raise overall standards. To read the full article click here.

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“Making the maritime environment a safer place to

live and work”

South East Asia Incidents:

An unconfirmed report has stated that a Vietnamese fishing boat was ambushed and looted

by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel off Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago on the 6th March.

Hijack

Kidnap

Approach/Attack

Suspicious Activity

Theft

News:

Spratly Islands: It has been reported that five Chinese

Coast Guard vessels have taken over Jackson Shoal, a

disputed feature in the Spratly Islands in the South China

Sea some 140 nautical miles west of the Philippines’

Palawan Island.

South China Sea: There have been increasing tensions in

the South China Sea in response to China’s apparent

militarisation of disputed artificial islands. Admiral of

the US Pacific Fleet, Harry Harris, has called for a four

way security dialogue between the US, Australia, India

and Japan.

It has further been reported that the US has dispatched

aircraft carrier John C. Stennis, 2 destroyers, 2 cruisers

and the 7th Fleet flag ship for a freedom of navigation

patrol. The US, India and Japan will conduct joint naval

exercises in the north Philippine Sea, part of an annual

training event, strengthening ties in the face of in-

creased Chinese activity in the area.

It has been reported that China is to strengthen its

presence in the South China Sea in response to foreign

infringements on claimed Territorial waters. The

pledge will include increasing maritime law enforce-

ment, ensuring freedom of navigation and security in

Chinese waters and “appropriately dealing with in-

fringements” of rights at sea.

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“Making the maritime environment a safer place to

live and work”

Central and South America

Hi-Jack

Kidnap

Approach/Attack

Suspicious Activity

Incidents:

1. St. Vincent and the Grenadines: On 4th March an anchored German-owned yacht was boarded by 2 masked gunmen at 0135 LT at Wallilabou Bay. 1 person was killed and the captain injured. The coast guard was contacted and arrived on the scene 20 minutes later. The victims were German nationals; the injured sailor was flown to Martinique for treatment. No report on whether items were stolen. The gunmen escaped.

USA: On 16 February, authorities searched a nearly empty shipping container in Port Everglades, Florida and found a burlap sack containing 154 pounds of cocaine. The container had reportedly recently arrived from Guayaquil, Ecuador. No arrests were made.

Mexico: On 19th February, officials in the port of Manzanillo found 438 kilograms of cocaine hidden in three containers aboard the container ship TENO.

News:

Columbia: Colombian Navy personnel found 379 kilograms of cocaine in a container welded to the hull, below the waterline, of the bulk carrier LENE SELMER while the vessel was in Puerto Bolivar. The device was removed and the ship left port on 23 February.

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“Making the maritime environment a safer place to

live and work”

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