25 - 31 May 2013 (Vol 2 No2213)

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Tanker attack ends in kidnap Oil amp Gas an African problem in the making ndash Nigerian

tanker crew kidnapped off Bayelsa where latest Nigerian pirate attacks have occurred on

the same day Hansa Marburg kidnapped crew released Pakistani families of kidnapped

crew threaten to kill Nigerians in Pakistan in revenge if any deaths occur Piracy blamed for loss

of oil revenue in Tanzania Somaliarsquos plan to auction off oil blocks likely to speed up territorial

conflict Force majeure declared on Nigerian crude oil oil theft threatens security UK and USA

express readiness to help curb Nigeria oil theft menace Despite some successes Nigerian

forces warn pirates to desist or face the consequences Ex-militants threaten to go back to

attacking oil installations due to unpaid allowances US and Caribbean nations to work

together in maritime security matters Gulf Cooperation Council meets to discuss anti-

piracy measures What do a handful of South African mercenaries do for an encore in

Somalia once all the pirates are gone Iranians said to be using islands in the Red Sea to

store illegal arms with a view to smuggling these to the Houthi rebels in Yemenrsquos Sarsquoada

Governorate Accountant claims that the person who is able to control the Kismayo port will

have considerable leverage to control the other areas Work here is well underway as

Somali business presses ahead with his new multi-million dollar project to build a luxury

beach resort in Mogadishu Kenyans are making efforts to forge business ties with

Somalia New pirate ant discovered in the Philippines

Contents

Regional Activity Released by Pirates Pirates in Court Private Security International Response Piracy Cost Seafarers Plight And Finally Piracy Incidents Situational Map

East AfricaIndian Ocean WHAT do a handful of South African mercenaries do for an encore in Somalia once all the

pirates are gone - Foreign Policy

Its not easy to be a mercenary these daysm writes Jay

Bahadur and James Bridger The once-booming markets in

Iraq and Afghanistan have shrunk while lingering

controversy surrounding the mercenary poster-boy

company Blackwater (or whatever theyre called these days)

has served to paint private security contractors as reckless

and unaccountable war junkies A good gig as a soldier of fortune is harder and harder to come

by

Yet theres one war-torn country where demand for guns-for-hire is still high A contingent of

mercenaries has managed to carve out a niche for itself in the failed state of Somalia Initially

brought on in an internationally controversial mission to combat pirates terrorizing Somalias

coastal waters the mostly South African corps have now turned to fighting Somalias al Qaeda-

linked terrorist menace al-Shabab In the anarchic world of failed states private contractors are

often able to accomplish what goverments are not But the consequences are hard to predict

Its hard to argue with the results Since PMPF went live in early 2010 piracy has been virtually

eliminated in Puntland over a year has passed since the last Somali pirate hijacking Yet exactly

where the credit lies is different matter Most attribute the drop off in piracy to the increased

deployment of armed guard detachments on board commercial vessels rather than enforcement

efforts on land

Image - Courtesy of FP

IRANIAN nationals are using islands in the Red Sea to store illegal arms with a view to

smuggling these to the Houthi rebels in Yemenrsquos Sarsquoada Governorate Asharq Al-Awsat has

learnt - Yahoo News

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity a senior Yemeni official confirmed

that smugglers are utilizing Red Sea islands in their criminal activities including Iranians

smuggling arms to the Shirsquoite Houthi rebels in northern Yemen

ldquoMany of the small islands in the Red Sea are unpopulated and therefore it is easy for large ships

to unload their cargo there with this later being smuggled into Yemen on smaller fishing boatsrdquo

he added

The Yemeni official stressed that arms were being smuggled into the country for two main

reasons firstly for political and security reasons namely in order to destabilize the post-Arab

Spring state secondly for financial benefit

He also warned that ldquosome of the arms smuggled into Yemen are subsequently redirected into

neighboring countriesrdquo

Yemen has seized a number of ships which were smuggling arms into the country via its western

and southern coasts Yemeni authorities have confiscated large quantities of weapons

reportedly including sophisticated weapons headed to the Houthi rebels in Sarsquoada governorate

East AfricaIndian Ocean WHAT do a handful of South African mercenaries do for an encore in Somalia once all the

pirates are gone - Foreign Policy

Its not easy to be a mercenary these daysm writes Jay

Bahadur and James Bridger The once-booming markets in

Iraq and Afghanistan have shrunk while lingering

controversy surrounding the mercenary poster-boy

company Blackwater (or whatever theyre called these days)

has served to paint private security contractors as reckless

and unaccountable war junkies A good gig as a soldier of fortune is harder and harder to come

by

Yet theres one war-torn country where demand for guns-for-hire is still high A contingent of

mercenaries has managed to carve out a niche for itself in the failed state of Somalia Initially

brought on in an internationally controversial mission to combat pirates terrorizing Somalias

coastal waters the mostly South African corps have now turned to fighting Somalias al Qaeda-

linked terrorist menace al-Shabab In the anarchic world of failed states private contractors are

often able to accomplish what goverments are not But the consequences are hard to predict

Its hard to argue with the results Since PMPF went live in early 2010 piracy has been virtually

eliminated in Puntland over a year has passed since the last Somali pirate hijacking Yet exactly

where the credit lies is different matter Most attribute the drop off in piracy to the increased

deployment of armed guard detachments on board commercial vessels rather than enforcement

efforts on land

Image - Courtesy of FP

IRANIAN nationals are using islands in the Red Sea to store illegal arms with a view to

smuggling these to the Houthi rebels in Yemenrsquos Sarsquoada Governorate Asharq Al-Awsat has

learnt - Yahoo News

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the condition of anonymity a senior Yemeni official confirmed

that smugglers are utilizing Red Sea islands in their criminal activities including Iranians

smuggling arms to the Shirsquoite Houthi rebels in northern Yemen

ldquoMany of the small islands in the Red Sea are unpopulated and therefore it is easy for large ships

to unload their cargo there with this later being smuggled into Yemen on smaller fishing boatsrdquo

he added

The Yemeni official stressed that arms were being smuggled into the country for two main

reasons firstly for political and security reasons namely in order to destabilize the post-Arab

Spring state secondly for financial benefit

He also warned that ldquosome of the arms smuggled into Yemen are subsequently redirected into

neighboring countriesrdquo

Yemen has seized a number of ships which were smuggling arms into the country via its western

and southern coasts Yemeni authorities have confiscated large quantities of weapons

reportedly including sophisticated weapons headed to the Houthi rebels in Sarsquoada governorate

Yemen is suffering from significant maritime security issues particularly as the country has over

2000 km of coastline On April 24 UNHCR reported that more than 30000 African refugees had

illegally entered the country since the beginning of the year

TODAY al-Shabaab militants are nowhere to be seen in the Somali port city of Kismayo which

was once their financial hub and their last major stronghold in Somalia - VOA News But those

who united to defeat their common enemy in the city are now fighting for control of liberated

areas and for who gets the big share of seaport revenue

Much of Somaliarsquos two decades of brutal war was characterized by the fight for control of

territories and strategic towns that produce clan pride and financial muscle

The fight is still going on today over the newly created Jubaland region in southern Somalia

where at least three different men have claimed to be president of a new Jubaland state

Kismayo is the gateway into Jubaland which consists of three regions Gedo Middle and Lower

Juba and the person who is able to control the cityrsquos port will have considerable leverage to

control the other areas

An accountant who works at the port but didnrsquot want to give his name for security reasons said

all the men claiming the presidency are jostling for money from the port

They do usually say they will take away what comes their wayrdquo and he adds ldquoThese people

have never worked for a government and they donrsquot know how to manage a port They are

rebels who are stealing the resources and taking what they can get he said

The accountant says boats dock at the port of Kismayo carrying much needed basic

commodities like milk powder and flour and later the boats leave loaded with charcoal the only

valuable export of Somalia at the present time

He says the monthly port revenue is currently divided between the port administration led by

Ahmed Madobe who heads the militia group Raskamboni and Kenyan forces

TANZANIAS Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority has launched a three-day

conference to build the capacity of senior marine officials to fight piracy in the Indian Ocean

Tanzanias Daily News reported Wednesday (May 29th) - AllAfrica

The effects of piracy have been felt by our country and it needs political intervention to face the

challenges so that safety and security will once again bring cruise ships which stopped operating

in our waters for fear of being hijacked by pirates Ministry of Transport Deputy Permanent

Secretary John Mngodo told participants from more than ten countries

International Maritime Organisation Regional Co-ordinator for Eastern and Southern Africa John

Muindi said experts were implementing strategies to combat piracy improving facilities and skills

with the co-operation of the United States and African countries

The region has lost more than $6 billion in the past ten years due to piracy the newspaper

reported

BASHIR Osman moves hurriedly along a white sandy beachfront giving instructions to a driver

operating a bulldozer - CNN Near them a large truck is

ferrying away piles of rocks clearing a sun-soaked beach

lapped by the azure blue waters of the Indian Ocean

Work here is well underway as Osman presses ahead with

his new multi-million dollar project to build a luxury beach

resort in Mogadishu the capital of war-torn Somalia

I knew one day that Mogadishu will become peace and well get stability says Osman who

already owns two hotels in the city That is why I started to buy that land

After more than 20 years of violence Somalia moved a step closer to stability last September

after picking its first president elected on home soil in decades

Image - via CNN

SOMALIA plans to sign 30 PSCs this year with foreign oil companies and auction off over 300

new oil blocks but oil rights here are not solidified and this will be another bloody mess - Hiiraan

Online

Analysis Late last year Somalia announced it would auction off 308 oil blocks newly delineated

This has caused a bit of rush on Somalia from the juniors to the supermajors like Royal Dutch

Shell and ConocoPhillips

This pending rush on Somalia is premature The countryrsquos new government is transitional and

dysfunctional at best and by no means does it control the countrymdashthe militant al-Shabaab has

been weakened but certainly not driven out and still controls some key areas Somaliarsquos coast is

also a major piracy venue It will be impossible to determine the power brokers here to land

contracts especially for the juniors A multitude of influential tribes and militias are trying to gain

control over oil prospects and dealing with the new government is only a small part of the

equation The power brokers are shifting and the dynamism is impossible to keep up with It is

difficult for a government to delineate new oil blocks on territory it does not fully control The

arrival of foreign oil companies will speed up territorial conflict over oil

MORE Kenyan companies are forging business ties with Somalia as rebuilding of the war-torn

country gathers momentum - Standard Digital

They want to take leading role in its reconstruction as world powers scramble for the resources

and opportunities in the country Somalia has faced civil strife for the last three decades with

State security agents and international forces battling armed militia across the vast nation

The Horn of Africa nation had also been held at ransom for several years by pirates just off its

coastline In a report dubbed ldquoPirates of Somalia Ending the Threat Rebuilding a Nationrdquo

released in April the World Bank estimated that piracy off the Somali coast cost the global

economy an estimated $18 billion (Sh1494 trillion) annually Such security lapses have made it

difficult for both local and international firms to do business degrading its infrastructure

Today the worldrsquos commitment to rebuild Somalia presents vast business opportunities in

various sectors such as education infrastructure mining fishing energy and banking

PRIME Minister Shinzo Abe renewed Japans commitment to supporting Somalias nation-

building efforts Friday saying Tokyo will resume direct aid to the East African nation that is

seeking to revive its economy and government following two decades of civil strife and political

turmoil - Global Post

At a special meeting in Yokohama dedicated to discussing issues confronting Somalia Abe said

Japans new assistance to the country will focus on enhancing its socio-economic conditions

maintaining law and order and invigorating the countrys fragile industries

The stability of Somalia is important for the stability and prosperity of East Africa and

indispensible for solving Somalias piracy problem fundamentally and ensuring the safety of one

of the worlds major sea arteries which connects the Indian Ocean with the Red and

Mediterranean seas Abe told participants

West Africa

ON the day that the release of four kidnapped crew of the German container ship Hansa

Marburg is announced Nigerian pirates attack and board an oil products tanker off the southern

coast of Nigeria resulting in the kidnap of several

crewmembers -OCEANUSLive

Nigeria-flagged tanker Matrix I enroute from Cotonou

Benin to Idoho field off Nigerias South Akwa Ibom state

came under attack by an unknown number of pirates at

approximately 0220 Local Time about 42 nautical miles

WSW of Cap Formoso Nigeria

The pirates were able to board the Matrix I which has 17

crewmembers 12 Pakistani and 5 Nigerian reportedly is only capable of a speed of 6 knots It is

not yet known for certain whether any security personnel were embarked at the time of the

attack however in view of the acknowledged threat of piracy in the area - MT Bosun MV City of

Xiamen MV City of Guangzhou and Offshore crew boat Utai 8 were attacked in the same area at

the end of April this year - Nigerian authorities have recently changed the regulations on private

security in the region

On leaving the vessel after an undeterminte time the pirates kidnapped seven of the Pakistani

crew Their destination is not known

Image - Via MarineTrafficcom

FAMILIES of the five Pakistani nationals on board an oil vessel Mt Matrix 1 abducted last

Saturday at 40 nautical miles off the Bayelsa coast have told the management of the company

Matrix Energy in Warri Delta State not to pay any ransom to the abductors to get them

released promising to take revenge on Nigerians in their hundreds in Pakistan if any of the

victims was killed - Vanguard Nigeria

The abducted victims include the Captain Chief Officer cook and two others They were

conveying automated gasoline oil AGO from Lagos to Eket when they were abducted at 9pm

Sources said that relevant security agencies in Bayelsa State and Warri in Delta State had been

informed of the incident

The source added that the company had begun negotiation with the abductors but that details

of negotiations with the company on ransom were not disclosed

GUNMEN suspected to be sea bandits have killed a 30-year-old boat driver Godknows

Wuruke and injured over 10 persons in Delta State - Vanguard Nigeria

Vanguard was informed that the bandits ambushed two passenger boats moving from Warri to

Aghoro community in Bayelsa State at River Forcados tributary behind Burutu headquarters of

Burutu Local Government Area Delta State and robbed the passengers

Wuruke left Warri waterside at about 520 pm and was allegedly shot dead by the gunmen

because he tried to prevent them from robbing his passengers

Chairman of the Aghoro waterside boat drivers Mr Cletus Itari who confirmed the incident to

Vanguard on phoneMonday called on security agents to mount surveillance on the waterways

in Burutu area as it was obtainable in Warri axis to ensure the safety of the people

He also urged the chairmanof Burutu Local Government Mr Denne Bukuman ldquoto arrange for

community vigilance group to patrol the area and stop the excesses of the sea pirates who are

operating without restraint in the areardquo

A FORCE majeure has been declared on the Usan grade of Nigerian crude oil operator Total

confirmed on Thursday adding to the problems facing Africas largest oil exporter - Reuters

A spokesman for Total in Geneva confirmed production was completely halted but said there

was no further information on the outage or how long it was likely to last at this stage

A force majeure exempts parties to a contract from their obligations due to circumstances

beyond their control

Four cargoes of Usan representing around 127000 barrels per day of Usan were due to be

exported in June

The force majeure for Usan adds to those on Royal Dutch Shells Bonny Light and Enis Brass

river

Shell declared a force majeure on Bonny Light on March 5 because of unprecedented levels of

theft

THE Ambassador of Republic of Togo to Nigeria Colonel Addo Maman Tchalare has pledged

the commitment of his country to assist Nigeriarsquos crackdown on insurgents - Marinelink The

Ambassador made the assertion while on a courtesy visit to the Chief of the Naval Staff Vice

Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba at the Naval Headquarters Abuja recently

Col Tchalare said over the years his country and Nigeria have strengthened their diplomatic ties

which enabled them contribute immensely to sub-regional regional and global security as

founding members of ECOWAS The Ambassador reiterated that his country will do everything to

assist a brotherly nation like Nigeria to overcome her current security challenges stating that

without the atmosphere of peace and stability the region cannot attract investors

He also thanked the Nigerian armed forces for their support to the Togolese military through

scholarship which enhanced the capability of Togolese military officers who are trained at the

Nigerian Defense Academy Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji and the prestigious

National Defense College Abuja

NIGERIAN Navy NN Beecroft Apapa Lagos has warned pirates to stay clear of the

commandrsquos jurisdiction in their own interest or face unpalatable consequences - Vanguard

Nigeria

The command said it had foiled several attempts by sea robbers to perpetrate their criminal acts

within its jurisdiction arresting some suspects in the process

The Commander Commodore Chris Ezekobe who gave the warning during an interview with

Vanguard at the end of the parade to mark his inaugural rounds noted that the actions were in

line with the Chief of Naval Staff strategic guidance 01 with zero tolerance to illegalities

According to him the arrests were made between February and May 2013

He said ldquoThe first arrest was that of a vessel called MT Ebba We also arrested four Benin

Republicrsquos citizens who were accosted around the Single Buoy Mooring SBM

THREE young men allegedly working as oil pipeline surveillance workers and two women

dealing in illegally refined diesel have been arrested by officers and men of the 3 Battalion Army

Warri Delta State while over 15 mammy boats used for conveying illegally refined petroleum

products were destroyed during an operation to wipe out

illegal refining in the state - Sweet Crude

Commanding officer of the 3 Battalion Lt Col Ifeayin Out

made these disclosures while parading the suspects before

newsmen describing the early hours operation around the

Opumami Bennet Island and Macaraba areas of Warri

South and South-West as very successful

The names of the surveillance workers are Olotoye Rufus

Emotoghan Akpos while the third alleged to be a worker in

one of the illegal refineries is Victor Tene The suspected female oil thieves caught along with

them at a camp include Tokere Lucky 22 and Ebibare Ayas 36 years

Commander Out said they would be thoroughly investigated and then handed over to the

appropriate prosecuting authorities for further action

The surveillance workers were allegedly caught at the entrance of a creek where illegal

bunkering is conducted while the women were caught transferring refined products from jerry-

cans

Image - Via Sweet Crude

THE Nigerian Navy will receive two more ex-United States vessels next year the US Navy

Survey Ship John McDonnell and the US Coast Guard

Cutter Gallatin - DefenceWeb

Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba on Friday

said that the two vessels would be inspected between May

and August next year reports Nigeriarsquos National Mirror

Ezeoba was represented by Rear Admiral Emmanuel

Ogbor Chief of Policy and Plans who said that the United

States has transferred several ships to Nigeria over the last

decade These include the NNS Thunder Obula Nwamba Kyanwa and Ologbo

ldquoThese ships have contributed immensely to the security of the nationrsquos maritime environment

and the Gulf of Guineardquo he said The vessels are donated as part of the US militaryrsquos Excess

Defence Articles system

Image - Courtesy of DefencWeb

TWELVE crew members are missing after a Chevron contracted tug boat sank on Sunday due

to rough seas off the coast of Nigeria the ships owner said on Tuesday - Reuters

The Jascon-4 capsized early on Sunday due to heavy ocean swells while the vessel was

performing towing operations at a mooring point around 30 kilometres off oil-producing Delta

state Chevrons Nigeria unit said on Sunday

Unfortunately all twelve crew members are still missing a spokeswoman for the ships owner

West African Ventures said

Rescue operations involving sea divers are still ongoing and a full investigation into the incident

is taking place she said West African Ventures is owned by Sea Trucks Group

AS reported earlier this week tragedy struck offshore Escravos Nigeria on Sunday 26 May

when th eanchor handling tug Jacson 4 sankin heavy weather - gCaptain Divers recovered 10

bodies from the sunken ship and 1 is still missing

Miraculously however the shiprsquos cook Mr Okene Harrison was found alive after spending

roughly two days inside the sunken vessel at a depth of 30 meters

ldquoThe fact this person survived is incrediblersquo commented former US Navy Salvage Officer Patrick

Keenan rdquoAfter spending two days at 30 meters of depth he had become saturated meaning his

body had absorbed all the pressurized gases and equalized with the surrounding water pressure

Bringing him to surface from that depth and after having been saturated at 3 or 4 atmospheres

could easily have killed him

AS the afternoon sun glinted off the waters in Ivory Coasts port of Abidjan a team of

gendarmes set out in a leaky wooden pirogue with no weapons and nothing more than mobile

phones for communication - Yahoo News

Their mission to hold the front line against piracy in the worlds new hotspot for maritime crime

the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of West Africa

This is how we work every day grumbled one man as their outboard motor sputtered out

setting them adrift amid bobbing plastic bottles We dont even have life vests

Until recently Ivory Coasts maritime surveillance brigade - the equivalent of a coastguard -

managed barely to keep a lid on crime in the waters around one of Africas busiest ports

But ruthless Nigerian gangs which have expanded hundreds of miles beyond their home waters

in the last three years reached francophone West Africas largest economy in October

Born of an uprising in Nigerias oil-rich Niger Delta which spawned a web of criminal networks

the gangs now threaten to derail the development of one of the worlds poorest regions as the

Gulf of Guinea seeks to become a major oil and gas hub

The start-up of large oil fields in Ghana and promising discoveries to the west in neighbouring

Ivory Coast have helped to stoke interest in the region from international oil firms

The spike in attacks is alarming Western powers not least the United States as regional

governments struggle to cope

IN the wake of the recent piracy attacks in Nigerias maritime domain the Nigerian Navy (NN)

Wednesday warned pirates to desist from their nefarious activities or face the consequences -

Nigerian Navy The Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command (WNC) Rear Admiral

Ibok-Ete Ibas made this disclosure during the ongoing 57th anniversary of the NN held at

Beecroft Apapa Lagos

Also as part of the activities earmarked to celebrate the anniversary which coincided with the

Democracy Day celebrations the navy took over 350 civilians on a sea trip The event which

was held at the grounds of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft one of the units under the WNC

and commanded by Commodore Chris Ezekobe saw a large number of civilians gracing the

occasion The civilians were taken on the sea trip on NNS Makurdi NNS Obula two Shaldag

and Andoni ships The ships were escorted by the Special Boat Services (SBS) of the navy led

by its commander Lieutenant Commander Kola Omopariola who also led his team to perform

special demonstration for the civilians when the ships berthed

According to Ibas in pursuance of the mandate of President Goodluck Jonathan to the Chief of

Naval Staff Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba the command had already made several arrests of oil

thieves

Image - httpwwwcotnavymilngimagesthumbnailsPirates_600x0jpg

GOVERNMENTS of the United Kingdom and the United States of America have expressed their

readiness to help Nigeria curb the menace of oil theft according to a report credited to the

Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs Diezani Allison-

Madueke while in England recently - National Mirror Online

Protracted oil theft has indeed become one of the major

problems that appear to have overwhelmed the Federal

Government Recent official figures indicate that the country

loses $6 billion (over a trillion naira) annually to oil thieves

and additional hundreds of billions of naira to the theft of

refined petroleum products Just last month Nigeriarsquos oil behemoth the Nigerian National

Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said the country lost roughly N191 billion ($123 billion) to oil theft

and pipeline vandalism in the first quarter of this year The NNPC said daily crude oil production

during the period fluctuated between 21 million and 23 million barrels per day compared with

the projected estimate of 248mbpd One report revealed that an estimated 60000 barrels per

day of crude oil is stolen at the Nembe Creek in Rivers State alone for example

Consequently we think the gesture of the UK and the US to assist the country in tackling the

age-long menace is a welcome development The collaboration might be rewarding in terms of

the acquisition of technology that can make the tracking of oil thieves in Nigeria easier since the

country probably cannot seek out the required gadgets on its own Ordinarily it would have been

more rewarding for the country to acquire such a technology without having to depend on the

assistance of the UK and the US for obvious reasons

Image - Via National Mirror Online

THE quantity of Nigeriarsquos oil output per day or annually has been shrouded in mystery over the

years - Guardian News Nigeria At the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) held in Houston

Texas USA the other day the matter came up and all Nigerian delegates could do was to

lament the situation and attendant woes According to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy

and Minister of Finance Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala the problem of measurement could be blamed

on the increasing sophistication of oil theft in the Niger Delta Oil theft according to her

accounted for an estimated total losses of over 300000 barrels per day or about $1 billion

(N160 billion) a month in revenue

Oil theft has reached an alarming dimension in the Niger Delta The recent disclosure by Shell

Producing Development Company (SPDC) which manages the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal

that the nationrsquos economy lost a whopping $43 billion to oil thieves in the last two years at an

average rate of $23 billion annually underscores the tragic nature of the problem

THE Naval component of Bayelsa State security outfit lsquoOperation Doo Akpoorsquo and Bayelsa

State police command have discovered a cache of arms in Koulama Southern Ijaw Local

Government Area of Bayelsa State - Sun news Online

This is just as the Naval Central Command has reiterated its determination to stamp out oil

bunkering by beefing up patrol in the waterways

Governor Henry Seriake Dickson had raised the alarm recently that some political elements had

completed plans to destabilise Bayelsa State being the home state of President Goodluck

Jonathan because of the 2015 presidential election

Eyewitness account in Koualama stated that four naval gunboats with naval personnel and

armed policemen stormed the community on Sunday night and went straight to a house which

was deserted as of the time of their arrival and after a thorough search they dug out arms and

ammunition

SOME groups of ex-militants in Delta State have threatened to go back to the creeks and attack

oil installations if the federal government and the Amnesty Office failed to pay the backlogs of

allowances allegedly owed them since 2010 within two weeks - This Day Live

The threat of the ex-agitators was contained in a communiqueacute signed by Eric O Ajagidi ID

number C01B11A114098 Soroh Dorwei Travel C01B11B114205 Prince Degbe Jonah

C01B11B114127 all in Tompolorsquos camp with Tomukebiri D Franklyn C01B11A114068

Ikiyan Roland Owei C03B10E213477 Arthur Fenetobour Harvest V02B10D513375 from the

Ezekielrsquos camp and made available to journalists in Akure Ondo State

According to the communiqueacute the ex-militants lamented that they have been facing serious

hardship and frustrations for the past three years over the unpaid allowance saying all efforts to

resolve the issue had not yielded positive result

They lamented that after embracing amnesty and undergoing non-violence training at Obubra in

Cross River State with others being trained outside the country their monthly allowances have

not been remitted to their individuals bank accounts

The ex-militants therefore threatened to use violent approaches to pursue their demands

threatening to blow off oil installations in the state if the concerned authorities did not correct the

anomaly within the stipulated period of two weeks

THERE is a cloud of uncertainty over the whereabouts of 17 foreign and Nigerian oil workers

kidnapped by suspected sea pirates in Bayelsa State - Sun News Online

The police authorities the Nigerian Navy and the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) Operation Pulo

Shield have refused to comment on the disappearance of the oil workers

Checks indicated that 12 Pakistani and five Nigerians working for Val Oil Trading were attacked

by suspected sea pirates on board an oil vessel MT Matrix and whisked to an unknown

destination

Investigations revealed that victims of the attack which occurred along the deep sea between

Bayelsa and Rivers states had been difficult to trace by naval personnel at the Forward

Operational Base (FOB) Formoso

However security sources said the State Security Service (SSS) which had been investigating

series of kidnappings in Bayelsa State had moved to investigate the attack

Meanwhile the Central Naval Command (CNC) has paraded 14 suspected oil thieves arrested

along Brass and Sangana waterways after failing to produce a proper clearance from the CNC

Southeast Asia

THE introduction of high-tech sensors and communications equipment by the countries of the

Indian Ocean Rim has brought benefits to the region but much still needs to be done according

to attendees and speakers at the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in Cape Town -

Defence Pakistan

The IONS Sessions on Sharing Information and the Collaborative Response today presented to

naval members of some 38 Indian Ocean and other interested nations indicated that the

application of new technology makes dealing with crime pollution and disasters on the high seas

a much quicker and more effective process when countries cooperate effectively

Maritime Search and Rescue Coordinating Centres (MRCCs) are regional nodes which facilitate

search and rescue Using the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) among

others they identify vessels in distress (ldquoalertingrdquo) locate vessels co-ordinate search and rescue

and communications and issue maritime safety bulletins Captain King Chiragi Tanzaniarsquos

Director of Maritime Safety and Security highlighted the need for cooperation between MRCCs

in ensuring safe sea lanes where authorities need to reach ships in distress

Situational Awareness whether for shore-based authorities civil or military facilities or ships at

sea is of vital importance Chiragi said For military and civil authorities satellite systems and

radar can show the positions and courses of dozens of ships but Chiragi pointed out the fact that

it can become difficult when it comes to countries sharing information across national boundaries

in pursuit of maritime criminals whether pirates or smugglers and the MRCCs are a very helpful

tool in overcoming this information challenge The centres are also highly effective tools for

search and rescue operations Captain Chiragi added

South Amercia

US Vice President Biden met on Tuesday with the Prime Ministers Presidents and senior

ministry personnel from 15 Caribbean nations in Port of Spain Trinidad and Tobago where they

discussed the comprehensive regional partnership to improve citizen security in the Caribbean -

Latin American Herald Tribune

Working together in support of the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) the United States

and the nations of the Caribbean are combating the drug trade and other transnational crimes

that threaten regional security This partnership fulfills the commitment to deepen regional

security cooperation that President Barack Obama made at the 2009 Summit of the Americas

CBSI is part of an integrated citizen security effort that includes the Merida Initiative in Mexico

the Central America Regional Security Initiative and the Colombia Strategic Development

Initiative The United States CARICOM member nations and the Dominican Republic are

improving citizen safety throughout the Caribbean by working together to

Substantially reduce illicit trafficking

Increase public safety and security and

Promote social justice

SHIPMANAGERS Leonhardt amp Blumberg of Hamburg Germany operators of container vessel

HANSA MARBURG is pleased and relieved to report that the 4 seafarers who were taken from

the vessel by armed men 130 miles south west of Malabo Equatorial Guinea and held hostage

have now been released - OCEANUSLive

The vessel was attacked by criminal gangs in the Gulf Of Guinea on April 22 and four seafarers

were taken hostage

The four seafarers including Ukrainian Russian and Kiribati citizens were confirmed as being

safe and in good spirits after 31 days in captivity

Leonhardt amp Blumberg is delighted that the crew members have been released and the company

wishes to thank each of them for their courage and fortitude in dealing with this very difficult

situation in such a professional manner also to thank the families of those being held for their

patience and courage at such a difficult and worrying time

ADORED and detested pirates evoke moral and ethical ambivalence and piracy as a term of

law has always been exceptionally vulnerable to political agendas - Critical Legal Thinking More

precisely it has always been a term of both high imperialhegemonic art and significant radical

potential As such it is a word with a weighty history of complex moral and ethical loading and

reloading But it always invokes a refusal of juridification it is a term that defines the margins of

criminal and international law as juridical categories

Pirates are a recurring symbol of the ocean as a space beyond jurisdiction and the juridification

of thought itself as such both known and hidden pirates arguably estrange historical thinking

Piracy is a form of violence that challenges discourses that attempt to shore-up spaces that

assert a moral monopoly on violence and piracy is a form of textual transgression that chal-

lenges the very ability of the law to draw boundaries But even as piracy is a form of violence it

constitutes a challenge to the very violence involved in writing itself The relationship between

piracy and the law directs us to question the constitution of the human condition itself

The University of Southampton workshop will aim to explicate and explore the multiple

significations of piracy and to track the implications of these significations for both abstract and

practical notions of justice

Organised by the Centre for Law Ethics and Globalisation (LEAG) University of Southampton

Law School English at the University of Southampton and the Southampton Marine and

Maritime Institute 21-22 June 2013

Italian Marines

NSTR

NSTR

THE anti-piracy team within the Gulf Cooperation Council has met in Abu Dhabi to discuss the

necessary measures to protect national interests against maritime piracy threats - Gulfship

News

The meeting was hosted by the United Arab Emirates National Transport Authority and will

conclude today having discussed the use of armed security personnel on national vessels and

foreign vessels that come to GCC ports

THE Arabian Sea has been in the limelight in regional and international forums since long due to

its economic potential and geo-strategic importance It covers a total area of about 3862000 sq

km writes Naghmana Zafar - DAWNcom

The maritime waterways of the region extend into the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea through the

Strait of Bab el-Mandeb In the North-West it leads to the Gulf of Oman and the strategic waters

of the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz

The Arabian Sea acts as a vital trade corridor between Asian and European states And the

choke points mentioned above are significant for global trade and energy supply It is estimated

that at least 23 per cent of global shipping transits take place through these points

Any disruption of sea routes in the region is likely to worsen the global financial crisis which

might prove catastrophic for many fragile and developing economies The inter-state animosities

among the littoral states of the Arabian Sea and the presence of extra-regional powers have

made regional peace more complex than ever The presence of extra-regional actors to

safeguard their interests in the region has made it a permanent theatre of their operations

The competition for influence between India and China is also shaping the contours of maritime

security Moreover the international embargo on Iran has also put the regionrsquos maritime security

at stake

The piracy around the Horn of Africa and other maritime crimes have compelled the regional and

world powers to maintain and improve the maritime security in the Arabian Sea on a permanent

basis

MORE than 6 billion USD has been lost in the past ten years in Eastern and Southern African

countries due to Somali piracy which has caused the countrys economic retrogression since its

instability - AllAfrica

Deputy Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Transport Mr John Mngodo said during the opening

of a three-day seminar in Dar es Salaam organised by the Surface and Marine Transport

Regulatory Authority (Sumatra) that the seminars aim was to increase the capacity of senior

maritime officials to be able to tackle piracy in the Indian Ocean

Mr Mngodo said the security of ports had to be addressed because the country aimed at

providing standardised security of ports and facilities to reduce increased costs of shipping

Maritime security is a major component of the economy of our country so we aim to address the

root causes of piracy in Somalia to assure security in our country he said He added that the

Shipping Act of 2003 had enabled the country to tackle international shipping insecurity

The effects of piracy have been felt by our country and it needs political intervention to face the

challenges so that security and safety will once again bring cruise ships which stopped operating

in or waters for fear of being hijacked by pirates Mr Mngodo said

Pirate Fishing

NSTR

AN administration ally on Monday raised concern over the increasing number of attacks and

hijacking by Somali pirates stressing that the government should draw up measures to ensure

the safety of Filipino seafarers in the open seas - Manila Standard Today

Citing the International Maritime Bureau-Piracy Reporting Centre Cagayan de Oro Rep Rufus

Rodriguez said that on July 16 2012 a total of 180 attacks and 20 hijackings by Somali pirates

had been recordedmdashwhere 212 hostages and 11 vessels were held captive Rodriguez

disclosed

The Department of Foreign Affairs to make representations with the IMB-PRC the worldrsquos only

manned centre receiving and disseminating reports of piracy and armed robbery 24 hours a day

across the globe to come up with guidelines that could help protect and provide assistance to

Filipino seafarers in cases of attacks by pirates in the seas

Rodriguez said DFA records showed that about 45 Filipino seafarers on board five ships were

held captive by Somali pirates on July 3 2012 with some reportedly in detention since March 29

2012

Aid Workers Plight NSTR

The following is from the January 1972 issue of Proceedings

FOR 112 years the Tripoli Monument has stood on the

grounds of the U S Naval Academy in Annapolis but its

unique and tumultuous history began long before 1860 -

USNIorg Originally erected at the Washington Navy Yard

in 1808 it was the Federal capitalrsquos first monument and for

a period of 35 years the only monument in the District of

Columbia It witnessed and weathered the War of 1812 the

building burning and rebuilding of the Capitol and the slow

establishment of the city itself For 52 years its existence

was plagued with uncertainties and agitations

The idea for the memorial rose amidst the rage and ruin of

the war against the Barbary Pirates of North Africa the first

formal war under the young nationrsquos Constitution Success

of the small fleet in Mediterranean waters marked the rebirth

of naval power which had been disbanded after the Revolutionary War as well as the

emergence of the Navy as a permanent force

Image - Via USNI

THE pirate ant might not be able to make you walk the plank but dark-colored patches around

their eyes certainly make this new species look like they could bully ants off a ship - News Watch

National Geo

Discovered by scientists from the University of Regensburg while on a trip to the Philippines

Cardiocondyla pirata was found living under a rockmdashliterally Postdoctoral fellow and ant

researcher Sabine Frohschammer was searching for Cardiocondyla ants in a shady streambed

when she saw individuals that didnrsquot look like any other known species

ldquoDue to the darkness of the rainforest and the translucent body parts of the tiny ants they were

nearly invisiblerdquo Frohschammer said in a press release

As she looked more closely however Frohschammer knew she had found something special

Some of the females she had gathered had unusual coloration around their eyesmdashdark patches

that reminded Frohschammer of the eye patches worn by some pirates

Image - National Geo

Hijacks

SE Asia - LATE Report | Malaysia-flagged fishing vessel PKFB(U2) 1532 at 2300 LT

while carrying out fishing activities was attacked and hijacked by pirates and sailed to

Indonesian territorial waters On 25 May Indonesian Marine Police detained the fishing

vessel Full report awaited Original reported 7 May

Unsuccessful AttacksRobberies (All regions)

SE Asia - LATE Report | While tug boat Crest Jade 1 was towing Singapore barge Crest

2825 at 2100 LT in position 011560N - 1040762E Straits of Malacca and Singapore

proceeding from Singapore to Labuan Malaysia the Master and crew spotted two

thieves aboard Crest 2825 The Master activated the emergency alarm immediately to

alert the crew and manoeuvred the tugboat alongside Crest 2825 The thieves fled on a

small boat and stole the emergency towing gear The crew was not injured Reported (via

ReCAAP) 12 May

SE Asia - During discharge operations at berth Liberia-flagged product tankerGolden

Adventure was boarded by robbers armed with knives at 0100 LT in position 221662N

ndash 0914802E Chittagong Port Bangladesh Robbers were noticed by the local

watchman who immediately raised the alarm The crew and watchman proceeded to the

location armed with long sticks and metal pipes Seeing the approaching crew the

robbers jumped overboard and tried to escape with a mooring line which the crew

successfully recovered Port authorities informed and no action taken Reported (via IMB)

23 May

Med - Crew on board the anchored Marshall Islands-flagged tanker B Elephant at 0545

LT in position 3112N - 02942E Alexandria Waiting Area Achorage Egypt noticed the

forecastle door and rope hatch opened and shiprsquos equipment and stores stolen It was

suspected the theft occurred during the night Robbers likely boarded via anchor chain

Reported 23 May

Gulf of Guinea - Nigeria-flagged tanker Matrix I enroute from Cotonou Benin to Idoho

field Nigeria (South Akwa Ibom state) when came under attack and boarded by unknown

number of pirates at 0220 LT in position 03452N ndash 00534E approx 42nm WSW of Cap

Formoso Pirates left the vessel later kidnapping 7 crew members all Pakistani (17 crew

members (12 Pakistanis and 5 Nigerians)) Reported 25 May

S America (P) - Around six armed persons with shotguns in a speed boat boarded

Liberia-flagged container ship Rio Eider underway with pilot and unarmed security

guards on board at 0510 LT in position 0220S - 08100W Estero Salado Guayaquil

Ecuador On investigation it was discovered container seals broken but nothing stolen

Reported 27 May

Suspicious Activity

Red Sea - Malta-flagged tanker observed 3 x Skiffs 4 POB moving east to west 18Knts

at 1545 UTC in position 1256N - 04310E BAM Red Sea approx 25nm ESE of Assab

Eritrea Skiffs aggressively approached vessel to starboard of tanker closing to within

200m No indication of details of vessel to starboard of tanker but possibly large fishing

vessel Reported 26 May

Red Sea - Liberia-flagged oil product tanker reported via VHF that PAG of two skiffs

moving fast towards vessel at 1320 UTC in position 1318N - 04257E approx 21nm

ENE of Assab Eritrea Red Sea No other information given Japanese warship

attempted to contact the MV via VHF however no VHF traffic about situation received

Reported 27 May

VESSEL and hostage numbers - IMB (as at 14 May)

Worldwide Incidents 2013 100 reported incidents including four hijackings

Somali related incidents 2013 Six reported Incidents including one hijacking

Current crew vessels held by Somali pirates hostages - 71 vessels - 5

Nigeria related incidents 2013 19 reported incidents including one hijacking

NATO amp EUNAVFOR state Vessels 2 and Hostages 54 UKMTO - 7 vessels (including dhows amp

FVs) 73 hostages

VESSELS are reminded that the coalition forces warships may not be in the vicinity of a pirate

attack subsequently it is emphasised that seafarers can greatly reduce their chances of being

pirated if they follow precautions as recommended in the Best Management Practices increasing

speed and carrying out evasive manoeuvres is a proven deterrent to piracy attacks BMP version

4 is available at the link above a high resolution version can be downloaded here

VESSELS are advised to exercise extreme caution when navigating in the vicinity of any

reported positions of attacks and maintain maximum CPA with any ship acting suspiciously

Additionally registration of vessel movement with MSC(HOA) prior to transiting the region is

recommended

Suspicious Activity

Red Sea - Malta-flagged tanker observed 3 x Skiffs 4 POB moving east to west 18Knts

at 1545 UTC in position 1256N - 04310E BAM Red Sea approx 25nm ESE of Assab

Eritrea Skiffs aggressively approached vessel to starboard of tanker closing to within

200m No indication of details of vessel to starboard of tanker but possibly large fishing

vessel Reported 26 May

Red Sea - Liberia-flagged oil product tanker reported via VHF that PAG of two skiffs

moving fast towards vessel at 1320 UTC in position 1318N - 04257E approx 21nm

ENE of Assab Eritrea Red Sea No other information given Japanese warship

attempted to contact the MV via VHF however no VHF traffic about situation received

Reported 27 May

VESSEL and hostage numbers - IMB (as at 14 May)

Worldwide Incidents 2013 100 reported incidents including four hijackings

Somali related incidents 2013 Six reported Incidents including one hijacking

Current crew vessels held by Somali pirates hostages - 71 vessels - 5

Nigeria related incidents 2013 19 reported incidents including one hijacking

NATO amp EUNAVFOR state Vessels 2 and Hostages 54 UKMTO - 7 vessels (including dhows amp

FVs) 73 hostages

VESSELS are reminded that the coalition forces warships may not be in the vicinity of a pirate

attack subsequently it is emphasised that seafarers can greatly reduce their chances of being

pirated if they follow precautions as recommended in the Best Management Practices increasing

speed and carrying out evasive manoeuvres is a proven deterrent to piracy attacks BMP version

4 is available at the link above a high resolution version can be downloaded here

VESSELS are advised to exercise extreme caution when navigating in the vicinity of any

reported positions of attacks and maintain maximum CPA with any ship acting suspiciously

Additionally registration of vessel movement with MSC(HOA) prior to transiting the region is

recommended

A change of regional map in light of the increase in pirate activity off West Africa over Horn of Africa

An interactive version of this situational map is available through registration of verified access to OCEANUSLive

Reported incidents in the Horn of AfricaIOR HRA

OCEANUSLiveorg permits the reproduction of this image providing source and link are published (Map ToU)

Note OCEANUSLive accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of content not under our control Every effort is made to maintain the original content as published