CNN: Global pirate attacks on the increase

The first nine months of this year has seen more pirate attacks than all of last year. And more than half of those attacks were carried out by suspected Somali pirates, an international maritime watchdog group said Wednesday.

Link to Article

Map Time!

Someone asked me (again) about the "Pirate News" section in my office. When I explained that I have my MPA with a concentration in security and maritime issues, they were a little confused about how I ended up working 200 miles inland. (Hilarious story about a fun internship that had nothing to do with my classes that ended up working out for me).

Anyways, I dropped some knowledge. Piracy didn't begin and end when an American crew was taken hostage. Just because CNN isn't running a feature doesn't mean the problem doesn't exist. Here is a little reminder about what has been going on in 2009.

Link to Live Piracy Map

IMB Weekly Piracy Report now a live report

The International Maritime Bureau has replaced their weekly piracy reports with a live update feed of when and where a pirate attack has taken place.
Example Below:

02.04.2009: 1300 UTC: Posn: 13:51.1N – 051:14.2E, Gulf of Aden.

Two speed boats, blue and white in colour, with 3 or 4 persons onboard approached a bulk carrier underway at over 20 knots. The speed boats came as close as 0.40 nm. The Master sounded the general alarm and whistle. An Indian warship was informed. Two helicopters from Japan and India responded and the pirates aborted their attempt on sighting the helicopters.

Link to IMB Live Report

This link is also under the links section!

IMB Piracy Alert

21 Oct 2008

Intelligence sources revealed that there are now three suspicious vessels in the Gulf of Aden believed to be pirate mother vessels looking to attack ships with the intent to hijack.

The description of the suspected trawlers - long white, Russian made stern trawlers with names "BURUM OCEAN or ARENA or ATHENA". One of the trawlers is believed to be operating at approximately 60 NM NE of Bossasso, Somalia in the Gulf of Aden. Also intelligence indicates a blue-coloured tug operating in the same vicinity

The centre has received information that the suspected pirate mother ships are at the following positions:

BLUE-COLOURED TUG: 1159N 05056E at 25 0500 UTC Aug 08

Fishing trawler BURUM OCEAN: 1411N 04951E at 25 0930 UTC Aug 08

Suspected Pirate Mother Vessels:


BURUM OCEAN


BURUM OCEAN


ARENA or ATHENA

Source: Coalition Forces

Weekly Piracy report 23-Oct to 3-Nov

http://www.icc-ccs.org/prc/piracyreport.php

Recently reported incidents

02.11.2008: 0420 LT: Posn: 06 26.57N - 003 23.096E: Berth No. 8, Apapa port, Lagos, Nigeria. Seven robbers boarded a general cargo ship at berth. Robbers broke the forecastle store padlocks but escaped in a waiting speedboat as soon as the alert duty crew noticed them. Local agent and company CSO were informed.

25.10.2008: 0430 LT: Douala port: Cameroon. Robbers boarded a diving support vessel berthed alongside several times. Alert shore security apprehended them. Nothing stolen.

29.10.2008: 1052 UTC: Posn:13:00.15N – 046:40.73E: Gulf of Aden. Pirates armed with automatic weapons in two speedboats opened fire on a bulk carrier underway. The pirates boarded and hijacked the vessel and took the 20 crew as hostage. They then sailed the vessel to an undisclosed location in Somalia. The vessel was carrying a cargo of iron ore pellets from Pointe Noire, Canada to Rizhao, China when it was hijacked.

28.10.2008: 0800 LT: Posn: 13:26N - 048:27E, Gulf of Aden. Pirates in three high-speed crafts approached a tanker underway. Master took evasive manoeuvres, transmitted mayday messages, sounded foghorn and crew mustered. Pirates fired upon the tanker and attempted to board. Master maintained evasive manoeuvres and mayday messages. Pirates aborted the attempt after 10 minutes. Crew and vessel safe.

28.10.2008: 1500 LT: Posn: 12:54N - 046:40E, Gulf of Aden. Twelve pirates in three fast attack boats were noticed departing from a white coloured fishing vessel (pirate mother vessel). Master took evasive manoeuvres, activated SSAS, sent mayday messages and crew mustered in a safe compartment. For five minutes, the pirates aggressively fired towards the accommodation of the tanker and attempted to board. A coalition warship responded to the mayday messages and sent an aircraft to the scene. Master maintained the evasive manoeuvres. The pirates briefly stopped the attack to re-grouped and then attacked again. The aircraft made a very low pass over the pirates and then dropped some ordinance on them. The attempted attack was aborted and the situation became safe. After 20 minutes, a French helicopter arrived to check the situation and master informed them about the pirate mother vessel's location. Crew and vessel safe.

28.10.2008: 1350 UTC: Posn: 13:17.08N - 048: 35.43E, Gulf of Aden. Five pirates in a small fast speedboat approached a general cargo ship underway. Master raised alarm, took evasive manoeuvres and crew activated fire hoses. Pirates fired at the ship with automatic weapons and the crew took shelter. They tried to board the ship using a ladder but the pirate boat's skipper fell overboard and they aborted the boarding and rescued him. Master activated SSAS and contacted the coalition warships. During a second approach to the vessel, the pirate boat's engine failed. A coalition warship responded and advised the master to steer a course towards them. The warship escorted the ship and later the ship resumed voyage. Crew and vessel safe.

23.10.2008: 1737 UTC: Posn: 03:47S – 042:46E: 180nm of Mombasa, Kenya. Pirates in two speedboats chased and fired on a container ship underway. Master took evasive manoeuvres and increased speed. Later, the speedboats aborted. Vessel sustained bullet-hole damages.