Company Charged with False reporting in the Gulf of Guinea

CENTRE INTERREGIONAL DE COORDINATION (CIC) // INTER-REGIONAL COORDINATION CENTRE (ICC) REPORTS…

On 18th July 2020, a report was received from an unknown source, who claimed to
have also received it from IMB about an alleged attack in the Takoradi Anchorage on the
Western shores of Ghana. It was reported that on 30th June 2020, at about 2200 UTC,
whilst anchored at TAKORADI anchorage, a Marshall flagged bulk carrier PORT MACAU was
boarded by 3 sea robbers. The on-duty crew member reportedly spotted the robbers on
the forecastle and informed the duty officer, who raised the alarm. The robbers were
alleged to have escaped with the ship’s stores. The incident was allegedly reported to
Takoradi Port Control. Crew were finally reported safe.

On receipt of this suspicious message, enquiries were made at Takoradi Port to verify
its authenticity. It turned out that the information released by the captain and crew of the
Bulk Carrier was false. This was expeditiously brought to the attention of the local agents
of PORT MACAU’s shipping company, HULL BLYTH Limited. The Marine Police of Ghana has
also been requested to investigate the matter and possibly press civil charges against the
Company and Captain of the PORT MACAU.

Incidents like this one brings to the fore the rising number of false/inaccurate
reporting of incidents in the Gulf of Guinea. Captains and crew of vessels for reasons best
known to them broadcast untruths to the maritime world. Some of the information is not
even shared with the concerned country for appropriate action to be taken. There is the
urgent need for reporting agencies to confirm alerts received with the maritime agencies
of the countries where these incidents are alleged to have occurred before going public. It
is important for external agencies to follow the provisions of the Yaounde Code of Conduct
by cross-checking maritime incidents with the Yaounde Architecture before broadcasting
( ICC, CRESMs, MMCCs and 19 coastal/island states of the Gulf of Guinea form the Yaounde
Architecture).