Weekly Shipping Threat Report

NORTH AMERICA

MEXICO – LATE REPORTING: On 8 April at 0930LT, two boats with seven armed persons approached a dynamic positioning pipelaying vessel at high speed in Hokchi Field, 6 NM northwest of Dos Bocas at 18:29N – 093:17W. The crew raised the alarm and mustered in the citadel. When three armed persons from the speedboat boarded, the master activated SSAS, increased speed, and commenced maneuvers resulting in the armed persons fleeing. The crew notified port control and the authorities dispatched a patrol boat to assist. (IMB)

MEXICO: On the evening of 14 April at 2230LT, approximately six robbers boarded the anchored Gibraltar-flagged offshore accommodation barge TELFORD 28 approximately 12 NM north of Ciudad Del Carmen at 18:51N – 091:52W. The robbers, armed with automatic weapons and pistols, attempted to enter the accommodation area and then opened fire toward  the superstructure. The robbers managed to steal high-value project equipment from the vessel before escaping. One crew member was injured during this incident and was transferred to a hospital. The Mexican Navy responded and assisted TELFORD 28 following the incident. (Clearwater Dynamics, IMB, Maritime Bulletin, Marine Link)

MEXICO: On 12 April, robbers boarded the Denmark-flagged offshore supply vessel MAERSK TRANSPORTER approximately 7 NM north of Ciudad Del Carmen at 18:46N – 091:49W. The robbers took crew members hostage while ransacking the vessel and stealing valuables. The robbers released the hostages when they disembarked. (Clearwater Dynamics, Marine Link, Fleetmon)

MEXICO: On 9 April at 2230LT, eight pirates boarded the drifting Italy-flagged offshore supply vessel REMAS in the Gulf of Mexico, 13 NM northwest of Puerto Dos Bocas near 18:36N – 093:19W. The pirates took a number of crew members hostage and used them as “human shields.” The pirates ransacked the vessel, stealing personal belongings and ship’s equipment before releasing the hostages and escaping. The robbers fired several shots during the incident, but no one was injured. (IMB, Clearwater Dynamics, Fleetmon, Maritime Bulletin)

MEXICO: On 4 April at 0906LT, eight armed individuals in a boat approached a pipe-laying vessel at high speed 13 NM northwest of Puerto de Dos Bocas, State of Tabasco in position 18:37N – 093:19W. The crew sounded the alarm, locked down the accommodation area, and mustered. As the boat approached the stern of the pipe-laying vessel, the armed men fired at the vessel. The master was able to use the vessel’s thrusters to prevent the boat from coming alongside. The armed persons subsequently abandoned their approach and departed the area. The crew notified port control via VHF radio of the incident and a patrol boat was dispatched to the location. (IMB, Clearwater Dynamics)

CENTRAL AMERICA – CARIBBEAN – SOUTH AMERICA:

ECUADOR: On 11 April at 0035LT, six armed robbers boarded a container ship under pilotage at 02:52S – 080:23W, approximately 7 NM west of Isla Puna. They took two crew members hostage and tied them up. When the master spotted the robbers, he raised the alarm and notified the coast guard. Upon seeing the crew response, the robbers fired warning shots and fled. A subsequent search of the vessel revealed some containers were broken into. (IMB, Clearwater Dynamics)

ECUADOR: On 8 April at 2230LT, eight armed robbers in two speedboats approached a container vessel underway in the river passage Guayaquil at approximately 02:34S – 080:06W. The robbers fired warning shots before boarding the vessel and accessing 15 containers. The master activated the SSAS and directed searchlights at the robbers who responded by firing shots at the bridge. The robbers stole items of cargo from the containers before disembarking. Port control and Coast Guard were informed. The Coast Guard later embarked the vessel to investigate. No crew members were injured during the incident. (IMB, Clearwater Dynamics)

ATLANTIC OCEAN AREA: No current incidents to report.

NORTHERN EUROPE – BALTIC: No current incidents to report.

MEDITERRANEAN – BLACK SEA: No current incidents to report.

• WEST AFRICA:
• BENIN: On 19 April, armed men in a speedboat approached and boarded the Portugal-flagged container ship TOMMI RITSCHER in Cotonou Anchorage at 06:16N – 002:32E. Eleven of the 19 crewmembers managed to secure themselves in the citadel; the armed men kidnapped the other eight crew members. On 20 April, Nigerian Special Forces conducted an unopposed boarding and freed the 11 crew members in the citadel. Reports indicate the TOMMI RITSCHER had Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, and Filipino crew members. (MDAT-GoG, Clearwater Dynamics, IMB, Dryad Global)
• NIGERIA: On 18 April at 0850LT, armed men attacked a passenger boat while underway in Bayelsa State along Okoroma Creek in the Niger Delta. The attackers injured one passenger, but the other passengers and boat driver managed to escape. Authorities rescued the injured passenger approximately 45 minutes later and took him to a hospital in Yenagoa with two gunshot wounds. (Nigerian Pilot)
• GHANA: On 16 April at 0105 UTC, seven individuals in a canoe came alongside an anchored supply vessel in the Takoradi Anchorage at 04:52N – 001:41W. Two of the men managed to board the vessel and were subsequently discovered by the deck officer in the paint store. When the crew raised the alarm, the two robbers jumped overboard and fled in the canoe. Five buckets of paint were stolen during the boarding. The crew notified the local authorities, who dispatched two patrol boats to secure the area. (MDAT-GoG, Clearwater Dynamics)
• GHANA: On 15 April at 0527LT, six robbers in a fishing boat came alongside and attempted to climb onto an anchored tanker within the Takoradi Anchorage at 04:54N – 001:41W. The robbers attempted to board at the forecastle using a grappling hook. When the crew noticed the robbers attempting board, they sounded the tanker’s whistle. The robbers subsequently abandoned their attempted boarding and fled empty-handed. (Clearwater Dynamics)
• GHANA: On 10 April at 0717 UTC, seven individuals onboard a red and white 15-meter-long skiff approached an underway tanker 57 NM south of Takoradi at 03:56N – 001:45W. The crew activated the fire hoses and undertook evasive maneuvers. The skiff continued to follow the tanker for 30 minutes and approached to within 50 meters at one point. The crew observed no weapons or ladders on the skiff during the incident. (Clearwater Dynamics, MDAT-GoG)
• NIGERIA: On 6 April at 1230LT, armed robbers from a speedboat boarded an underway passenger vessel 17 NM south of Port Harcourt near 04:28N – 007:03E. The robbers stole goods worth millions of Nigerian Naira. All passengers are safe. (Clearwater Dynamics)

ARABIAN GULF:

IRAQ: On 27 April at 0200LT, robbers disguised as stevedores boarded a container ship berthed at Umm Qasr Port at 30:03N – 047:56E. The robbers broke into the forepeak store and started stealing ship’s properties by passing them to their accomplices on the jetty. The robbers fled after the crew spotted the robbers activities and raised the alarm. The crew notified the port authorities who were able to recover the stolen items. (Clearwater Dynamics, IMB)

INDIAN OCEAN – EAST AFRICA – RED SEA:

YEMEN: On 23 April, skiffs approached two tankers southwest of Aden. The first incident occurred at 0804 GMT when a skiff traveling at 19 knots approached a Hong Kong-flagged LPG carrier transiting eastbound in the Gulf of Aden at 13.5 knots. The embarked security team fired several warning shots causing the skiff to distance itself from the tanker. A short time later,  a skiff approached a Panama-flagged medium range tanker approximately 12 NM from the first incident and had a similar encounter. (LSS, Dryad Global)

EAST ASIA – SOUTHEAST ASIA:

• INDONESIA – LATE REPORTING: On 12 April 2020, a duty crew member on routine rounds onboard a bulk carrier anchored in Taboneo Anchorage at 03:41S – 114:27E noticed the forward store room door security padlock broken. The crew determined ship’s stores were stolen. (IMB, Clearwater Dynamics)

CREDITS:
https://www.oni.navy.mil/