According to Reuters on July 16, a Turkish-flagged general cargo ship Paksoy-1 was attacked by armed pirates off the coast of Nigeria when sailing from Cameroon to Ivory Coast. The pirates destroyed the ship’s communications equipment after getting onboard. Ten sailors were taken hostage and later transferred to Tema port, Ghana. No injuries or casualties have been reported yet. The authorities were closely following the matter and called for the sailors to be safely returned.

Kidnappings and piracy for ransom, significantly threatening seafarers’ personal and property security, have become a major concern of the global community. Transiting West African waters poses a particularly high risk in recent years.

I.     Piracy and Armed Robbery

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) published its half-year report on 8 July 2019, suggesting signs of reduced piracy globally. A total of 78 incidents were recorded in the first half of 2019, 29 cases fewer than that in the same period last year. Still, so far there have been 38 crew taken hostage, 37 kidnapped, four threatened and two injured in pirate attacks. With IMB recognizing that many incidents are unreported, enormous anxiety for maritime safety persist among shipowners and seafarers around the world.

II.     Risks in Gulf of Guinea

IMB has recorded 21 incidents around Nigeria so far this year, down from 31 in the same period of 2018. The number has also declined in the second quarter 2019. However, the Gulf of Guinea is still believed to be the most dangerous area for piracy. Of the 75 seafarers taken hostage onboard or kidnapped for ransom worldwide in the first half of 2019, 62 were captured off the coasts of Nigeria, Guinea, Togo, Benin and Cameroon, which means that 73% of all kidnappings at sea and 92% of hostage-takings took place in the Gulf of Guinea.

IMB has issued warning to stay alert, urging seafarers in the region to remain vigilant and report all suspicious activity to local response centres. It emphasises that early detection of an approaching suspicious craft is key to prevent boarding and allows time to raise the alarm and retreat into a citadel, if needed.

III.     Advice to Members

Ship operators and their masters are advised to exercise caution when operating in the Gulf of Guinea and to:

• Understand the threat by carrying out a voyage specific risk assessments prior to entering the region, review the Ship Security Plan (SSP) and take relevant preventive measures, following the Global Counter Piracy Guidance for Companies, Masters and Seafarers and the Interim Guidelines for Owners, Operators and Masters for protection against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea region, as well as the BMP5 document.

• Provide regular training to the crew on a) security arrangements identified in the SSP; b) successful practices of countering piracy to get them mentally prepared for potential security incidents.

• Conduct drills before arriving in an area of enhanced risk as there have been cases where well-trained seafarers successfully defend themselves from attempted piracy and armed robbery attacks.

• Report incidents and suspicious activities to MEAT-GOG (tel: +33(0)2 98 22 88 88 / e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). A major lesson learnt from operations against piracy and armed robbery to date is the importance of liaison with the military and law enforcement. This is an essential part of self-protection that applies to all ships. Continuing to report while transiting within the high-risk area will allow the reporting centre to update the ship of any maritime security related incidents or threats in that region.

• Keep a proper visual lookout, which is the most effective method of ship protection according to the Global Counter Piracy Guidance. It can help identify a suspicious approach or attack early on, allows defenses to be deployed and, can serve as an effective deterrent to would-be attackers.

The Global Counter Piracy Guidance has also pointed out six rules for safe transit in areas with perceived enhanced risks:

• Do not be alone. Register transit and report to relevant authorities with AIS kept on; cooperate with military or other counter piracy services where such missions exist.

• Do not be detected. Keep track of NAVWARNS and visit relevant websites for known pirate operating locations; consider the appropriate level of lighting to be used in areas of risk to avoid being detected; but turn on the deck lamp and alert the approaching vessel with the searchlight when suspicious activity is observed.

• Do not be surprised. Crewmembers should increase vigilance and keep a constant and proper lookout with CCTV and Radar devices.

• Do not be vulnerable. Use visible (deterrent) and physical (preventative) Ship Protection Measures including razor wire, water foam and etc. Additional personal protection should be provided to bridge teams.

• Do not be boarded. Increase to maximum speed and manoeuvre the ship without severely reducing speed.

• Do not be controlled. If the vessel is boarded by pirates, crewmembers with prior agreement of the master should withdraw to citadels following previously practiced procedures and drills. Deny use of tools, equipment and tools, but note that a Naval/Military response is not guaranteed and it would be difficult to determine when it’s safe to get out.

For further consultation, please contact your manager at the Club.