Posted:
August 22, 2008
The International Maritime Bureau of the International Chamber of Commerce has issued a piracy warning for all vessels sailing in the Gulf of Aden.
The IMB advises vessel masters to maintain strict 24-hour piracy watches and to be especially wary of any approaching smaller craft. The IMB urges vessels to report all actual or attempted attacks, as well as any suspicious vessel movements, to the IMB Piracy Reporting Center (PRC).
A tanker with 28 crew members was hijacked Aug. 19 and taken to Somali waters. Attempts to contact the vessel have been unsuccessful and the PRC was notified of the incident, the Maritime Executive reported.
This followed the hijacking of a general cargo ship and all crew Aug. 12 while the ship was underway in a busy shipping lane. The vessel was taken to Somali waters by the pirates. There have been seven other attacks since the beginning of June, in which vessels were either fired upon, hijacked or an attempt at hijacking was made, the Maritime Executive reported.
"The situation in this region is grave," said IMB Director Pottengal Mukundan. "We are seeing at least one attack every couple of weeks. These pirates are not afraid to use significant firepower in attempts to bring vessels under their control. Unless further action is taken, seafarers remain in serious danger whilst navigating the Gulf of Aden."
In all reported instances, vessels were approached by speedboats containing men armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. In attempts to slow and board the vessels, the pirates have opened fire upon unarmed merchant ships, the Maritime Executive reported.
Coalition warships have apparently intervened and helped prevent two attacks. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1816 (2008) allows states cooperating with Somalia to enter the nation's territorial waters to repress acts of piracy and armed robbery by all means necessary, the Maritime Executive reported.
IMB issues piracy warning to all vessels in Gulf of Aden
The International Maritime Bureau of the International Chamber of Commerce has issued a piracy warning for all vessels sailing in the Gulf of Aden.
The IMB advises vessel masters to maintain strict 24-hour piracy watches and to be especially wary of any approaching smaller craft. The IMB urges vessels to report all actual or attempted attacks, as well as any suspicious vessel movements, to the IMB Piracy Reporting Center (PRC).
A tanker with 28 crew members was hijacked Aug. 19 and taken to Somali waters. Attempts to contact the vessel have been unsuccessful and the PRC was notified of the incident, the Maritime Executive reported.
This followed the hijacking of a general cargo ship and all crew Aug. 12 while the ship was underway in a busy shipping lane. The vessel was taken to Somali waters by the pirates. There have been seven other attacks since the beginning of June, in which vessels were either fired upon, hijacked or an attempt at hijacking was made, the Maritime Executive reported.
"The situation in this region is grave," said IMB Director Pottengal Mukundan. "We are seeing at least one attack every couple of weeks. These pirates are not afraid to use significant firepower in attempts to bring vessels under their control. Unless further action is taken, seafarers remain in serious danger whilst navigating the Gulf of Aden."
In all reported instances, vessels were approached by speedboats containing men armed with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. In attempts to slow and board the vessels, the pirates have opened fire upon unarmed merchant ships, the Maritime Executive reported.
Coalition warships have apparently intervened and helped prevent two attacks. United Nations Security Council Resolution 1816 (2008) allows states cooperating with Somalia to enter the nation's territorial waters to repress acts of piracy and armed robbery by all means necessary, the Maritime Executive reported.