Monthly Piracy Report January 2013

All information presented below are retrieved from ICC Commercial Crime Services (CCS) and are being updated on a monthly basis. For up to date live and accurate information please refer to ICC Commercial Crime Services (CCS) website.

• Total Attacks Worldwide: 297
  
• Total Hijackings Worldwide: 28
  
• Total Incidents in Somalia: 75
  
• Total Hijackings in Somalia: 14
  
• Total Hostages in Somalia: 250
  
• Vessels held by Somali Pirates: 8
  
• Hostages held by Somali Pirates: 127
  

For a geographical representation of pirate attacks location please refer to IMB Piracy & Armed Robbery Map, a very valuable tool that shows all the piracy and armed robbery incidents reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre during 2013. If exact coordinates are not provided, estimated positions are shown based on information provided. Zoom-in and click on the pointers to view more information of an individual attack. Pointers may be superimposed on each other.

PIRACY & ARMED ROBBERY REPORTS until last week of January

• 29.01.2013: 0030 LT: 20:56.6N – 088:10.1E, Haldia Anchorage, India. Robbers armed with knives and a gun boarded a product tanker at anchor and started lowering mooring ropes. Duty Officer spotted the robbers and raised alarm, informed Master. The robbers escaped with the stolen ship’s stores. VTIS and Coast Guard informed.
• 27.01.2013: 0020 LT: Posn: 17:01.5N – 082:24.8E, Kakinada Anchorage, India. Eight robbers in two boats armed with long knives approached an anchored chemical tanker. Two of the robbers boarded the tanker and stole ship’s stores from the forecastle. Duty crew noticed the robbers and informed the officer on watch who raised the alarm and informed Master. Upon hearing the alarm, the robbers escaped with the stolen stores. Port control informed.
• 23.01.2013: 0600 LT: Posn: MBM Terminal, Talara Port, Peru. Robbers boarded a berthed tanker and escaped with ship’s stores unnoticed. Upon investigation, it was found that the robbers boarded via the hawse pipe by dismantling the anchor chain metal guard and then forced their way in to the forecastle store by breaking the watertight door padlock hinge. Incident reported to the authorities.
• 22.01.2013: 0200 LT: Posn: 01:42.3N – 101:29.2E, Dumai Inner Anchorage, Indonesia. Robbers boarded an anchored chemical tanker, stole engine spares and escaped unnoticed. The theft was discovered after departure from the port during maintenance work for generator engine. Some foot prints were discovered on the floor.
• 17.01.2013: 2345 LT: Posn: 01:22.0S – 116:56.4E, Balikpapan Outer Anchorage, Indonesia. Two robbers boarded an anchored tanker awaiting for pilot. D/O on bridge raised the alarm and sounded the fog horn upon noticing some movements at the forecastle deck. On hearing the alarm, the robbers jumped overboard and escaped. On investigation, it was found that the forward rope hatch lock was broken and ship’s stores stolen. Incident reported to port authority via local agent.
• 16.01.2013: 2200 LT: Abidjan anchorage, Ivory Coast. Pirates boarded and hijacked the tanker and sailed her to an unknown location. They stole her cargo. The 16 crew members and tanker were released unharmed on the 22.01.2013. The vessel proceeded to Lagos port.
• 16.01.2013: 0300 LT: Posn: 22:17.05N – 091:43.35E, Chittagong Anchorage, Bangladesh. Five robbers armed with long knives boarded an anchored ship via the anchor chain during cargo operations. 2nd Mate noticed the robbers and asked the deck watchman to check. While approaching the forecastle, the deck watchman was threatened by three robbers. The Master ordered the crew to enter inside the accommodation and lock the access. 2nd Mate directed the spot light towards the robbers who escaped through the anchor chain. Upon inspection, it was found that ship’s properties were stolen. Port control and coast guard were informed. Navy and Coast Guard patrol vessels came to the location and searched for the robbers.
• 15.01.2013: 0030 LT: Posn: 04:43.9S – 011:46.7E, Pointe Noire Anchorage, The Congo. Three robbers armed with knives disguised as fishermen in a small boat approached and boarded an anchored container ship. Duty crew spotted the robbers and raised the alarm. On hearing the alarm, the robbers jumped overboard and escaped empty handed in their boat. Port control contacted but received no response.
• 12.01.2013: 0105 LT: Posn: 01:11.1S – 116:46.7E, Balikpapan Anchorage, Indonesia. Two robbers armed with long knives boarded an anchored bulk carrier via the anchor chain. Duty crew noticed the robbers and raised the alarm. All crew mustered and rushed to the forecastle. On seeing the crew alertness, the robbers escaped empty handed in their speed boat.
• 08.01.2013: 1710 – 2320 LT: Posn: 01:11.5N – 103:37.8E, Singapore Straits. About six robbers in a speed boat approached and boarded a barge under two, stole barge properties and escaped. Later the same evening a speedboat with five persons wearing camouflage uniforms approached the tug. Two of the persons boarded the tug and took hostage the duty bosun and held him face down at knife point. Seeing the boarding the Master raised the alarm and all crew mustered. Seeing the crew alertness, the persons in the camouflage uniforms left the tug without stealing anything.

Photo Source: aspida