Monthly Piracy Report March 2013

All information presented below are retrieved from ICC Commercial Crime Services (CCS) and IMO Global Integrated Shipping Information System. Information are being updated on a monthly basis.

Total Attacks Worldwide: 47
Total Hijackings Worldwide: 3
Vessels held by Somali Pirates: 5
Hostages held by Somali Pirates: 65

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 March

27.03.2013: 1530 LT: Posn: 03:56N – 098:47E: Belawan Anchorage, Indonesia. Robbers boarded a bulk carrier and stole ship’s stores from forecastle bosun store and escaped. The theft was discovered after the robbers had left the vessel.
26.03.2013: 1745 UTC: Posn: 31:14.4N – 032:18.1E, Port Said West Terminal, Port Said, Egypt. Six robbers in a boat armed with knives came alongside a berthed Container Ship. Four robbers boarded the vessel and injured an on-board security guard. The robbers stole ship’s stores and transferred them into their boat. The incident was reported to the local police.
23.03.2013: 0200 LT: 01:42.N – 101:28E, Dumai Anchorage, Indonesia. Five robbers armed with long knives in a small boat boarded the vessel from STBD quarter using a rope. The watchman was tied up with ropes. He was found lying down with his hands tied up when the forward watchman went to replace him. The duty officer was immediately informed. The alarm was raised and the crew was mustered on poop deck. A small wooden boat was seen leaving the vessel. Upon investigation it was found nothing had been stolen.
24.03.2013: 0140 LT: 05:59S-106:54E: Tanjung Priok Anchorage, Indonesia. During a routine round, the ship’s crew found the steering gear room open and it was discovered that some items inside the store were missing. After investigation the incident was reported to the Coast Guard.
26.03.2013: 0405 LT: Posn: 03:40.5S – 114:26.06E, Taboneo Anchorage, Indonesia. Robbers boarded a anchored bulk carrier and were noticed by the alert duty crew who informed D/O. Alarm raised, and crew alerted. Seeing the alert crew the robbers jumped overboard and escaped.
25.03.2013: 0130 LT: Posn: 01:42.40N – 101:27.20E, Inner anchorage, Dumai, Indonesia. Five robbers armed with knives and guns boarded an anchored General Cargo Ship. The robbers took hostages four crew on duty and tied their hands with rope. Two of the crew taken as hostage were forced to lead the robbers to the engine room store, which was then forced open and ship property stolen. The alarm was raised by the hostage crew after the robbers escaped. The authorities were informed via ship’s agent.
24.03.2013: 0300 LT: Abidjan Port, Ivory Coast. Shore security guard on board a berthed general cargo ship noticed two robbers on the aft mooring stations. He immediately informed the Duty officer who alerted the Master and other crew members. On seeing the alerted crew the robbers jumped overboard and escaped in their small boat. Port control was informed who later informed the Master that the robbers were detained and stolen items recovered.
24.03.2013: 0100 UTC: Posn: 06:50.5S – 039:17.8E, Berth No.11, Dar es Salaam Port, Tanzania. A robber boarded a berthed container ship via the forward mooring ropes. The duty A/B noticed the robber who threatened the A/B with a long knife. The A/B immediately ran away and reported to the SSO who in turn raised alarm and informed the port control. Upon hearing the alarm and seeing the crew alertness, the robber jumped into the sea and escaped empty handed in his boat. Shore security guards came on board for investigation.
22.03.2013: 2200 LT: Posn: 22:15N – 091:44E, Chittagong Anchorage, Bangladesh. Robbers boarded a product tanker during anchoring operations and stole ship’s stores and properties and escaped upon seeing the crew members returning after anchoring. Port authorities, coast guard and agent informed.
21.03.2013: 0220 LT: Posn: 07:05.3S – 112:39.4E, Gresik Inner Anchorage, Indonesia. Four robbers boarded an anchored bulk carrier. They forced their way into the forward store and stole ship’s property. When noticed by the crew, the robbers jumped overboard and escaped. Port control informed.
16.03.2013: 2308 LT: Posn: 11° 08.00′ N – 74° 16.00′ W, Puerto Prodeco Anchorage, Colombia. Duty officer on board the anchored ship noticed an unidentified person on the forecastle and immediately informed the deck security guard and port security guard to investigate. When they arrived at the forecastle they noticed two robbers climbing down the anchor chain and trying to escape by swimming in heavy seas and swell. One of the robbers was rescued by throwing a lifebuoy while the other disappeared out of sight. Later, the robber was taken ashore by the security. Nothing was stolen.
14.03.2013: 1215 LT: Posn: 13° 39.00′ N – 50° 48.00′ E, Gulf of Aden. Four suspicious dhows along with skiffs were noticed by the tanker underway. From this group one skiff approached the tanker at high speed. Alarm sounded and non essential crew retreated in the citadel. As the skiff approached weapons and a ladder were sighted in the skiff. Onboard armed security team fired one warning shot resulting in the skiff stopping and turning back to regroup with the rest. A warship and a helicopter came to the location for assistance.
14.03.2013: 0402 LT: Posn: 1° 40.20′ S – 116° 39.10′ E, Adang Bay Anchorage, Indonesia. Three robbers armed with long knives boarded the anchored bulk carrier. The alert duty seaman spotted the robbers attempting to enter the forecast store and informed the D/O who raised the alarm and sounded the forward fog horn. On seeing the alert crew mustered and proceed towards the forecastle the robbers jumped overboard and escaped. Pilot station and all vessels at Adang Bay alerted. Nothing stolen and no injuries to crew.
12.03.2013: 1300 LT: Posn: 3° 56.40′ N – 98° 44.80′ E, Belawan Anchorage, Indonesia. Robbers boarded the tanker, stole ship stores and escaped unnoticed.
04.03.2013: 0530 LT: Posn: 14° 17.40′ N – 49° 51.70′ E, Around 40Nm SE of Mukalla City, Yemen, Gulf of Aden. Four skiffs with around six persons in each skiff approached the tanker from her port bow, mid-ships and astern. Ladder and RPG sighted in the approaching skiffs. Master raised alarm, took anti piracy measures, informed UKMTO and all non essential crew retreated to the citadel. Onboard armed security team fired warning shots resulting in the skiffs stopping the approach at a distance of around four cables from the vessel. A warship was deployed to the location for assistance.
04.03.2013: 0400 LT: Posn: 3° 33.36′ S – 114° 26.55′ E, Taboneo Anchorage, Indonesia. The vessel was boarded by robbers who stole ship’s stores and escaped unnoticed. Master reported the incident to port control.