Protection Vessels International has released the 8th Weekly Maritime Security Report of 2020. The report summarized on 20th March 2020 highlights the various incidents that took place in the past weeks.
Philippines: Robbers board chemical tanker at General Santos Harbour Anchorage
The duty officer and duty able seaman on routine rounds onboard a Singapore-flagged chemical tanker anchored at General Santos Harbour Anchorage saw an unspecified number of robbers on the forecastle at 0157 hrs local time.
The duty officer informed the master who activated the general alarm. Upon hearing the alarm, the robbers escaped in a small boat. Ship security conducted a search and found that the padlock to the bosun store was broken.
All crew were reported safe and nothing was reported stolen.
Ecuador: Authorities implement entry restrictions amid COVID-19
Authorities have closed all borders for foreign nationals as well as suspended all international fights and international maritime transport arrivals in an attempt to prevent the further spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Ecuador.
Authorities also said that all Ecuadorian nationals arriving from abroad from 16 March will be barred from entering the country. Authorities have not yet announced the duration of the measures.
Health authorities have confirmed at least 30 COVID-19 cases in the country as of 15 March.
Malta: Authorities rescue 112 migrants from sinking boat
The Maltese armed forces announced that they had rescued a group of 112 North African migrants from a sinking dinghy identified in Malta’s search and rescue region north of Libya. The nationalities of the migrants were unknown.
Malta has seen a surge of migrant arrivals this year. Some 1,500 had arrived by early March, compared to 3,400 for the full year last year.
Libya: Coast Guard intercepts over 400 migrants in Mediterranean
The coast guard intercepted over 400 Europe-bound migrants in the Mediterranean in 24 hours, the UN migration agency said. The coast guard detained the migrants in two separate operations that halted a total of five boats.
The migrants were taken to a detention centre in Tripoli. Libya remains a key departure point for migrants trying to reach Europe, despite EU cooperation with Libyan authorities to stem departures.
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Source: Protection Vessels International
