- Gun shots were fired at the containership Irenes Resolve enroute Algeciras in Spain.
- The incident happened within 26 hours of kidnapping of crew members from another tanker, Alpine Penelope.
- The attackers on a small boat “shot at” the containership and “ordered her to stop” over VHF.
- a growing number of shipping bodies are calling for an international naval coalition to patrol and secure the region.
Shots were fired at a box-ship departing West Africa on Friday in the latest violent attack to hit merchant shipping in the piracy prone area, writes Sam Chambers for Splash 247.
Irenes Resolve under attack
Within 26 hours of the kidnapping of crew members from the panamax tanker, Alpine Penelope, the panamax container ship Irenes Resolve came under attack 119 nautical miles offshore Nigeria, reported Security consultants Ambrey.
Read More: Crew members abducted from Tanker vessel
The ship was underway at 17.1 knots at the time from the Kribi Deep Sea Port Container Terminal, Cameroon, destined for Algeciras in Spain.
Elusive measures by the vessel
The box-ship performed several evasive manoeuvres. According to MDAT-GoG, attackers on a small boat “shot at” the containership and “ordered her to stop” over VHF.
The containership’s captain refused to stop and claimed that a security team was on-board. The boat then stopped its approach.
Call for Coalition
As the Gulf of Guinea has become the worst area for ship attacks over the past 18 months with many seafarers kidnapped, a growing number of shipping bodies are calling for an international naval coalition to patrol and secure the region.
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Source: Splash 247
