- The number and severity of attacks on vessels by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea are increasing.
- It is posing a threat to global trade and the safety of seafarers working in the region, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
- Mozart, a Liberian-flagged vessel, had been on its way from Lagos to Cape Town when it became the target of a pirate attack.
- It resulted in the death of one Azerbaijani seafarer and the kidnapping of 15 Turkish crew members.
A recent news article published in the GT Review deals with the serious issue of piracy attack in the Gulf of Guinea.
A letter to all agencies
In a letter to all agencies of the United Nations (UN) dated February 10, IMO secretary-general Kitack Lim writes that piracy in the gulf presents a “serious and immediate threat” to crews and vessels operating in West African waters.
He calls for better co-ordination between stakeholders and regional organisations to improve safety for ships and their operatives, while also highlighting a fatal incident involving a container ship in late January as the catalyst for action.
Some deadly incidents
Mozart, a Liberian-flagged vessel, had been on its way from Lagos to Cape Town when it became the target of a pirate attack that resulted in the death of one Azerbaijani seafarer and the kidnapping of 15 Turkish crew members.
On February 12, the Turkish government stated that after working with Boden Shipping, the Turkish-based company that owns the ship, all 15 seafarers were “safe” and would be transferred from Nigeria to Turkey as soon as possible.
A hotspot for piracy
“This is a worrying trend that can only be resolved through increased information exchange and co-ordination between vessels, reporting and response agencies in the Gulf of Guinea region. Despite prompt action by navies in the region, there remains an urgent need to address this crime, which continues to have a direct impact on the safety and security of innocent seafarers,” says Michael Howlett, director of the IMB.
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has been tracking piracy incidents in the Gulf of Guinea for more than a decade.
In 2020, IMB found that the region accounted for 95% of all kidnappings at sea, with a record 130 crew members kidnapped during 22 separate incidents.
Countering illicit maritime activity
The World Economic Forum says that in order to counter piracy in the gulf, four steps need to be taken:
- affected states need to share information on what is happening on their coastlines,
- countries must look to develop strong legislation and prosecute maritime criminals,
- joint training activities are required so that countries can develop procedures and improve their inter-operability, and
- countries should also set aside funds to build local security capacity.
A maritime security working group focusing on the gulf is also expected to be assembled at the next session of the Maritime Safety Committee in May.
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Source: GT Review
