Six container vessels were victims of piracy attacks or attempted attacks in the first half of 2018, one less compared to the same period in 2017.
Two attempted attacks occurred off the coast of Nigeria as vessels were steaming. The remaining four vessels were either berthed or anchored in the Philippines, Ecuador, Antigua, and Barbuda or Cyprus, and all ships bar that in Cyprus were boarded.
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB), a branch of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), reported a total of 107 incidents in the first six months of 2018, with 69 vessels boarded, 23 attempted attacks, 11 vessels fired upon and four vessels hijacked. No vessels were reported as hijacked in the second quarter of the year.
Pottengal Mukundan, IMB director, said: “The 2018 figures aptly demonstrate the value of timely and transparent reporting. The reports help to focus on risk areas, and to accurately inform vessels of evolving dangers and allow authorities to deliver an effective response.”
The Gulf of Guinea, found off Africa’s west coast, remains the ocean’s most dangerous area. One container vessel was fired upon by pirates, while all 25 reported kidnappings occurred in an area across six separate incidents.
As a region, the Gulf of Guinea accounts for 46 of 107 incidents, with Nigeria recording 31 of those – more than any other country.
Source: Container-mag