Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151)
Combined Maritime Forces
Wikipedia
US Naval Forces Central Command
NATO Task Force
NATO-OTAN
SNMCMG1
Operation Allied Protector
European Union Task Force Operation Atalanta
EU Naval Force Somalia
Wikipedia
Maritime Security Centre
EU Consilium
and countries like Russia, China, South Korea and others operating independently.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Current Articles & News v.9
Here are links to current articles and new releases regarding the crisis of international hijacking by pirates (terrorists).
IMB Piracy Map 2009
Lloyd's List Piracy & Security
Somali Pirates Attack Kuwaiti Oil Tanker The spokesman for the European Union's anti-piracy force says Somali pirates have attacked a Kuwaiti-flagged oil tanker but failed to seize it. Cmdr. John Harbour says the pirates attacked the 105,000-ton MV Album about 800 nautical miles east of the northern coast of Somalia. Harbour says Wednesday's unsuccessful attack lasted for about 30 minutes and caused no damage to the ship. NYTimes, 12/30/2009
Somali Pirates Capture Two Cargo Ships Pirates based in Somalia captured two ships so far this week and released a third for $4 million in ransom. Pirates seized on Monday the UK-flag chemical tanker St James Park with a crew of 26 from nine different countries. The ship was en route to Thailand from Spain. On Wednesday, pirates captured the Greek-owned cargo ship Navios Apollon off the coast of Sychelles on its way to India. The pirates attacked the ship and its crew of 19 on a pair of speedboats, according to a report in the Chinese newspaper Xinhua. The ship is carrying fertilizer from Florida. Only hours before the second capture, another band of pirates had released the Singapore-flag vessel Kota Wajar and its 21 crewmembers after receiving approximately $4 million in ransom. Journal of Commerce, 12/30/2009
Examining Impact Of Pirate Attacks, There have been some changes in the area of operation and the modus operandi of the pirates, but, actually, the number of attacks has increased. Last year, there were 111 attacks in the waters off of Somalia. This year, we are on the last days of the year, but we've recorded 210 attacks in the same waters. Last year, 40 ships were seized. This year, 44 have been seized so far. There's been an unprecedented multilateral deployment of navies at any given moment in the last 12 months. There have been somewhere in the order of three dozen naval warships from three combined task forces: The Combined Task Force 151, which is U.S.-led, the NATO Task Force, the European Union Task Force Operation Atalanta, as well as a number of countries like Russia, China, South Korea and others operating independently. And they've had some good effect. But, unfortunately, the Gulf of Aden is a limited body of water and the pirates simply move to the Somali basin, the Western Indian Ocean. Here we're talking about two million nautical miles. And so they're striking an area that's just simply way too large to be patrolled and it's going to increase in the coming months. NPR, 12/28/2009
FACTBOX-Ships held by Somali pirates Reuters-India, 12/27/2009 Here is a list of ships under the control of Somali pirates:
* WIN FAR 161: Taiwanese tuna boat, seized on April 6, 2009.
* AL KHALIQ - Seized on Oct. 22, 2009. The Panamanian-registered ship carried 26 crew, 24 of them Indian. It is owned and operated by SNP Shipping of Mumbai. The 38,305 dwt bulk carrier was seized west of the Seychelles.
* THAI UNION 3 - Seized on Oct. 29, 2009. Pirates on two skiffs boarded the tuna fishing boat with 23 Russians, two Filipinos and two Ghanaians on board.
* FILITSA: Seized on Nov. 10, 2009. The 23,709 dwt cargo ship had three Greek officers a Filipino crew. The Marshall Islands-flagged ship had been heading from Kuwait to Durban, South Africa, when it was attacked 500 miles northeast of the
Seychelles.
* THERESA VIII: Seized on Nov. 16, 2009. The chemical tanker was hijacked in the south Somali Basin, northwest of the Seychelles. The 22,294 dwt tanker had a crew of 28 North Koreans. The captain of the tanker died from gunshot wounds sustained during the hijack, a Somali pirate said.
* MARAN CENTAURUS: Seized Nov 29, 2009: The tanker was sailing from Kuwait to the Gulf of Mexico when it was seized near the Seychelles. The tanker had nine Greeks, two Ukrainians, one Romanian and 16 Filipinos on board and was carrying around two million barrels of crude oil.
* SHAHBAIG: Seized Dec. 6, 2009: Pirates seized the Pakistani-flagged fishing vessel, with a crew of 29 on board, thought to be Pakistani, 320 miles east of Socotra.
* MV NESEYA, Indian, dhow, seized 12/18/2009
* AL-MAHMOUDIA2, Yemen, freighter, Seized 12/18/2009
* ST. JAMES PARK, UK, chemical tanker, Seized 12/28/2009
* NAVIOS APOLLON, (19 crew members) Greece-owned by Navios Maritime Partners, the sister company of Navios Maritime Holdings, fertilizer cargo, Seized 12/30/2009
Ships and Vessels recently released:
* KOTA WAJAR: Seized on Oct. 15, 2009. The 24,637-tonne container ship, seized 300 miles north of Seychelles, was heading for Mombasa from Singapore and had 21 crew on board, released 12/30/2009
* DE XIN HAI: Siezed in mid-October, released 12/28/2009, seized 11/5/2009
* DELVINA, Greece, (21 crew members), released 12/18/2009, seized 11/5/2009.
* MT ARIANA, Greece, (24 crew members) released 12/10/2009, seized 5/2/2009.
* CHARELLE, released 12/3/2009
Status of Vessels Held off the Somali Coast, Ecoterra Somali Marine & Coastal Monitor, Buzzle, 5/18/2009
Status of Vessels held in Somalia: Copyright: Ecoterra Intl.
(IO = Indian Ocean / GoA = Gulf of Aden)
9+ months:
T/B YENEGOA OCEAN: Taken back from a brief move to Alula and held at Xawo (GoA). The Nigerian government has now stepped in to help in solving the case of this tugboat with 10 desperate Nigerian crew members. After many months, during which already humanitarian assistance had to be provided, the owner - Nigerian ESL Integrated Services - had then provided for some support but not achieved the release.
7+ montha:
MV JAIKUR-I: All international crew-members were evacuated and are back home. The general cargo ship itself is still detained due to a dispute with the owners over damaged cargo - case closed for us.
5+ months:
T/B MASINDRA 7: The Malaysian-owned tugboat with Indonesian owned barge ADM 1 is presently held 30 nm off Hafun. The 11 Indonesian crew are in very bad condition, while the mastermind of the piracy case went to Yemen, where he is wanted and hunted by the Yemeni authorities. An attempt by the owner to solve the case from Yemen apparently failed so far. After the Malaysian warship Indera Sekti had a go at the earlier stand-off site at the Gulf of Aden coast the vessel went to the Indian Ocean side. Several shoot-outs between the now two pirate groups holding the vessel. 2nd engineer got hit in the crossfire but is ok now, given the circumstances. Malaysian government apparently still not keen yet to supervise the continuously failing negotiations by the owner. The freeing of this vessel should now receive much higher priorities.
2.5+ months:
S/Y SERENITY: The catamaran sailing for Madagascar from the Seychelles with three Seychellois crew aboard is held around 12 nm off Garacad (IO). Negotiations have been complicated so far.
1.5+ months:
MS INDIAN OCEAN EXPLORER: The former oceanographic research vessel with 7 Seychellois crew, held off Handule near Harardheere. Some crew-members are back on board. Interfering brokers pushed the ransom demands higher.
6+ weeks:
MV HANSA STAVANGER: A German commando operation to free the five Germans (incl. captain), three Russians, two Ukrainians, two Filipinos and 12 Tuvaluans was terminated due to the dangers for the crew. Vessel is moored near Harardheere and some crew is still held on land. Negotiations ongoing.
5+ weeks:
FV WIN FAR 161: The Taiwanese tuna boat with 30 crew is held 8 nm off Garacad. The fate of 17 Filipinos, six Indonesians, five Chinese and two Taiwanese.is neglegted by the owner of the vessel.
FV MOMTAZ 1: Egyptian fishing vessel is still detained for illegal fishing at Gacaan (GoA) with 18 Egyptian crew. Egyptian government sees no possibility to bail the vessel and crew out, because the directive of the Egyptian government not to operate in Somali waters was not observed.
FV SAMARA AHMED: Egyptian fishing vessel is still detained for illegal fishing at Gacaan (GoA) with 16 Egyptian crew. Egyptian government sees no possibility to bail the vessel and crew out, because the directive of the Egyptian government not to operate in Somali waters was not observed.
T/B BUCCANEER: The Italian tugboat with two huge barges of presently and formerly unknown content - owned by Micoperi Marine Contractors - was carrying 10 Italians, five Romanians and a Croatian, and was seized towing two barges while traveling westbound through the Gulf of Aden. Governmental mediation and intervention failed so far. Italian warship Maestrale is standby at a distance of about 45 nm.
4+ weeks:
MV IRENE E.M.: The St. Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged Greek-owned bulk carrier with 22 Filipino crew is held near Harardheere (IO). Negotiations ongoing.
MV POMPEI: The Belgian dredger and its 10 crew with two Belgian, four Croatian, one Dutch and three Filipino crew on board is held between Garcad and Harardheere. Negotiations ongoing.
3+ weeks:
MV PATRIOT: The German owned, but Maltese-flagged bulk-carrier with 17 crew of which 15 are Filipino is held near Eyl (IO). Negotiations ongoing.
2+ weeks:
MV ARIANA: The British owner-managed and Greek operated, but Antigua and Barbuda-flagged freighter with 24-men crew (all of Ukrainian nationality) is held near Harardheere (IO). Negotiations started.
11+ days:
MV VICTORIA: The German owned, but Antigua and Barbuda- flagged cargo vessel was sea-jacked by eight pirates on May 5, 2009 in the Gulf of Aden. The 11 Romania crew with one woman are all-right, given the circumstances. Negotiations started.
9+ days:
MV MARATHON: Seized on May 7, 2009. The small coke fuel carrier, with 8 all-Ukrainian crew is owned by the Netherlands but Netherlands-Antilles flagged. The Dutch frigate De Zeven Provinciën as well as a Spanish warship have the vessel boxed in at 29 nm off Laasmacaan on the Gulf of Aden coast. Situation on board extremely tense.
Still missing:
Since 28th April 2009: Akio Yonago's 36-foot sailboat, the S/Y EMU II and another yacht it was sailing together with from the Seychelles.
Wanted:
Crew (6 Syrians and 6 Indians) of MT AGIA BARBARA Wanted for Murder: The crew still at large ! Vessel was observed in Dubai after it fled from Mogadishu and vessel position later indicated that it was loading again at the Al Basra Oil Terminal, Iraq
IMB Piracy Map 2009Lloyd's List Piracy & Security
Somali Pirates Attack Kuwaiti Oil Tanker The spokesman for the European Union's anti-piracy force says Somali pirates have attacked a Kuwaiti-flagged oil tanker but failed to seize it. Cmdr. John Harbour says the pirates attacked the 105,000-ton MV Album about 800 nautical miles east of the northern coast of Somalia. Harbour says Wednesday's unsuccessful attack lasted for about 30 minutes and caused no damage to the ship. NYTimes, 12/30/2009
Somali Pirates Capture Two Cargo Ships Pirates based in Somalia captured two ships so far this week and released a third for $4 million in ransom. Pirates seized on Monday the UK-flag chemical tanker St James Park with a crew of 26 from nine different countries. The ship was en route to Thailand from Spain. On Wednesday, pirates captured the Greek-owned cargo ship Navios Apollon off the coast of Sychelles on its way to India. The pirates attacked the ship and its crew of 19 on a pair of speedboats, according to a report in the Chinese newspaper Xinhua. The ship is carrying fertilizer from Florida. Only hours before the second capture, another band of pirates had released the Singapore-flag vessel Kota Wajar and its 21 crewmembers after receiving approximately $4 million in ransom. Journal of Commerce, 12/30/2009
Examining Impact Of Pirate Attacks, There have been some changes in the area of operation and the modus operandi of the pirates, but, actually, the number of attacks has increased. Last year, there were 111 attacks in the waters off of Somalia. This year, we are on the last days of the year, but we've recorded 210 attacks in the same waters. Last year, 40 ships were seized. This year, 44 have been seized so far. There's been an unprecedented multilateral deployment of navies at any given moment in the last 12 months. There have been somewhere in the order of three dozen naval warships from three combined task forces: The Combined Task Force 151, which is U.S.-led, the NATO Task Force, the European Union Task Force Operation Atalanta, as well as a number of countries like Russia, China, South Korea and others operating independently. And they've had some good effect. But, unfortunately, the Gulf of Aden is a limited body of water and the pirates simply move to the Somali basin, the Western Indian Ocean. Here we're talking about two million nautical miles. And so they're striking an area that's just simply way too large to be patrolled and it's going to increase in the coming months. NPR, 12/28/2009
FACTBOX-Ships held by Somali pirates Reuters-India, 12/27/2009 Here is a list of ships under the control of Somali pirates:
* WIN FAR 161: Taiwanese tuna boat, seized on April 6, 2009.
* AL KHALIQ - Seized on Oct. 22, 2009. The Panamanian-registered ship carried 26 crew, 24 of them Indian. It is owned and operated by SNP Shipping of Mumbai. The 38,305 dwt bulk carrier was seized west of the Seychelles.
* THAI UNION 3 - Seized on Oct. 29, 2009. Pirates on two skiffs boarded the tuna fishing boat with 23 Russians, two Filipinos and two Ghanaians on board.
* FILITSA: Seized on Nov. 10, 2009. The 23,709 dwt cargo ship had three Greek officers a Filipino crew. The Marshall Islands-flagged ship had been heading from Kuwait to Durban, South Africa, when it was attacked 500 miles northeast of theSeychelles.
* THERESA VIII: Seized on Nov. 16, 2009. The chemical tanker was hijacked in the south Somali Basin, northwest of the Seychelles. The 22,294 dwt tanker had a crew of 28 North Koreans. The captain of the tanker died from gunshot wounds sustained during the hijack, a Somali pirate said.
* MARAN CENTAURUS: Seized Nov 29, 2009: The tanker was sailing from Kuwait to the Gulf of Mexico when it was seized near the Seychelles. The tanker had nine Greeks, two Ukrainians, one Romanian and 16 Filipinos on board and was carrying around two million barrels of crude oil.* SHAHBAIG: Seized Dec. 6, 2009: Pirates seized the Pakistani-flagged fishing vessel, with a crew of 29 on board, thought to be Pakistani, 320 miles east of Socotra.
* MV NESEYA, Indian, dhow, seized 12/18/2009
* AL-MAHMOUDIA2, Yemen, freighter, Seized 12/18/2009
* ST. JAMES PARK, UK, chemical tanker, Seized 12/28/2009
* NAVIOS APOLLON, (19 crew members) Greece-owned by Navios Maritime Partners, the sister company of Navios Maritime Holdings, fertilizer cargo, Seized 12/30/2009 Ships and Vessels recently released:
* KOTA WAJAR: Seized on Oct. 15, 2009. The 24,637-tonne container ship, seized 300 miles north of Seychelles, was heading for Mombasa from Singapore and had 21 crew on board, released 12/30/2009
* DE XIN HAI: Siezed in mid-October, released 12/28/2009, seized 11/5/2009
* DELVINA, Greece, (21 crew members), released 12/18/2009, seized 11/5/2009.
* MT ARIANA, Greece, (24 crew members) released 12/10/2009, seized 5/2/2009.
* CHARELLE, released 12/3/2009
Status of Vessels Held off the Somali Coast, Ecoterra Somali Marine & Coastal Monitor, Buzzle, 5/18/2009Status of Vessels held in Somalia: Copyright: Ecoterra Intl.
(IO = Indian Ocean / GoA = Gulf of Aden)
9+ months:
T/B YENEGOA OCEAN: Taken back from a brief move to Alula and held at Xawo (GoA). The Nigerian government has now stepped in to help in solving the case of this tugboat with 10 desperate Nigerian crew members. After many months, during which already humanitarian assistance had to be provided, the owner - Nigerian ESL Integrated Services - had then provided for some support but not achieved the release.
7+ montha:
MV JAIKUR-I: All international crew-members were evacuated and are back home. The general cargo ship itself is still detained due to a dispute with the owners over damaged cargo - case closed for us.
5+ months:
T/B MASINDRA 7: The Malaysian-owned tugboat with Indonesian owned barge ADM 1 is presently held 30 nm off Hafun. The 11 Indonesian crew are in very bad condition, while the mastermind of the piracy case went to Yemen, where he is wanted and hunted by the Yemeni authorities. An attempt by the owner to solve the case from Yemen apparently failed so far. After the Malaysian warship Indera Sekti had a go at the earlier stand-off site at the Gulf of Aden coast the vessel went to the Indian Ocean side. Several shoot-outs between the now two pirate groups holding the vessel. 2nd engineer got hit in the crossfire but is ok now, given the circumstances. Malaysian government apparently still not keen yet to supervise the continuously failing negotiations by the owner. The freeing of this vessel should now receive much higher priorities.
2.5+ months:
S/Y SERENITY: The catamaran sailing for Madagascar from the Seychelles with three Seychellois crew aboard is held around 12 nm off Garacad (IO). Negotiations have been complicated so far.
1.5+ months:
MS INDIAN OCEAN EXPLORER: The former oceanographic research vessel with 7 Seychellois crew, held off Handule near Harardheere. Some crew-members are back on board. Interfering brokers pushed the ransom demands higher.
6+ weeks:
MV HANSA STAVANGER: A German commando operation to free the five Germans (incl. captain), three Russians, two Ukrainians, two Filipinos and 12 Tuvaluans was terminated due to the dangers for the crew. Vessel is moored near Harardheere and some crew is still held on land. Negotiations ongoing.
5+ weeks:
FV WIN FAR 161: The Taiwanese tuna boat with 30 crew is held 8 nm off Garacad. The fate of 17 Filipinos, six Indonesians, five Chinese and two Taiwanese.is neglegted by the owner of the vessel.
FV MOMTAZ 1: Egyptian fishing vessel is still detained for illegal fishing at Gacaan (GoA) with 18 Egyptian crew. Egyptian government sees no possibility to bail the vessel and crew out, because the directive of the Egyptian government not to operate in Somali waters was not observed.
FV SAMARA AHMED: Egyptian fishing vessel is still detained for illegal fishing at Gacaan (GoA) with 16 Egyptian crew. Egyptian government sees no possibility to bail the vessel and crew out, because the directive of the Egyptian government not to operate in Somali waters was not observed.
T/B BUCCANEER: The Italian tugboat with two huge barges of presently and formerly unknown content - owned by Micoperi Marine Contractors - was carrying 10 Italians, five Romanians and a Croatian, and was seized towing two barges while traveling westbound through the Gulf of Aden. Governmental mediation and intervention failed so far. Italian warship Maestrale is standby at a distance of about 45 nm.
4+ weeks:
MV IRENE E.M.: The St. Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged Greek-owned bulk carrier with 22 Filipino crew is held near Harardheere (IO). Negotiations ongoing.
MV POMPEI: The Belgian dredger and its 10 crew with two Belgian, four Croatian, one Dutch and three Filipino crew on board is held between Garcad and Harardheere. Negotiations ongoing.
3+ weeks:
MV PATRIOT: The German owned, but Maltese-flagged bulk-carrier with 17 crew of which 15 are Filipino is held near Eyl (IO). Negotiations ongoing.
2+ weeks:
MV ARIANA: The British owner-managed and Greek operated, but Antigua and Barbuda-flagged freighter with 24-men crew (all of Ukrainian nationality) is held near Harardheere (IO). Negotiations started.
11+ days:
MV VICTORIA: The German owned, but Antigua and Barbuda- flagged cargo vessel was sea-jacked by eight pirates on May 5, 2009 in the Gulf of Aden. The 11 Romania crew with one woman are all-right, given the circumstances. Negotiations started.
9+ days:
MV MARATHON: Seized on May 7, 2009. The small coke fuel carrier, with 8 all-Ukrainian crew is owned by the Netherlands but Netherlands-Antilles flagged. The Dutch frigate De Zeven Provinciën as well as a Spanish warship have the vessel boxed in at 29 nm off Laasmacaan on the Gulf of Aden coast. Situation on board extremely tense.
Still missing:
Since 28th April 2009: Akio Yonago's 36-foot sailboat, the S/Y EMU II and another yacht it was sailing together with from the Seychelles.
Wanted:
Crew (6 Syrians and 6 Indians) of MT AGIA BARBARA Wanted for Murder: The crew still at large ! Vessel was observed in Dubai after it fled from Mogadishu and vessel position later indicated that it was loading again at the Al Basra Oil Terminal, Iraq
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