Pirates Fire upon LPG Tanker off Congo

A group of armed pirates attacked an LPG tanker carrying out bunkering operations on October 29, around 101 nautical miles West of Pointe Noire, the Republic of the Congo.

IMB Piracy Reporting Centre said that pirates in a speed boat chased and fired upon the LPG tanker causing the ship to trigger emergency bunker stop procedure and cast off.

The master employed evasive manoeuvres and increased speed, managing to escape the pirates.

All crew members are reported to be safe.

The attack is being reported two days after 11 crew members of MV Pomerenia Sky, a containership operated by Germany’s Peter Dohle Schiffahrts, were kidnapped off Nigeria.

Midocean (IOM) Ltd informed that nine crew members remained on board the containership and were unharmed, according to Reuters. The company added that the vessel proceeded to safe waters.

A total of 156 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported to the ICC International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) in the first nine months of 2018 compared to 121 for the same period in 2017.

The Gulf of Guinea accounts for 57 of the 156 reported incidents, with the majority of these incidents, 41, reported in and around Nigeria.

In a related development, sequel to kidnap threat by Abu Sayyaf Group, ship masters and crew members have been urged to be vigilant when transiting the waters off Eastern Sabah and Sulu-Celebes seas.

The warning was given by the Asian piracy watchdog adding that Abu Sayyaf is one of the most violent jihadist groups in the southern Philippines, notorious for kidnappings for ransom.

According to a warning issued by the Philippine Coast Guard, a group of approximately 10 Abu Sayyaf Group members armed with pistol, rifles and grenade launcher is planning to conduct kidnapping activities at any opportune time in undisclosed areas in Sabah.

The armed group is primarily targeting businessmen or crew of foreign vessels passing through the area, the coast guard informed.

The group is said to be using unmarked coloured blue and white motorbanca locally known as jungkong.

The militant group is known for keeping mariners in captivity for months or even years in dire conditions, sometimes even resulting in execution.

This is in particular due to the fact that the Philippine government has adopted a no-ransom policy when dealing with the militant group, reports World Maritime.