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Please find below our most recent Weekly Maritime Report. If you have any queries about our reports please contact us at africaops@castorvali.com

• One alert reported this week.
• Unauthorized Boarding of Fishing Vessel off Cotonou, Benin on December 5.
• Despite recent overall drop in incident reports, vessels and their crew members operating in the wider West African/Gulf of Guinea region remain at risk.
• An advisory issued on 12 December 2023 by MDAT-GoG warning of a Pirate Action Group (PAG) operating in the Gulf remains in effect.

• Ships in the area are advised to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities

On 5th December at 22:55 UTC, a Fishing Vessel located 9NM southeast of Cotonou Port, Benin, was boarded by five unauthorized armed individuals from a wooden boat. Additional reports indicate the pirates kidnapped the Master, who is of Chinese origin and stole personal items from the crew.

ANALYSIS: The Benin Republic Navy dispatched a military vessel to assist. The Fishing Vessel is currently docked at Cotonou Port, and authorities are conducting an investigation into the incident.

• One alert reported this week.
  • Piracy aboard Fishing Vessel off Puntland, Somalia on December 5.
• One alert reported which occurred during previous reporting period.
  • Attack aboard Container Ship in Gulf of Aden on December 1.
• Despite an overall decrease in attacks, reports of sightings and suspicious approaches continue, posing significant risks to vessels transiting the Northern Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea.
• Harassment of vessels by IRGC in and around Strait of Hormuz is expected to continue.
• Continued reports of Pirate Action Group (PAG) operating in the region. It is assessed that this PAG is likely seeking additional ships to target.
• Thirteen armed individuals departed from Somalia, heading into the Indian Ocean, on October 23.

The European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation ATALANTA has received an alert from the Puntland Maritime Police Force concerning a Chinese Fishing Vessel allegedly hijacked off the northeast coast of Puntland, Somalia. The vessel remains within Somali territorial waters and is reportedly under the control of pirates, some of whom are armed with AK-47s and machine guns. The crew, comprising up to 18 individuals, is unharmed at this time.

ANALYSIS: EUNAVFOR ATALANTA assets have been deployed to monitor the situation, increase situational awareness, and gather information. Coordination efforts are ongoing with Somali and Chinese authorities, as well as the Delegation of the European Union to Somalia. The incident has been classified by EUNAVFOR as an armed robbery at sea and remains under investigation.

Update: Additional reports indicate that the vessel was hijacked while operating in the waters off Garmaal, Somalia. The vessel was reportedly boarded after entering the 12NM territorial waters, and was initially assessed as a fishing-related incident. A Spanish warship located the vessel on December 4, 2024, off Eyl, Somalia, confirming the hijacking. The Spanish warship has been monitoring the situation.

All vessels in the area are advised to proceed with caution and to report any suspicious activities to the UKMTO.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an attack on a vessel approximately 80NM south of Aden, Yemen. Further information indicates that the targeted vessel was the 2,500TEU American-flagged Container Ship MAERSK SARATOGA (IMO: 9289207). The Captain of the vessel reportedly observed smoke rising from the water about 1.5NM away and an unidentified object in the air.

ANALYSIS: The MAERSK SARATOGA, the medium range 2 (MR2) tanker STENA IMPECCABLE (IMO: 9693020), and the supramax bulker LIBERTY GRACE (all American-owned, -operated, -flagged), were being escorted by US Navy destroyers USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USS O’Kane (DDG 77) when the convoy was attacked. The naval vessels successfully neutralized multiple threats, including three anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs), three uncrewed aerial systems (OWA UAS), and one anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM), ensuring the safety of all vessels and crew.

All vessels in the area are advised to proceed with caution and to report any suspicious activities to the UKMTO.

• One alert reported this week.
• Robbery/Theft aboard General Cargo in Belawan Port on December 3.
• One alert reported which occurred during previous reporting period.
• Robbery/Theft aboard Bulk Carrier in Singapore Strait on December 1.
• At least 42 confirmed incidents this year to date, with 29 of those exhibiting similar characteristics and occurring within the Singapore Strait area.
• Phillip Channel remains key area of robberies and boardings within Singapore & Malacca Straits.
• Decrease in incidents in areas within Singapore territorial waters likely due to recent increased patrols by Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).

While the Singapore-flagged General Cargo Vessel PAC ALNATH (IMO: 9265926) was berthed at Belawan Port during cargo operations, the vessel's Chief Officer observed suspicious activity from the port seaward side while conducting deck rounds. A wooden boat with four individuals was spotted, with one attempting to board the vessel using a rope. Upon being confronted by the Chief Officer, the perpetrators fled the scene.

No crew members were injured, and no items were reported stolen. Following the incident, the Master and crew conducted a security debrief and implemented additional security measures, including assigning extra watchkeepers.

ANALYSIS: This is the fourth incident of this type reported this year in the vicinity of Belawan Port. Similar incidents have been reported in the area with armed personnel attempting theft and escaping when discovered.

Incidents within this region typically involve individuals armed with small knives or blunt objects. Robbers usually escape upon detection, with stolen ship properties, stores or cargo, with minimal violence occurring between crew and robbers. Based on the volume of incidents, however, vigilance should be maintained when transiting the area.

While underway in the Singapore Strait, the crew of the Panama-flagged Bulk Carrier SAKIZAYA MIRACLE (IMO: 9768019) observed approximately eight intruders, four of whom were armed with knives, in the engine control room.

The Master raised the alarm and mustered the crew to conduct a search, but no intruders were found. All crew members were accounted for, and there were no reported injuries. No further assistance was required.

ANALYSIS: The Master reported the incident to the Singapore Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS), prompting a safety navigational broadcast. The Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN) Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF) and Singapore Police Coast Guard (PCG) were notified, and information was shared with Indonesian authorities.

Upon the vessel's arrival at Singapore Anchorage, the PCG boarded the ship, conducted a search, and found no intruders. It was reported, however, that a crew member's legs and hands had been tied by the intruders, and engine spare parts were missing.

This incident brings the total number of reported incidents in the region to at least 42 this year, with 29 of those exhibiting similar characteristics and occurring within the Singapore Strait area.

• No alerts reported this week.
1. Most recent incident: Robbery aboard Offshore Supply Vessel in Campeche Bay, Mexico on October 25.
• Haiti remains area of instability and ever-worsening security conditions.
• Callao Anchorage, Peru remains an area where there is a higher frequency of reported incidents in the region; specifically, commercial vessels at anchor.
• Among the 13 incidents reported this year in the Americas, 8 occurred within Callao Anchorage: all between 0000-0800 hrs UTC.

[Last reported alert]

A robbery occurred aboard a Mexican-flagged Offshore Supply Vessel operating in Campeche Bay, Mexico. The perpetrators boarded the vessel from a small fishing boat, stealing vessel equipment and crew valuables before making their escape.

ANALYSIS: At least three of the armed robbers reportedly fired warning shots, injuring some crew members and forcibly transferring funds from crew members’ savings accounts. This marks the second such incident in ten days, with both events following a similar modus operandi: assailants armed with handguns approached the vessel, coerced crew members into transferring funds, and assaulted crew.

The report’s findings are predictive and estimative. To communicate these findings clearly and in order to accurately compare threat levels, the report uses a variation of terminology used by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

Piracy: CV has adopted the definition of piracy similar to that given in the BMP. Content within this document uses the term ‘piracy’ which includes all violent and non-violent acts against vessels, her crew and cargo which have taken place either in internal waterways, territorial waters or deep offshore. CV classifies piracy incidents into six categories:

Hijacking – Crew lost control of the vessel for a sufficient period of time and then pirates kidnapped at least one crewmember and/or passenger(s).

Pirate Attack – Vessel was attacked with gunfire or RPG fire and/or then boarded the vessel with the intent to hijack and/or kidnap at least one crewmember(s) and/or passenger(s).

Robbery – Vessel is boarded with criminal intent, theft does not have to occur.

Suspicious approach/vessels – Suspicious activity reported (i.e. a vessel was approached by unidentified craft with one or more persons on board) or sighting of firearms and boarding equipment on board a suspicious vessel and/or sighting of a confirmed pirate mother ship.

General Alert – A reported incident has been released by authorities to notify seafarers of a possible incident which is still being investigated/confirmed. This can also be a warning of an imminent Danger to seafarers.

Caution – An unconfirmed warning of an incident that could affect seafarers which AB Watchkeepers have received.

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You have received this report as part of your organisation’s subscription. Castor Vali assessment and advice is given based on the information received and processed by us and the surrounding circumstances known to us to exist at the time. Subsequent changes to relevant information or the surrounding circumstances may affect the reliability of our assessment and advice, but we do not accept responsibility for that effect. We do not accept responsibility for the outcome of any action taken or not taken as a result of our assessment and advice unless the possibility of that action being taken or not taken is set out in specific terms in our instructions.