From our friends and colleagues at Dryad Global:
Reporting indicates that the M/T NAVE CONSTELLATION has been attacked deep offshore. Having been boarded, the pirates are believed to have left the vessel with 19 crew members (18 Indians and 1 Turkish). Indications are that 7 crews are still on board the tanker.
This incident is the 6th maritime security incident and the fourth kidnapping incident to occur within 30nm of the South Eastern boundary of the Nigerian EEZ within 2019. This is further confirmation of a developing trend of incidents that are assessed to be perpetuated by a well-resourced pirate action group, most likely operating from one or more mother-ship vessels.
It is assessed that this private armed group (PAG) is aware of the limitations of security prescience beyond the Nigerian EEZ and is seeking to exploit traffic conducting operations at or in support of oil infrastructure located along the north eastern fringes of the Nigerian EEZ and within the 60nm channel between the Nigerian EEZ and Bioko Island.
This latest incident occurred 26nm SE of the Egina terminal. Within this, vessels conducting operations at the Egina, Usan and Serpentina terminals are assessed to be operating at heightened risk in the medium to longer term.[1]
OilPrice.com recently reported that One Earth Future's annual State of Maritime Piracy report highlights incidents of hijacking, kidnapping, robberies and boarding attempts on the high seas. In recent years, they have recorded a steady drop in the number of incidents in East Africa and around Somalia in particular, which was a hotspot for pirate attacks for years.[2] This pullback has allowed West Africa to take over as Africa’s biggest piracy hotspot. Oil piracy is also big in the Gulf of Mexico, where the number of incidents is also on the rise for 2019.
Red Sky Alliance is in New Boston, NH. We are a Cyber Threat Analysis and Intelligence Service organization. For questions, comments or assistance, please contact the lab directly at 1-844-492-7225, or feedback@wapacklabs.com
[1] https://dryadglobal.com/channel-16/
[2] https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Pirates-Hijack-Fully-Loaded-Supertanker-Off-Nigeria.html
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