EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...Bonny Island to Port Harcourt with approximately 24 combined passengers on...

Strictly Private & Confidential 1

United Kingdom | Kenya | Tanzania | South Africa | Nigeria | Ghana

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Ten incidents were recorded globally during the reporting period

East Africa HRA and Indian Ocean: One incident was recorded during the reporting period

West Africa HRA: Five incidents were recorded during the reporting period

South and Southeast Asia: Four incidents were recorded during the reporting period

Americas: No incidents were recorded during the reporting period

ADVISORIES

Indian Ocean: New threat warning to Indian ports from sea born terrorism

Southeast Asia: Increased kidnapping threat from ASG in Malaysian waters

RECORDED INCIDENTS



EAST AFRICA HRA AND INDIAN OCEAN THREAT LEVEL: SUBSTANTIAL

REGIONAL SUMMARY

One incident was recorded during the reporting period

Continuous piracy threat off the Somali coast and extending to the Gulf of Aden and Gulf of Oman. Actors involved in the ongoing conflict in Yemen have targeted vessels transiting the Bab-el-Mandeb Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS); increased vigilance is advised during daylight hours

High pressure dominates the weather pattern over the region producing mostly clear skies. Southwest monsoon conditions resume after and will continue until September. Expect increased localised wind flow through the Strait of Hormuz due to funneling effects (Source: US ONI)

RECORDED INCIDENTS

1. 23/09/19. 1925 UTC. CRIMINAL BOARDING. 17:03:48N - 082:26:12E. ICC-IMB. Kakinada Anchorage, India. Four individuals boarded an anchored LPG tanker using a grappling hook and stole an unknown quantity of vessel stores. The alarm was raised by a crewmember and the perpetrators escaped using their skiff. The incident was reported to port authorities.



WEST AFRICA HRA THREAT LEVEL: SEVERE REGIONAL SUMMARY

Five incidents were recorded during the reporting period

Continuous threat off Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana in addition to the coastlines of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo

High pressure continues to dominate the weather in the region. Isolated thunderstorms and rain showers can be routinely expected along the Gulf of Guinea coast (Source: US ONI)

RECORDED INCIDENTS

1. 26/09/19. 1100 UTC. HIJACK. 04:30:00N - 007:10:60E. NYA. 1.5 NM W of Bonny Island, Nigeria. Armed men on board one or two speedboats simultaneously hijacked two passenger vessels transiting from Bonny Island to Port Harcourt with approximately 24 combined passengers on board. The perpetrators robbed the passengers of their money and personal belongings. Two passengers, including a prominent local councillor, were kidnapped. 2. 26/09/19. 1100 UTC. HIJACK. 04:30:00N - 007:10:60E. NYA. 1.5 NM W of Bonny Island, Nigeria. Armed men on board one or two speedboats simultaneously hijacked two passenger vessels transiting from Bonny Island to Port Harcourt with approximately 24 combined passengers on board. The perpetrators robbed the passengers of their money and personal belongings. Two passengers, including a prominent local councillor, were kidnapped.

3. 23/09/2019. 0730 UTC. CRIMINAL BOARDING. 04:25:26N – 007:21:06E. NYA. 1 NM E of Bonny Island, Nigeria. Armed men on board a speedboat attack and boarded local fishing vessels with the intent to steal properties. The reporting vessel’s crew raised the alarm and Nigerian naval forces responded.



4. 23/09/2019. 0730 UTC. CRIMINAL BOARDING. 04:25:26N – 007:21:06E. NYA. 1 NM E of Bonny Island, Nigeria. Armed men on board a speedboat attack and boarded local fishing vessels with the intent to steal properties. The reporting vessel’s crew raised the alarm and the Nigerian Navy responded. 5. 23/09/2019. 0315 UTC. CRIMINAL BOARDING. 06:17:42N – 003:14:06E. IMO. Lagos Secure Anchorage Area, Nigeria. Two perpetrators boarded an anchored tanker vessel and threatened the watchmen on board. The watchmen raised the alarm and the Nigerian Navy responded. Subsequent investigations found that the vapour locks on the forward cargo tanks had been opened and the vessel’s razor wire broken.



SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST ASIA THREAT LEVEL: SUBSTANTIAL REGIONAL SUMMARY

Four incidents were recorded during the reporting period

Criminal boarding’s remain the primary threat to the region. However, the threat from Extended Duration Cargo Theft (EDCT) is present across the Malacca Strait and South China Sea

Expect strong gusts in and around scattered thunderstorms throughout the Malacca Strait and the Andaman Sea due to funneling effects and daytime heating. The west Pacific Ocean’s Tropical Cyclone Season runs from April to October. Expect numerous Tropical Cyclones to impact the region during this timeframe that could change the forecast (Source: US ONI)

RECORDED INCIDENTS

1. 25/09/19. 2206 UTC. CRIMINAL BOARDING. 01:36:00N - 104:31:60E. ICC-IMB. 16 NM E of Bandar Penawar, Johor, Malaysia. Three individuals boarded an anchored general cargo vessel. The alarm was raised by the duty officer who informed the OOW after spotting the perpetrators on the vessel’s forecastle. The perpetrators escaped using a mooring rope. 2. 25/09/19. 2015 UTC. CRIMINAL BOARDING. 01:34:00N - 104:31:00E. ICC-IMB. 16 NM E of Bandar Penawar, Johor, Malaysia. An undetermined number of perpetrators boarded an anchored tanker vessel, using the anchor cable to climb on board. The group stole vessel equipment from the forward store and escaped. The incident was reported to regional authorities. 3. 23/09/19. 1700 UTC. CRIMINAL BOARDING. 13:46:00N – 120:58:60E. ICC-IMB. Mabini Anchorage, Philippines. The duty officer on board an anchored tanker vessel noticed a perpetrator attempting to open the vessel’s anchor hawse pipe cover. The officer raised the alarm and the crew mustered. The perpetrator, having been alerted to the crew’s actions, escaped. All crewmembers were reported safe.



4. 23/09/19. 0358 UTC. HIJACK. 05:34:03N – 119:07:03E. ICC-IMB. 6.3 NM N of Pulau Tambisan, Sabah, Malaysia. Seven masked men armed with assault rifles on board two motorised pump vessels – believed to be members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) – boarded a fishing vessel. The perpetrators confiscated all crewmember documents and cell phones before abducting three Indonesian nationals. The perpetrators then fled with the kidnapped crewmembers in the direction of Philippine waters. Due to delayed reporting, the following incidents were not included in the last week’s report: 1. 18/09/19. 1900 UTC. CRIMINAL BOARDING. 01:06:35S – 116:44:03E. ICC-IMB. Dermaga Kencana Terminal, Balikpapan, Indonesia. Two individuals boarded a berthed chemical tanker vessel. A crewmember noticed the boarding and raised the alarm causing the perpetrators to escape. No theft was reported.



NYA SPECIAL ADVISORIES INDIAN OCEAN: NEW THREAT WARNING TO INDIAN PORTS FROM SEABORN TERRORISM

On 27 September India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated India’s commitment to maritime security but warned of the threat posed by “neighbouring country’s terrorists” to ports on India’s western coastline. Singh’s warning came in conjunction with an Indian Navy announcement that India will hold a three-day conference beginning 3 October between 10 nations from the Indian Ocean region, to discuss joint strategies targeting non-traditional maritime threats. NYA Analysis: It is highly likely Singh’s remarks referred to neighbouring Pakistan, with whom India has been engaged in a military confrontation with since February. On 29 August officials at India’s Adani and Kandla ports increased security and warned port and vessel operators to increase vigilance. The revised security measures were based on information from India’s intelligence apparatus that violent extremists had recently entered the Gulf of Kutch and possessed the capabilities to attack port facilities via above and below surface means. Although no attempted attacks have been recorded following the announcements, security is likely to be heightened at Indian ports as tensions between the neighbouring countries remains high. Thus, international shipping and vessel operators are advised to remain alert when docking at ports along India’s western coastline; and be prepared for more stringent security protocols and longer berthing times in the short to medium term. SOUTHEAST ASIA: INCREASED KIDNAPPING THREAT FROM ASG IN MALAYSIAN WATERS

On 28 September IMB disseminated a warning to all vessels transiting off eastern Sabah, Malaysia based on intelligence from Philippine and Malaysian authorities that suspected Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) militants had been monitored heading towards Semporna waters intent on kidnapping foreign nationals. The alert followed a kidnapping incident on 23 September in which three Indonesian fishermen were abducted in waters off Pulau Tambisian, Sabah by an armed group that authorities believed were ASG affiliated.

NYA Analysis: The 28 September alert follows an increase in activity by ASG off the islands of the Sulu Archipelago. The 23 September incident shared a similar modus operandi with a double hijacking on 17 June in which nine fishermen were kidnapped from two vessels in Semporna waters by armed men. In this instance, the fishermen were released on 22 June after it became apparent their families could not afford to pay the ransom. The latest kidnapping will likely produce a similar outcome; hence authorities believe ASG-affiliated kidnapping groups have reverted to targeting foreign nationals. As ASG seek to raise finances, it is likely the group will attempt to increase high value kidnap for ransom operations targeting foreign tourists and international shipping. Therefore, all passenger and commercial operators transiting the waters off Sabah and within the Sulu Archipelago are advised to exert heightened caution as the threat from kidnapping groups will likely remain elevated in the short to medium term.



ANNEX A - THREAT TERMINOLOGY

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).

THT LEVEL DESCRIPTION

TERMINOLOGY DESCRIPTION

Critical The likelihood of an incident is certain

Severe The likelihood of an incident is almost certain

Substantial The likelihood of an incident is probable

Moderate The chances of an incident are about even

Low The likelihood of an incident is improbable

Mo

Piracy: NYA uses a modified version of the definition of piracy adopted by BMP5. For the purposes of this report, the term ‘piracy’ includes all violent and non-violent acts against vessels, her crew and cargo occurring either in internal waterways, territorial waters or deep offshore. Based on this definition, NYA classifies piracy incidents into six categories:

Hijacking – Crew lost control of the vessel and / or pirates kidnapped at least one crewmember and / or passenger(s)

Boarding – Pirates successfully board a vessel with the intent to hijack it but their attempt to take control of the vessel or kidnap crewmember(s) and / or passenger(s) failed

Attack – Vessel was attacked with gunfire or RPG fire, no boarding was successfully completed

Pirate Action Group (PAG) – Sighting or reporting of firearms and boarding equipment on board a suspicious vessel or sighting of a confirmed pirate mother ship

Criminal boarding – Vessel boarded with criminal intent, theft does not have to occur

Suspicious approach – Suspicious activity reported (i.e. a vessel was approached by unidentified skiff(s) with one or more persons on board)

LIMITATION

Our opinion and advice are given on the basis of the information given to us in our instructions and the

surrounding circumstances known to us to exist at the time when those instructions are given. We do not

accept responsibility for verifying the information or investigating beyond its limits. Subsequent changes to

relevant information or to the surrounding circumstances may affect the reliability of our opinion and

advice but we do not accept responsibility for that effect. We do not accept responsibility for the outcome

of action taken or not taken as a result of our opinion and advice unless the possibility of that action being

taken or not taken is set out in specific terms in our instructions. global team. NYA prevention consultants are

CONTACT US: UK Global Head Office:

Switchboard: +44 (0) 118 900 1406

Operations Centre (24 hrs): +44 (0) 118 900 1417

[email protected]

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...Bonny Island to Port Harcourt with approximately 24 combined passengers on...

Documents

Transcript of EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...Bonny Island to Port Harcourt with approximately 24 combined passengers on...