UKHO Releases Anti-Piracy Chart

(Picture: UKHO)

The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has released a 'anti-piracy' chart free of charge.

This chart covers the Somali coast, Arabian sea and Gulf of Aden.

It also includes important advice on actions in the event of pirates attacking.

The intention is that making this chart freely available will encourage all vessels transiting this area to carry a copy.

A PDF version of chart Q6633 is available to download here.

Indiscriminate Piracy a Fact of Life

(Photo: Reuters)

Any vessel transiting the Somali coast or further offshore risks attack by pirates and not just those ship or crews of the greatest value.

After 10 days of captivity and beatings the Indian crew of the dhow 'Vishvakalyan' were surly relieved to see the Portuguese naval vessel NRP Corte-Real, seen behind the crew of the dhow in the picture above.

Their release was not to be the end of their ordeal, once the pirates departed it became apparent that they had left them with absolutely no supplies.

Fortunately it was only a day until help came in the form of the NATO flagship of operation 'Protector' NRP Corte-Real.

This vessel was able to offer much needed aid to the crew.

The story is not without some controversy though, it has been noted that the dhows cargo of charcoal is understood to have originated from the port of Brava, south of Mogadishu.

Charcoal is a banned export from Somalia.

EU Continues Commitment to Fighting Piracy

(Photo: EU NAVFOR)

The European Union has yesterday announced that it is to continue it's commitment to fighting piracy off the Somali coast.

Operation 'Atalanta', currently consisting of 13 warships and 3 surveillance aircraft, was due to cease in December this year.

It will now continue it's work until the 13th December 2010.

Combined Maritime Forces Update Advice to Mariners

The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) group has offered an update to earlier advice regarding the current piracy situation and lessons learn from recent incidents.

They are also clear in drawing attention to the fact that despite the freely available piracy best practice guide and wealth of information available for ship operators/managers the basic precautions for preventing successful pirate attacks are not being followed.

Low speed/low freeboard vessels continue to prove easy pickings for the pirates, with good sea state/visibility aiding them further.

They also highlight the recent attacks taking place at night, this could be the early signs of the adoption of new tactics.

This might indicate an awareness that a stealthy approach and boarding would deny a member of the coalition of navies both the opportunity and time to intervene. While safe in the knowledge that once onboard and in control of a vessel the International navies present are reticent to intervene in case the crews are used as hostages.

Somali Cruises

Despite the desperate situation along the coast of Somalia someone can still find a humorous take on the situation.

A spoof cruise company, Somali Cruises, offers an alternative to the rather more sedate world cruises. While the testimonials are either amusingly self effacing or highlight a rather more disturbing parody of gun-toting stereotypes.

IMO Recognises Deteriorating Somali Situation

(European Press Association)

The deputy director of Maritime Security and Facilitation at the International Maritime Organization, Nicolaos Charalambous, recognised the severity of the Somali/Gulf of Aden in a speech given at the Kuala Lumpur International Conference on Piracy and Crimes At Sea yesterday.

"The situation is a symptom of a wider problem of lack of (a functioning and effective central) government and the rule of law, both ashore in Somalia and the sea (of Somalia".

Pirate Attacks Continue to Increase

A statement issued by Captain Pottengal Mukundan, director of the International Maritime Bureau yesterday highlights the desperate times currently being experienced by mariners transiting security hotspots.

The worst increases in crime in the 1st quarter of 2009 once again come from the Somali/Gulf of Aden area.

The Somali/Gulf of Aden issue in numbers:

62% of global pirate attacks take place in the Somali/Gulf of Aden area
21% of vessels appraoced in this area are then fired upon
12% of attacks end in a successful hijacking
478 is the number of seafarers currently held hostage hostage

All of this highlights the desperate problems that are very real to the mariners operating in this area.