Merchant shipping is advised that recent piracy attacks have occurred outside the current pirate activity area which is bordered by 60 East and 10 South.  Some attacks have been successfully averted by the vessels complying with the industry Best Management Practices (BMP), proper use of Self Protection Measures, and utilising the usual good practice of seamanship.  In view of the vast area bounded by 60 East and 10 South it is imperative that Merchant Shipping comply with the BMP, in order to prevent piracy attacks as much as possible. Regular reporting of ships' positions to UKMTO Dubai ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) when entering the reporting area bound by Suez, 10S and 78E will improve the situational awareness of the military forces.  It is essential that ships harden themselves against attacks, and maintain 24/7 piracy watches throughout their voyage through the Indian Ocean. Therefore the best advice is to be vigilant and to act promptly when approached by small craft. The BMP can be accessed via any shipping association web site.

Recent News - Attacks and Seizures

Frigia - SEIZED - Malta - 7507485 - seized 20100323 1333ZMAR10 - 1727.5N  05642.4E - 21 seafarers - Turkish owned vessel.  Note that this is around 1000 miles away from Somalia

Navios Apollon - Greece - 9211145 - 20091228 / 20100228 - 800 miles off Somalia, 03 22S; Long 59 44 E - 19 seafarers (1 Greek / 18 Filipino) - Tampa to India (fertiliser) [63 days under seizure]

Al-Khaliq - Panama - 8307155 - 20091022 / 20100209 - 0429S 05226EE - 26 seafarers (24 Indians and 2 Burmese) - Indian interests

De Xin Hai - China - 9364758 - 20091019 / 20091228 - 0153N 06005E - 25 seafarers (Chinese)

Ariana - Malta - 8014150 - 20090502 / 20091212 - 07.19S, 052.11E -  24 Ukrainian seafarers - Greek/UK interests, soya Brazil to Middle East

Filitsa - Marshall Islands - 9136929 -  20091111/ 20100201 - 00 36S 062 40E - 22 crew (3 Greek Officers and 19 Filipino) - Greek owned

Delvina - Marshall Islands - 9384796 - 20091105 / 20091217 - 09 44S 045 52E - 21 crew (7 Ukrainians and 14 Filipinos) - Greek owned

Horizon I - Turkish - 7625732 - 20090708 / 20091005 - Aden Bay, 23 crew -

Irene E M - St Vincent - 7433593 - 20090414 / 20090913 - 12.51 N, 048.11E - 22 Filipino seafarers - Greek managed

Patriot - Malta -  20090425 / 20090520 - Gulf of Aden, 150 nm off Mukalla - 17 seafarers - Grain

Malaspina Castle - Panama - 20090406 / 20090509 12:33N – 049:02E - 24 seafarers (1 Rus, 2 Ukr, 16 Bulg, 4 Filipino, 1 Indian) - Iron Ore

Saldanha - Malta - 200902022 / 20090425 - 12:33.98N - 047:01.32E - 22 seafarers (2 Rom, 1 Ukr, 19 Filipino) - Greek Managers, coal from Newcastle NSW to Koper 

Titan - St Vincent - 20090315 / 20090415 - Aden Bay - 24 seafarers - Iron Ore Black Sea to Korea -

Delight - Hong Kong - 20081118 / 20090112 - 25 seafarers (Iranian) - Grain ex China to Bandar Abbas

African Sanderling -  Panama - 20081015 / 20090112 - 14.02N / 050.07E -  21 seafarers (Filipino) - ex Jordan with Fertilisers

Yasa Nesilhan - Turkish -  20081030 / 20090106 - 13.00N / 046.40E - 20 seafarers (Turkish) - Iron ore Canada to China

Capt Stefanos - Bahamas - 20080921 / 20081206 -02.30N / 51.59E - 19 seafarers (17 Filipino, 1 Chinese, I Ukr) - Coal

Great Creation - Hong Kong - 20080918 / 20081119  - 14.13N – 49.59E - 25 crew (23 China, 1 Hong Kong, 1 Sri Lanka) - Chinese owned, HK managed, coal ex Tunisia to India

Centauri - Malta - 7701354 - 20080918 / 20081128 - 02.22.22N-50.55.26E - 26 Filipino - Salt, Tunisia to Mombassa 

Bright Ruby - Korea - 20080910 / 20081016 - 21 crew (8 Korean, 13 Burmese) - Korean interests 

Iran Deyanat - Iran - 20080821 / 20081010 - 28 crew (3 Indina, 2 Russ, 2 Pakistan, 1 Syria, 20 Iran) - Nanjing to Netherlands with bauxite, alumina etc

Stella Maris - Panama - 20080720 / 20081011 - “Off Calula" - 18 Filipino crew - Lead and Zinc / Townsville – Spain and UK


2.  Other vessels currently held or seized / released during 2010

Information to be updated but on 20100528, it was believed that a total of 14 vessels of all types and 376 crew were being held hostage

Key : Name of vessel (type) - status if SEIZED - flag - IMO No - dates of seizure / release - details/place of seizure  - seafarers - remarks

20100802 : Suez - SEIZED 20100802 1302N 04854E. MV SUEZ was travelling in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) when attacked. Immediately after the first report a helicopter was directed to the ship but pirates had already taken over the command of the vessel. The MV SUEZ, deadweight 17, 300 tonnes with a crew of 23 (Egypt, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India Nationalities), is a Panama flagged merchant vessel with a cargo of cement bags. EU NAVFOR is monitoring the situation.

20100705 :  Motivator (Chemical Tanker) - SEIZED - Marshall Islands - 20100705 / 1317N  042 57E (North of Bab al Mandab straits - Red Sea) - 18 crew

20100628 : Merchant vessel attacked 280330ZJun10 in posn 1323N 04959E. vessel captured. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area they are to exercise extreme caution

201006  : QSM Dubail, General Cargo, RELEASED after storming by Puntland Forces.  24 crew.  Seized in IRTC.

20100512 : Eleni P : Bulk Carrier - see above

20100511 : Pahega

20100419 : VOC DAISY (see Bulk Carrier details above) attacked at 210554ZAPR10 posn 1625N 05718E. Shots fired. Vessel captured. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area they are to exercise extreme caution.

20100404 : Tanker, Samho Dream seized

20100411 : RAK Afrikana : Merchant vessel attacked at 110632ZAPR10 posn 0448S – 05101EE. Vessels boarded. Naval assets responding. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area they are to exercise extreme caution.

20100331 : Al Barari

20100330 : Iceberg 1 (3,960 dwt ro-ro) : 10 miles outside of Aden. 24 crew

20100329 : Talca (Reefer) : c 120 nm off Oman and 180 nm S. of Mazera.  En route from Egypt to Iran. 23 crew ex Sri Lanka, 1 from Philippines and one from Syria.  RELEASED ??

20100323 : Frigia - Bulk Carrier : see above

20100305 : UBT Ocean (Chemical Tanker) SEIZED 5 March 09:12S 044:20E / released 20100720 - Marslall Islands - fuel oil from UAE to tanzania - Norwegiian owned

20100302 : AL NISR AL SAUDI  Merchant vessels was pirated  on leaving the port of ADEN . Temporary high risk area established. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area to exercise extreme caution.

201003?? : Sakoba

201002 : General Cargo ship, Rim.  RELEASED 6.10 by crew revolt.  Crew 9 Syrians and 1 Romanian

20100101 : Asian Glory

20091228 : St James' Park (Chemical Tanker) : seized 20091228 / RELEASED 20100513 - 26 crew (3 Filipinos, 3 Russians, 1 Georgian, 2 Romanian,  5 Bulgarian, 2 Ukrainian, 1 Polish, 6 Indian, 3 Turkish

20091225 : Socotra 1

3.  Other recent attacks and hijackings (attack details shown here for max two weeks)

20100810 : Merchant Vessel attacked in position 2942N  04840E.  DTG 083030LT Aug10. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area they are to exercise extreme caution

20100808 : Merchant Vessel attacked in position 2941N  04840E.  DTG 083030LT Aug10. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area they are to exercise extreme caution

 20100804 : Merchant Vessel in position 1548.6N  04125.7E has been fired upon. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area they are to exercise extreme caution

20100803 : Aug 3 -- A press report, dated today, states: The European Union Naval Force said pirates attacked combined chemical and oil tank Bow Saga (29965 gt, built 2007) in the Gulf of Aden early today but that an EU helicopter sent to the scene stopped the attack. The EU force said the vessel sent a distress call that it was under attack by a pirate skiff with seven people on board. The pirates shot at Bow Saga's bridge, damaging the windows. The Spanish frigate Victoria sent a helicopter 10 minutes after the first distress call, and the pirates stopped the attack. A second EU team stopped the pirate skiff and boarded it, finding weapons.

20100803 : Merchant Vessel in position 1256N  04808 E has been fired upon. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area they are to exercise extreme caution

20100613 : Merchant vessel 131234ZJUN10 attacked in posn 1324N 04925E. Shots fired, vessel evaded capture. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area they are to exercise extreme caution.

20100607 : Merchant vessels attacked at  071033ZJUN10 posn 1323.4N  04246E. cse 021 14.5kts  Shots fired. Vessels evaded attack. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area to exercise extreme caution.

20100604 : Merchant vessel chased at 041510ZJUN10 posn 1321N 04248E. No shots fired vessel evaded capture. Vessels are warned that if passing within 100nm of this area they are to exercise extreme caution.

4.  Significant Bulk Carrier attacks in 2009 (Other than Gulf of Aden)

20100817 : The Bulk Carrier Bet Fighter was attacked by pirates on 17 Aug 2010 at 3 Deg 05 N, 105 Deb 07 E, about 28nm NW of Pulau Mangkai.  Cash, stores, and crew belongings were stolen.  The crew had been threatened with knives.

20100702 : (Following news has been supplied by GAC World) A maritime security alert has been issued for the Gulf of Guinea following a forecast rise in political tensions on the land, as well as an attack on two cargo ships on 2 July. The BBC Polonia, a German flagged cargo ship was one of two ships making their way to Onne port near Port Harcourt when it was attacked. One person was killed and twelve hostages were taken during the incident. The hostages were eventually released on 4 July near Bonny Island in the south of Rivers state but it is not clear if a ransom was paid to the kidnappers.


20100612 : Bulk Carrier "Trans Pacific" (IMO 9283643) was attacked by piirates in the vicinity of Pulau Mangkai (3.49.8 N; 105.46.87E) Indonesia. Eight robbersn boarded from a speedboat, tied up the Master and the crew and ransacked the crew quarters, stealing personal belongings. There have been five incidents in this area since January 2010.  (Information supplied by ReCaap).

20100510 : Bulk Carrier "Performer" - While anchored in the southeast of Tanjung Ayam, Malaysia, six to seven armed robbers boarded the vessel.  It was noted that nothing was stolen from the vessel and none of the crew was injured. This is the seventh reported incident in the vicinity since January 2010.  (Source : ReCaap)

20100409 : Bulk Carrier Star Ypsilon was robbed by seven armed men approximately 20nm northwest of Pulau Jemanja while underway and at night.  Another vessel had been robbed at a similar location two days before.  ReCaap advises that vessels are most at risk from attacks at the stern and that additional watches should be considered.  Vessels which have been attacked are urged to immediately contact the nearest coastal state and the relevant authorities.

20091117 : Nov 21 -- Bulk carrier Florinda (32415 gt, built 2008) was attacked by 10 pirates while under way off the Anambas Island in Indonesia on Nov 17. The Singapore-based ReCaap (Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia) Information Sharing Centre reported that the crew was forced to give up their cash and belongings after being threatened by the pirates. 

20090901 : Duden - was attacked on three separate occasions in the Gulf of Guinea from late June to 1 September. In these attacks, there were a cumulative total of six injuries were to the crew.

20090831 : Good Luck - attacked by armed pirates West of Pulau Nipa, South of Singapore.  Thwarted when the Master sounded the alarm.  Our thanks to the ReCAAP organisation for this information.

Intercargo Policy

• To work within the Round Table and the IMO / United Nations to end  piracy in the Gulf of Aden and elsewhere.
• To receive reports from members on their response to the situation, including possible operational responses such as routing via the Cape and BMP practices designed to deter attacks.
• To impress on all authorities, the need to maintain sufficient naval capability to support the UN objectives of stabilising the region and supporting the World Food Programme, where Intercargo members have a strong involvement in securing humanitarian aid to the region.
• To seek every available means to secure a safe release of all  seafarers held hostage and to bring the pirates to justice.
• The safety of seafarers remains Intercargo’s prime concern.

Intercargo is pleased to assist any Dry Bulk Shipowner, irrespective of Association Membership, who would like information about the latest version of the Industry Best Management Practices guidance.