Dare-devil pirates have attacked an MSC containership in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of Nigeria after a long cessation of such attacks.
The incident, which occurred on Monday, October 25, was first reported by Dryad Global a maritime security firm which specializes in reporting the activities of pirates and piracy-related news.
Dryad Global disclosed that the containership, identified as the MSC Lucia, was boarded by an unknown number of pirates; approximately 86 nautical miles southwest of the offshore Agbami Oil Terminal, located approximately 70nm south-southwest of the Niger Delta.
At the time of the report, the maritime security firm had stated that the incident is believed to be ongoing; while it also advised other vessels transiting the area to exercise extreme caution. Further, it had revealed that a Navy vessel was inbound to confront the attackers.
The MSC Lucia is a Panama-flagged containership measuring 189 meters in length and 1,951 TEU, according to MSC’s website. The ship was built in 1985.
Meanwhile, the ICC International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) latest quarterly global piracy report showed that the number of reported incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships globally has fallen to the lowest in decades.
The report stated that incidents in the Gulf of Guinea region; widely regarded as the global hotspot for pirate activity over the last several years; fell to 28 incidents of piracy and armed robbery in the first nine months of 2021. This is compared to 46 for the same period in 2020.
Additionally, Nigeria only reported four incidents in the first nine months of 2021; in comparison to 17 in 2020 and 41 in 2018. Crew kidnappings in the region have also dropped with only one crew member kidnapped in Q3 2021; compared to 31 crew members taken in five separate incidents during Q3 2020.
Michael Howlett, Director, ICC IMB had hailed the reduced spate of pirate attacks as step in the right direction.
“We welcome the decrease of piracy and armed robbery attacks in the Gulf of Guinea and the efforts taken by maritime authorities in the region.
“However, there needs to be sustained efforts to ensure the continued safety of seafarers as they transport essential goods throughout the region. Coastal States must redouble their coordination and security measures to ensure that piracy and armed robbery incidents continue to decline.”
