Msr
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Dear Readers,
An interesting week for piracy watchers, as Nigeria and Southeast Asia identify new concerns. NIMASA, the Nigerian shipping organisation, released its own maritime crime figures this week. Or at least the ones that are reported officially; it's generally believed that a significant percentage remain unreported by companies unwilling to go through the hassles of investigation and the time they would lose as a result.
In Southeast Asia, a number of new kidnap-for-ransom gangs have been identified by the authorities in Sabah, underlining the risk to the maritime industry in the region.
In the Philippines, it's been revealed that armed Coast Guard operatives have been transiting with vessels in the Moro Gulf to ward off armed robbers and the threat posed by Abu Sayyaf Group terrorists. They've also been given a number of ScanEagle drones by the US, which should improve information gathering.
In the Indian Ocean Region, Pakistan has announced a new joint maritime information organisation (JMIO) to boost information sharing between maritime agencies and aid efforts against piracy and smuggling gangs.
Closer to home, allow me a moment of self-indulgence by including a piece I wrote on maritime cyber security and the real risks to shipping, rather than the fear mongering seen in certain quarters.
ear Readers,
A mixed bag this week, but we begin with good news. The four crew kidnapped from the ST Sierra Leyre have been released in Nigeria. There is no confirmation of whether a ransom was paid, but the business model there would suggest it's highly likely.
Piracy in the region has made the headlines several times this week, with a spate of attacks on passenger boats in Delta waterways. The incidents included one where a pregnant woman was shot in the stomach.
In the Indian Ocean Region, a group of 14 fishermen, abducted in the Sundabarns, Bangladesh, were freed by the authorities. Maritime crime is a problem in the region but rarely discussed.
The Combined Maritime Forces have had another busy week, notching up a series of massive drug seizures and sticking it to organised crime in the process.
Iran, meanwhile, doesn't want you to forget its still there. They began the week with a senior naval official making the somewhat bizarre claim that the US Navy was impotent against them. Wouldn't want to push that idea too far.
In other news, another batch of Somalis convicted of piracy have been returned to the country by the Indian authorities. The question now is, what will they do to make a living?
Regards,
David Rider