A calmer week in the political world, but things don't stop on the water. 
The Combined Maritime Forces have been particularly busy this week, with CTF 150 seizing two large narcotics shipments in the Arabian Sea. The first, around 400kg of heroin and then the second, just under 2000kg of hashish, were seized by the French Navy ship, La Fayette. Proof once again that there are an awful lot of drugs being smuggled through the Indian Ocean.
In the Gulf of Guinea, Ghana hasn't ignored recent pirate incidents in its waters, and has been arresting vessels suspected of illegal bunkering and other activities. There are calls for new legislation to further suppress maritime crime in the nation's waters. 
In Nigeria, the 'Maritime Security Agency' (yet another body) has called for the creation of a Maritime Security Agency Act. If anything, Nigeria needs to take a hard look at the multiple agencies vying to protect its waters and streamline it significantly in order to ensure a proper hierarchy. Or maybe create a Coast Guard at long last. 
Southeast Asia has seen some sabre-rattling this week, as China's PLA Navy hold a live fire drill near Taiwan. No message being sent there…
In the Sulu-Celebes region, plagued by the threat of Abu Sayyaf terrorists, Malaysia has called for an expansion of the INDOMALPHI trilateral patrols. This would no doubt be welcomed by vessels transiting the region.
Finally, we look at the latest tech being tested by the US Navy: Common Unmanned Surface Vehicles.

Regards,
David Rider                  
Editor       

A mixed bag of maritime news this week. We began the week with reports of what might be the largest crew kidnapping off Nigeria in recent years. The FWN Rapide was attacked and boarded by pirates who then escaped with 11 crew members from the ship. One man hid for two days while the two remaining crew managed to get the ship underway. 
Elsewhere in Nigeria, there are reports from Delta that a group of militants who had been threatening to attack oil infrastructure have now gone back on their threats. Analysts in the region aren't so sure, but time will tell.
In the Indian Ocean Region, the CMF and EU NAVFOR have hosted the 42nd Shared Awareness and De-confliction (SHADE) meeting in Bahrain. The event allows a variety of nation states to gather to discuss maritime security in the region. Off Yemen, meanwhile, Saudi Arabia this week accused Houthi rebels of detaining more than 19 tankers at sea, off Hodeidah port. It's an interesting twist and could yet be used as a reason for the coalition to enter Hodeidah, the last major port under Houthi control.
In Southeast Asia, piracy has been under discussion. Specifically, whether one, sole reporting body would be better placed to cover maritime crime and piracy. That's what was under discussion at a round table chaired by ReCAAP. 
Off Malaysia, the MMEA foiled a pirate attack against a fishing vessel and, a few days later, scooped up the suspects believed to be behind it.