UKMTO Weekly Piracy Report #piracy #marsec

1. This week UKMTO issued two Advisories, 001/JAN/2018 and 002/JAN/2018, see page 3 for details.

2. On 06 JAN 2018 UKMTO received information from three separate merchant vessels, in an area in the Southern Red Sea, that they were approached to up to 1 cable by up to three rigid grey hulled boats with weapons, manned with up to 6 persons on each. None of the merchant vessels were attacked. See Advisory 001/JAN/2018 for further details. Subsequent reports indicate that a warship from the Saudi led coalition engaged the skiffs. All vessels and crew are SAFE.

3. On 09 JAN 2018 a Merchant Vessel in the Bab el Mandeb Straits was approached by 2 skiffs, each with 5 POB on each with their faces obscured. After some suspicious manoeuvres, skiffs aborted their approach at 3 cables, possibly due to rough seas. See Advisory 002/JAN/2018 for further details. Vessel and crew are SAFE.

4. UKMTO are aware of numerous media reports concerning the potential threat to shipping by the Houthis’ in the Southern Red sea area. We have seen nothing to corroborate these reports and the notice UKMTO issued in August 2017 presently remains extant. See page 4 for further details.

5. It has been reported by the International Maritime Bureau that piracy activity is at a 22 year low.

Download full report here