Merlin Global Maritime Weekly MarSec Brief

ASKET Operations Team
Sep 14, 2020
3 min read

SUMMARY

WAF

Two incidents to report in the last 7 days, an attempted robbery off Luanda and a boarding and kidnapping of two crew off Lagos. The Robbery is an example where good ISPS discipline on the ship saved all from anything worse. The Incident off Lagos is likely linked to the fishing vessel that was hijacked last week and is now being used as a mothership to attack other vessels. We hope that the two seafarers reported kidnaped are returned soon unharmed.

In addition, warning received from MDAT-GOG that "Information from military source indicate an armed group from Rivers State, NIGERIA are planning a piracy attack against vessels in area D (especially Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea) since the 1st of September. It is likely the attack will occur at low tide, when the monitoring units are missing.”

IOR

Continued security vigilance recommended for vessels transiting Arabian Gulf (Ag), Straits of Hormuz (Soh), Gulf of Oman (GoO), Red Sea, Gulf of Aden (GoA) and Indian Ocean. Increasing threats to, and intimidation of, commercial vessels have been reported in recent weeks.

Operators with vessels, particularly tankers, transiting these regions are encouraged to remain thoroughly vigilant. Vessels transiting the Arabian Gulf (AG), Straits of Hormuz (SoH) and Gulf of Oman (GoO) are encouraged to observe the Industry Reporting Guidance 19-07-21 released as a joint advisory from BIMCO, the International Chamber of Shipping, INTERTANKO and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF).

LIBYA

NOC reiterates its call for all oil facilities to be freed from military occupation to ensure the security and safety of its workers. Once this has been done, NOC should be able to lift force majeure and re-commence oil export operations. However, meantime , according to information received from our local correspondents in Libya, the situation in the Libyan oil export terminals that were placed under force majeure by Libya’s National Oil Corporation’s (NOC) in January 2020 remains unchanged.

The port situation in Libya as at 28th August 2020 is reported to be as follows:

Working: Farwah, Bouri, Melittah, Zawia, Tripoli, Al Khoms, Misurata, Marsa El Brega (only non-oil cargoes), Benghazi and Tobruk

Under force majeure by NOC: Es Sider, Ras Lanuf, Marsa El Brega, Zueitina and Marsa El Hariga

Closed: Sirte and Derna

YEMEN - PORT SITUATION

While there have been no recent changes to the status of Yemeni ports, port authorities are now implementing strict quarantine and control measures to prevent the spread of COVID19.

According to information received from our correspondent Gulf Agency Co. (Yemen) Ltd. (GAC), the port situation in Yemen as at 30 July 2020 is as follows:

Working: Aden, Rudhum Oil Exporting Terminal, Mukalla, Ash Shihr Oil Exporting Terminal, Nishtun, Saleef and Hodeidah

Closed: Mokha, Ras Isa Marine Terminal (Safer), Ras Isa Petroleum Products Reception Facility and Balhaf LNG Terminal

BEIRUT - PORT SITUATION

Following the initial closure of the port of Beirut after the recent explosion, some container operations have now resumed where vessels have been allowed to discharge their cargo at the local container terminal.

FAR EAST

Ships transiting the Singapore Strait should remain vigilant and maintain an adequate antipiracy watch as the number of incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Strait with 37 incidents 2020 YTD, 17 in the last 3 months.

Contact us today (remember to mention ASKET) to discussing performing Due Diligence and Risk Assessments for any High-Risk Area to ensure peace of mind for your fleet and to discuss possible mitigations or further information on regions or port calls. These are produced by experienced Maritime Operations Officers who have experience of sailing in the region as well as commercial and technical operations of vessels in the regions and understand your and your charterers requirements.

Capt David Lockwood

Operations Director

Merlin Global Maritime

www.Merlin-Global-Maritime.co.uk