U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) for 26 March -22 April 2020 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/SOUTHEAST ASIA Weekly Piracy Update for 16 - 22 April 2020

Sea robbers have remained active. Attacks in the lower Gulf of Mexico involving armed men and hostage taking while robbery goes on. Gulf of Guinea kidnapping and violence.

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U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) for 15 May - 19 June 2019 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/SOUTHEAST ASIA Weekly Piracy Update for 13-19 June 2019

Format changes to the ONI documents, including a slimming down of the GOG/HOA/SEA report and some wording changes in both reports.

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Tanker Attacks Off Iran - Iran's Response to Trade Restrictions?

In what certainly seems an escalating series of "tit for tat" attacks on ships in Arabian Gulf area, Tradewinds News reports Frontline and Schulte tankers attacked off Fujairah:

IRIB News Photos

Two tankers operated by Frontline and Bernhard Schulte have reportedly been the subject of a "torpedo" attack off Fujairah in the UAE, according to broking and ship agency sources on Thursday.

The 110,000-dwt LR2 Front Altair (built 2016) is carrying naphtha produced by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co to Taiwan, having lifted the cargo from Ruwais on 11 June.

According to Taiwan CPC, trading house Ocean Energy has chartered the vessel to transport the cargo to the Taiwanese refiner.

U.S. Fifth Fleet reports:

We are aware of the reported attack on shipping vessels in the Gulf of Oman. U.S. Naval Forces in the region received two separate distress calls at 6:12 a.m. local (Bahrain) time and a second one at 7:00 a.m. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) rendered assistance.

In the background of this is a report of damage to ships in port Iran, as set out in Mysterious Blazes on Six Iranian Ships in Iranian Ports:

IRNA photo

As the strategic port of Shahid Rajaee, north of the Strait of Hormuz, was still dealing with the effects of a huge fire that caused serious destruction, Iranian media reported2 that six Iranian ships were ablaze in several ports in the southern part of the country.3

The Iranian Republic News Agency reported that on June 7, 2019, four merchant ships caught fire in the port of Nakhl Taqi (Taghi) in the Asaluyeh region of Bushehr Province. Three ships were burned entirely, while two others in Asaluyeh suffered major damage. While the governor of Asaluyeh claimed the fires were extinguished without anyone harmed, the head of the emergency rooms in Bushehr Province said that several civilians and sailors had been injured and brought to hospitals in the region. The mayor of the town of Delvar, near the port of Bualhir, confirmed that one vessel in the port burned completely.

Which was, of course, preceded by May 13, 2019, damage to ships in UAE ports US Official: Explosives Blew Holes in Ships off UAE:

UAE photos

A U.S. official says military experts believe explosives blew holes in four ships off the coast of the United Arab Emirates Sunday, and suspects Iran may be involved but they have no proof.

Two of the oil tankers belong to Saudi Arabia, which says the ships suffered "significant damage" in what it and the UAE calls sabotage.

Saudi Oil Minister Khalid al-Falih said the attack was meant to undermine "the security of oil supplies to consumers all over the world."

Yes, well, not the first "tanker war" in the area.

I don't mind pointing fingers at the Iranians or their surrogates, as the situation does seem to show that Iran is a little peeved over sanctions.

Probably not at this stage yet, though:
Of course, the start of WWI comes to mind.

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 1 May – 5 June 2019 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 30 May - 5 June 2019

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U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 13 February - 13 March 2019 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 7 - 13 March 2019

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U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 17 September - 17 October 2018 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 11 - 17 October 2018

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U. S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 23 April - 23 May 2018 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 17 - 23 May 2018

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U. S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 16 April - 16 May 2018 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 10 - 16 May 2018

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U. S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 5 March - 4 April 2018 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 29 March - 4 April 2018

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Yemeni Rebels Attacking Ships in Red Sea

The on-going proxy war in Yemen leaks into the Red Sea again, Coalition forces foil attack on Saudi oil tanker

The Saudi-led Arab Coalition forces foiled on Tuesday an Iranian-backed Houthi militia attack targeting a Saudi oil tanker. Col. Turki Al-Malki, spokesman of the coalition, said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency that the tanker came under attack at around 1.30 p.m. on the international waters, west of the port of Hodeidah, which is under the control of armed Houthi militias.

The ship sustained minor damage in the attack, which was thwarted by swift intervention of the coalition’s naval ship. According to Al-Malki, the tanker, accompanied by the naval ship, resumed its voyage northward.

“This terrorist attack poses a serious threat to the free maritime navigation and international trade through Bab-el-Mandeb strait and

the Red Sea, in addition to causing environmental and economic damage. The continuation of these attempts highlights the danger of these militias and those behind them to the regional and international security,” he said.

Hodeidah port has become a launch pad for terrorist operations as well as for the smuggling of rockets and weapons, Al-Malki said while stressing that the command of the coalition forces will take all the necessary measures and means to maintain security and stability of maritime navigation and international trade on Bab-el-Mandeb strait and the Red Sea region.

He reiterated the need to place Hodeidah port under international supervision and prevent its use as a military base to launch attacks against shipping lines.

U.S.Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 31 July - 30 August 2017 and HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 24 - 30 August 2017

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U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 20 February - 22 March 2017 and Horn of Africa/Gulf of Guinea/ Southeast Asia: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report for 16 - 22 March 2017

Yes, two reports from the U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence- because its the time of year when conditions for piracy might be expected to be good and because of indicators that the "pirates of Somalia" might be attempting to stage a comeback.

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 20 February - 22 March 201... by lawofsea on Scribd

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence HORN OF AFRICA/GULF OF GUINEA/ SOUTHEAST ASIA: Piracy Analysis and W... by lawofsea on Scribd

That Attack on the Saudi Frigate Revisited

I got to thinking about a discussion we had as part of Midrats yesterday in which we talked about the attack on a Saudi frigate in the Red Sea by some sort of high speed boat or something. I think it began about the 10:09 point.


In any event, today I took the opportunity to closely examine the Saudi video of the attack -



As I viewed the video I noted what appears to be the bow of the attack vessel appearing out of the sea spray. In the screen shot of the video, I've circled the area and placed an arrow pointing at what I believe to be the bow.

That got me thinking about an Iranian video of an alleged "drone" boat attack on a mock up of a U.S. aircraft carrier from a couple of years ago:



Now, the North Koreans have a plethora of small fast semi-submersible craft - at least one version of which has been seen in Iranian hands:

First, from NOSI, a look at such a vessel in NORK yards:

Second, from Covert Shores Naval Warfare, some drawings of the NORK Taedong B

Finally, one of those critters bobbing along with the Iranian fleet:

If I were an Iranian naval or IRGC officer and I had a cool toy, I might want to try it out somewhere against an enemy - not the "A" team probably but perhaps against the "SA" team. So I wonder - was this an application of something akin to what they used in that practice/publicity attack on the fake carrier? Or was this some sort of hybrid attack using something like that Taedong B semi-submersible or one of its ilk?

Or did they steal someone's ski boat?

Given the amount of spray around the attack boat, I have an inclination toward some sort of semi-submersible whose bow came out of the water when it hit the frigates bow wake, but I am open to suggestions.

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence : Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 26 April - 25 May 2016

Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 26 April - 25 May 2016:

U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence : Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report 26 April - 25 May 2016

Also, not in the report yet, Guyana Pirates:

Police said the cutlass-wielding pirates attacked the Guyanese fishermen at about 11 PM on Friday, May 27, 2016, dumping the five fishermen aboard and carting off their outboard motor. The captain, Seepersaud Persaud, was rescued but one of his fishermen, Hemchand Sukhdeo of Number 55 Village, Corentyne, died and his body was recovered. Feared dead are Dhanpaul Rampaul of No. 67 Village, Corentyne, Dochand “Bucher”, 54, of No. 55 Village, Corentyne; and 26-year old Munesh “Boyo” Churram.
“We are working along with our Surinamese counterparts to see if we can recover bodies,” said the Divisional Commander.
The Divisional Commander said investigators were also working to ascertain whether the detainees were also responsible for a second vessel that was attacked the same night. No one aboard that vessel was injured but the boat’s engine was stolen.

Egypt: Naval Vessel Attacked at Sea - Terrorism or Smugglers?

Attack on a Egyptian naval unit reported as "8 navy personnel missing after boat attack":

The Egyptian armed forces destroyed four “hostile” boats containing what the military called “terrorist elements,” and arrested 32 people off the coast of Damietta governorate, the military said in a statement on Wednesday night.

“Hostile vessels” opened fire on an Egypt navy boat while it was on patrol, the military spokesperson’s office said on Wednesday. An exchange of gunfire took place between the “terrorist elements” and the navy, who had called for back-up forces.

According to state-owned media, four of the attackers were killed during the clashes. The military has not yet confirmed.

One navy boat was set on fire, and five navy personnel were injured and taken to a military hospital. The military also stated that eight of its navy personnel are missing and military forces are currently searching for them.

More here:

It was not immediately clear what the naval boat was doing so far offshore, and whether it was on a routine patrol anticipated by fighters.

A military source told the AFP news agency the attackers used "fishing boats" and did not appear to have deployed rocket propelled grenades or heavier weapons.

The Mediterranean Sea is used by drug traffickers and illegal migrant smugglers who have been intercepted by the Egyptian navy in the past.

There have been no recorded attacks at sea by the Sinai-based armed fighters who launched an insurgency after the army overthrew President Mohamed Morsi last year.

And more, including "analysis" at BBC News:

If this was a militant attack in the Mediterranean, as the Egyptian army has said, then it's the opening of a new front.
***
The incident happened north of the port of Damietta, where armed people traffickers are known to operate. Did they clash with the navy to protect their lucrative trade?

Map with icon on it is my guess of where the incident occurred. Don't bet on its accuracy.