U.S. Navy Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) for 30 December 2020 to 27 January 2021

U.S. Navy Office of Naval I... by lawofsea

Messages from China - One Clear and One Odd

First the clear signal We Don't Like Your FONOPS and Exercises in the South China Sea so we'll show off our anti-ship ballistic missile and demonstrate we lied when we said we wouldn't militarize those islands we made in the SCS.

China's military conducted a flight test of an anti-ship ballistic missile in the contentious South China Sea last weekend in violation of a pledge four years ago by President Xi Jinping not to militarize the waterway.
***
China also may have conducted the provocative missile test in reaction to the recent U.S.-Japan naval exercises in the South China Sea.

Well, of course. It's a warning shot across the bow.

The odd message? China Raises Security Warning on Ships Plying Malacca Strait
:

China raised the security level for its vessels heading through the

Strait of Malacca, a key Asian trade route and major oil choke point.

The transport ministry advised Chinese-flagged ships to take heightened security steps and increased its security warning to level three, according to a copy of a July 2 notice posted on a website affiliated with the ministry.

Three is the highest security level in Chinese shipping regulations, and one above a warning issued after recent attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, according to people familiar with the situation, who asked not to be identified discussing government notifications. The ministry wasn’t immediately able to comment.

Things have been pretty calm piracy-wise in the Strait of Malacca in recent years, so this is a head shaker.

Lloyds List Maritime Intel headline says China raises attack threat in Malacca Straits to highest level:

Shipping companies are asked by authorities in Beijing to increase the security level on ships transiting the Straits of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest waterways. Cosco Shipping’s tanker unit has warned its staff about possible attacks from some Indonesian gangs.

But suppose you are China and you decide that the chokepoints through which your vital oil supplies flow are potentially threatened by forces that may attempt to enforce an embargo on - say - Iranian crude oil. After all, 78% of your oil passes through chokepoints.

Given that possibility, and looking to the U.S. Carter Doctrine for a historic parallel, might you decide to gin up a "threat" which would -um - require you to provide armed escort vessels for your tankers heading to and through such chokepoints? What better threat than "Indonesian gangs?"

In short, is this a Chinese setup to intrude in the state waters of Indonesia and Malaysia with warships as a preemptive move against such an embargo and to set the precedent that China can and will do what it wants to protect its "vital national interests" in such chokepoints?

By sending escort ships to protect its tankers China would take another one of those minor steps that seems innocuous but which has major ramifications. They don't even have to be PLAN ships, but could be Chinese Coast Guard ships to begin with.

Messages.

Malacca Straits and South China Sea Piracy: Combined Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore patrols?

Reported as by IHS Maritime 360 Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore discuss joint patrols:

The navies of littoral states Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore are in talks to extend joint patrols to the lower reaches of South China Sea in a bid to curb piracy.

Rear Admiral Lai Chung Han, chief of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), highlighted some of the challenges in conducting these joint patrols such as competing territorial claims in these waters.

"There is concern with the proximity to the contested claims of South China Sea, and we certainly don't want those issues to be conflated. We are very focused on dealing with the piracy situation and none of us really benefit from letting this situation fester," said Rear Adm Lai.

He also does not rule out the possibility of collaboration between certain militant groups and pirates in attacking Western economic interests at strategic sea lanes such as the Strait of Malacca.

"Of course when there is any doubt, we never rule out the possibility that the pirates on board, or the ship that has been commandeered, could also be used for terrorist purposes, and we have the means to deal with that," added Rear Adm Lai.

There is already in place an agreement covering the Strait of Malacca. This new agreement would allow expansion of the area covered apparently into areas impacted by small tanker hijackings.

As you can see from the nearby image from the ICC's International Maritime Bureau's Live Piracy Map pirate attacks in the area are common.

Strait of Malacca/South China Sea Fuel Pirates: How to Beat Them?

In recent months, there has been a seeming upsurge in the hijacking of small tankers near the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea (SoM/SCS). These hijacking result in the transfer of cargo from these hijacked ships to other vessels. The most recent case is reported as Pirates Hijack Product Tanker in South China Sea:

Another commercial ship appears to have fallen victim of pirate attacks. Namely, Honduras registered product tanker Moresby 9, carrying 2200 metric tonne of Marine Gas Oil (MGO) was boarded by unknown number of perpetrators on July 4th at about 1938 hrs (local time) approximately 34 nautical miles from the Anambas Islands, Indonesia, ReCAAP ISC said.
***
This is believed to be the seventh attack in the region since April.

As others have noted, this sort of activity has a lengthy history in the region, but seems to be on the uptick.

With that in mind, SeaShip in Focus has a recent article on fighting this threat in the SoM/SCS ares at "How to beat the pirates":

Piracy in Southeast Asia is nothing new. What is new, however, is the jump in numbers and the very specific targeting of certain types of ships.

This spike in hijacking and cargo theft has been brought about by the black market demand for marine fuel oil in Southeast Asia, says Steve McKenzie, a senior analyst at the UK firm, Dryad Maritime. *** The common denominator for all of these hijackings and cargo theft incidents this year has been Singapore.***

“The stealing of oil products in the region is targeted product theft, which results in the stolen cargo being sold on the black market,” says Gerry Northwood, the coo of security firm, GoAGT.
***
“We assess that these crimes will continue unabated until the black market in marine fuel oil is curtailed and the crime syndicates who are controlling the gangs who carry out the crimes are dealt with,” the Dryad analyst reckons.
***
The piracy model currently used in Southeast Asia is very similar to that used by Nigerian gangs, who in recent years have been hijacking large product tankers across West Africa and then stealing fuel oil. These crimes are intelligence led and well-coordinated.
***
So then, what’s the way to deal with this scourge?

GoAGT’s Northwood admits that finding a way to solve to the maritime criminality and piracy problem in Southeast Asia is not going to be straightforward.

“Most of the incidents are occurring inside territorial waters, which makes the legal use of weapons as a means of deterrent very difficult to achieve without the enlistment of government military or navy,” he explains.

The primary solution is to end the black market for the stolen cargo, says Dryad’s McKenzie. The syndicate that is controlling the gangs must have good connections within the fuel business in Singapore, he reckons. If these links were broken it would be more difficult to target specific vessels.

". . .until the black market . . . is curtailed" -- that may be a very long time.

As you read through the article, you will note that some of the passive/defensive suggestions set out in the anti-Somali piracy Best Management Practices 4 are suggested.

It is also worth remembering that Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia reached some agreements regarding pursuit of pirates in the Strait of Malacca in the past. Some of these issues arise from the fact that there often is no "high seas" ( as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)) between the territorial waters of adjacent states in the Strait and in and around the islands that dot the area involved in these hijackings.

Whoa! There are limits on pirate hunting!

However, there are issues outside of the agreement area - as discussed here and in other posts, under the UNCLOS Part VII in which hijackers can commit their acts in the territorial waters of one state and escape "hot pursuit" by that state's navy/coast guard by sliding across in the territorial waters of a neighboring state:

Article 111. Right of hot pursuit

1. The hot pursuit of a foreign ship may be undertaken when the competent authorities of the coastal State have good reason to believe that the ship has violated the laws and regulations of that State. Such pursuit must be commenced when the foreign ship or one of its boats is within the internal waters, the archipelagic waters, the territorial sea or the contiguous zone of the pursuing State, and may only be continued ouside the territorial sea or the contiguous zone if the pursuit has not been interrupted. It is not necessary that, at the time when the foreign ship within the territorial sea or the contiguous zone receives the order to stop, the ship giving the order should likewise be within the territorial sea or the contiguous zone. If the foreign ship is within a contiguous zone, as defined in article 33, the pursuit may only be undertaken if there has been a violation of the rights for the protection of which the zone was established.

2. The right of hot pursuit shall apply mutatis mutandis to violations in the exclusive economic zone or on the continental shelf, including safety zones around continental shelf installations, of the laws and regulations of the coastal State applicable in accordance with this Convention to the exclusive economic zone or the continental shelf, including such safety zones.

3. The right of hot pursuit ceases as soon as the ship pursued enters the territorial sea of its own State or of a third State.

Since the hijackings often take place within the territorial waters of a state and not on the "high seas" they are not really "piracy" under the terms of UNCLOS but "sea robbery" or even simple theft or larceny not subject to such international law as there is, but to the laws of the states involved.

In short, it can be quite the mess. I suppose the problems of sorting all this out make "curtailing" the black market seem easy by comparison. It does presuppose that there is no cooperation from -uh- associations of persons powerful enough to provide top cover for the sale of the hijacked cargo.

Better communications, frequent security patrols and naval/private escorts for likely targets may be required to slow down these robbers.

Mixed Maritime Security News: Sea Robbers Off Singapore and China Irks the Philippines

A revival of an old sea robber locale off Singapore and Indonesia reported at Shiptalk: "New Smash and Grab Hotspot":

An Indonesian island just off Singapore has become the epicentre of a new epidemic of SE Asia piracy attacks.
Three vessels were attacked within the space of a week off the Indonesian island of Bintan, according to security consultants.

As can be seen on the nearby ICC IMB Live Piracy Map, the area around in the vicinity of Singapore has been busy all year. These are not ship hijackings, but rather mostly theft and armed robbery efforts (and most often the arms are knives). Because these attacks are located in the internal waters of one of the countries in the area they are not "high seas piracy" but rather the local crime of "sea piracy."

Meanwhile further up the South China Sea, the drumbeat of China irritating the neighborhood goes on, as well reported at USNI News: "New Chinese Outpost Riles The Philippines" by Carlo Muñoz:

A new Chinese military outpost located in the South China Sea is again inflaming tensions between Beijing and and its regional neighbors in the Pacific.

On Thursday, Manila released aerial surveillance photos of the small facility, located on the on the Johnson South Reef in the hotly-contested international waterway, according to recent reports.

Those photos are available here. They are a series of photos taken from March 2012 to March 2014 and appear to show the building of an island through use of dredged materials.

Republic of Philippines comment:

15 May 2014 - This series of photographs, which were released by the DFA and gathered from Philippine intelligence sources, shows in stages the extensive reclamation by China on Mabini Reef (Johnson South Reef). These actions are considered destabilizing and in violation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and international law. Mabini Reef is part of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) which is part of Philippine territory.

Malacca Strait and South China Sea Piracy: Cargo Theft from Tankers

Incident 1: 17 Apr 14

:
A couple of reports of similar activities involving product theft.

A week ago, this interesting tale of armed robbery and product theft from the ICC's Live Piracy and Armed Robbery Report

Location detail: 26NM SSW of Pulau Aur
Type of Attack: Hijacked
Narrations:
17.04.2014: 2010 LT: Posn: 01:59.8N – 104:25.4E, 26NM SSW of Pulau Aur, Malaysia.
A product tanker was boarded and hijacked by around 16 heavily armed pirates who then transferred and stole part of the fuel cargo into smaller unknown tankers. Crew and ship properties were stolen and ship communication equipment damaged. Master and crew managed to repair the damage and proceed to a safe port.

Yesterday, there is this Al Jazeera report:

Armed pirates stole $2.5 million worth of diesel fuel from an oil tanker off the coast of Malaysia and took the captain and two other crew members with them, underscoring increasing threats to shipping in one of the world's busiest waterways, Malaysian maritime officials said Wednesday.
***
Eight Indonesian pirates in a fishing vessel boarded the Naniwa Maru No. 1 at about 1 a.m. local time on Tuesday off the coast of western Malaysia, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said.

The pirates pumped about 800,000 gallons of the 1.18 million gallons of diesel carried by the tanker into two waiting vessels and made off with three Indonesian crew members, including the captain and chief engineer, the agency said.
***
Malaysian shipping authorities believe some of the crew could have been part of the plot to steal the diesel.

"There is a possibility that the abducted crew was involved in the hijack based on new leads and that their personal documents, clothes and belongings were taken along with them," the MMEA said in a news release.

A Reuters report:

"We are very concerned," said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's Malaysia-based Piracy Reporting Centre, who added the ship was hijacked while sailing near the Malaysia town of Port Klang.

"It's the first time this has happened so far north in the Malacca Strait, and the first time they have kidnapped the crew. It's not an area where we have seen the modus operandi of ships hijacked for their cargo," he told Reuters.

Incident 2: 22 Apr 14

And the ICC Live Piracy and Armed Robbery Report:

Location detail: 3NM WNW OF ONE FATHOM BANK, OFF PORT KLANG,
Type of Attack: Hijacked
Narrations:
22.04.2014: 0055 LT: Posn: 02:59N – 100:54E, 3NM WNW of One Fathom Bank, off Port Klang, Malacca Strait.
A tanker was boarded and hijacked by around 10 heavily armed pirates who then transferred and stole part of the fuel cargo into smaller unknown tankers. Crew and ship properties were stolen and ship communication equipment damaged. The pirates kidnapped three crew members and escaped. The vessel and remaining crew safely arrived at a port.

So, does two make a pattern?

An interesting amount of logistics involved in getting the smaller tankers to the right place at the right time, I would think. You might think of it as organized crime. I wonder if they took lessons from folks in Nigeria?

Strait of Malacca Piracy: Product Tanker Hijacked, Product Stolen

Arrow indicates area of attack

Report from the IMB here:

07.11.2013: 0330 LT: Posn: 01:20.6N-103:18.2E, around 7.3nm West of Pulau Kukup, Malaysia. Ten robbers armed with guns and knives boarded and hijacked a product tanker underway. They tied up all the crew members and held them hostage in one cabin. Later they commanded that Master to steer the ship to a pre-designated position. The vessel came alongside another orange hull tanker and the robbers forced the C/O and the bosun to use the cargo pumps and valves and the mooring winches. At around 1600LT the robbers left the ship after transferring and stealing all the gas oil. Before leaving the ship the robbers also stole crew belongings. No crew injured during incident.

Area of attack circled

As noted here, this the second incident of this type in a month and the third in two months:

An oil tanker has become the second such vessel to be hijacked in Malaysian waters in four weeks, the International Maritime Bureau said today, adding it marked rising piracy in the region.

A Panamanian-flagged vessel was yesterday boarded by 10 armed pirates, who emptied it of the oil it was carrying into another ship before disembarking.

In early October a Thai-flagged oil tanker went missing for two days after a hijacking before being released without its cargo.

The IMB said there had been an increase in the number of attacks on Malaysia’s coast recently but added it could not be sure if the two most recent attacks were by the same group.

Strait of Malacca piracy so far in 1013 (IMB)

“This is the third attack in two months, with the last two using the same modus operandi to steal the gas oil,” said Noel Choong, head of IMB’s Kuala Lumpur-based piracy reporting centre.

Very similar to the oil theft piracy going on in the Gulf of Guinea, too.

In any event, piracy is on the increase in these waters.

Strait of Malacca Piracy: "Nooks and Crannies" make it "the most dangerous waters"

A look at the increases in sea robberies off the main path of the Malacca Strait, suggesting "alternative," theoretically safer, routes at Piracy in the Malacca Straits: Pirates likely to bring a quick end to historic trade route":

The number of attacks in the straits as a whole had dropped but it is the rising figures in Indonesia that has made the straits more dangerous than the waters off Somalia. Of the 138 piracy incidents recorded worldwide in the first six months of this year, 48 were in Indonesia. While global piracy had dropped substantially, down from 439 cases in 2011, the figures in Indonesia, however, was increasing. Most attacks happen in the waters around the Riau province, particularly around the ports in Dumai and Belawan.

New areas are emerging. One of them is around the island of Batam and nearby Belakang Island, which is close to Singapore. Batam is a low-cost manufacturing enclave and the products are exported via Singapore. Poor Indonesians who head for Batam for jobs and local fishermen battling with poor fishing yields are the prime targets of pirate mafias. The local mafias organise criminal activities alongside bigger syndicates.

These are low-level thefts in enclaves and areas that are hidden from the main route. They are not high-sea robberies that can be easily detected and crippled. Years ago, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore launched a campaign that aimed at curtailing piracy in the 960km long Malacca Straits. It has been successful in that the number of high-sea robberies has dropped and that the international shipping lane is much safer. But not the nooks and crannies.

Sorry, sounds like a solution in search of a problem. If Indonesia cleans up it own waters, this "problem" mostly goes away.

"Pirate mafias" attacking local workers and fishermen is not a reason to re-route large commercial shipping.

India Moves to Protect Vital Sea Lane

Naval base to open 31 July:

Aiming to keep an eye on maritime security around the Malacca Straits, a key sea trading route, the Indian Navy will inaugurate a new air base at the southern-most tip of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

As you can see from the adjacent map (with the Andaman and Nicobar Islands circled) it's a vital location for maritime security in the region.

More at Defence Express:

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has already tried out its potent frontline Sukhoi SU-30 fighter jets from air bases in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Shibpur airstrip in north Andamans is also planned to be extended from 3,200 feet to 12,000 feet to support all types of aircraft and night-flying operations. Moreover, new airstrips will come up at Kamorta and Little Andaman, while the existing two main runways at Port Blair and Car Nicobar are also being upgraded to facilitate fighter jet, helicopter and heavy transport plane operations. The plans will be implemented in the next few years.

“Plans are afoot to turn Campbell Bay into ‘Operational Turn-Around Bases’ with better refuelling and communication facilities and augmented force levels,” sources added.

And yet more at
"India Now Commands The Strait Of Malacca With Naval Base 'INS Baaz' ":

Great Nicobar Island, Campbell Bay Circled

The southern most islands of India are closer to Indonesia than mainland India and will help India gain strategic supremacy in the region. The new base will also boast of an upgraded air base that will be able to operate the newly inducted Hercules C-130J Super Hercules which are meant for special forces' operations.

INS Baaz clearly overlooks the Strait of Malacca from across the Aceh in Indonesia. With this new addition to the already powerful Indian navy, India can kickstart operations if maritime activities in the region are threatened. The Strait of Malacca were once heavily infected with piravy but now the Indian and Indonesian navies monitor it for criminal activities by jointly patrolling their maritime borders.

Runway at Campbell Bay, about 3000 feet long

This new base of the Indian Navy comes at a time when the US is re-balancing its force levels from the Atlantic to Asia-Pacific and will base at least 60% of its naval assets in the Asia-Pacific region. The Strait of Malacca acts as a key link between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean connecting Asia and Africa to East Asia, Australia and the US.

The Indian Navy already operates bases at Port Blair and Car Nicobar in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands chain. INS Baaz is 300 nautical miles south of Car Nicobar naval base and has given the Indian Navy a much wider reach to effectively deter any aggression in the region.

Hijacked Tug Rescued Off Indonesia

Reported as Indonesia Rescues Hijacked Tug Boat :

Indonesian authorities have rescued a tug boat with nine crew believed to have been hijacked in the Straits of Singapore, a sea lane seeing a rise in attacks, an official said on Monday.

The boat was recovered on Saturday off Indonesia, said Noel Choong, head of the piracy reporting center of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

It had been towing a barge laden with heavy machinery and piling materials which an Indonesian aircraft and three warships found in the same area a day later, he added.

The tug and barge, heading from peninsular Malaysia to Borneo island, last made contact on December 27 off southern Malaysia near the Straits of Singapore before it was hijacked, Choong said.

Circle on map indicates area involved.

Strait of Malacca Maritime Security: DoD-funded Integrated Maritime Surveillance System

An announcement from the U.S. Department of State DoD-funded Integrated Maritime Surveillance System:

Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 18, 2011

From FY2006 to FY2008 the U.S. Government provided approximately $57 million via the National Defense Authorization Act Section 1206 to support Indonesia’s establishment of an Integrated Maritime Surveillance System (IMSS) strategically located to cover Malacca Strait, Sulawesi Sea, and Moluccas Strait.

The fully operational IMSS enhances Indonesia’s ability to detect, track, and monitor vessels passing through territorial and international waters. This capability is crucial to combating piracy, illegal fishing, smuggling, and terrorism within and around Indonesia’s maritime borders. The IMSS helps achieve Indonesian and U.S. maritime security goals and exemplifies bilateral cooperation under the Comprehensive Partnership, along with setting conditions for increased multilateral collaboration with Malaysia and the Philippines.

The IMSS is a tightly integrated network of ship and shore based sensors, communications devices, and computing resources that collect, transmit, analyze and display a broad array of maritime data including automatic identification system (AIS), surface radar, surveillance cameras, global positioning system (GPS), equipment health monitors and radio transmissions of maritime traffic in wide operating areas. Redundant sensors and multiple communication paths make the IMSS a robust and capable system.

The IMSS was officially handed over to the Government of Indonesia following an Operational Demonstration conducted in Surabaya on October 25, 2011. The IMSS is manned and operated by the Indonesian Navy, and consists of 18 Coastal Surveillance Stations (CSS), 11 Ship-based Radars, two Regional Command Centers, and two Fleet Command Centers (Jakarta and Surabaya)

The U.S. government remains committed to improving maritime domain awareness in the region and has allocated an additional $4.6 to ensure sustainment until 2014.

More on the IMSS from it's developer here:

Integrated Maritime Surveillance System (Techno-Sciences, Inc. photos)

Trident's Integrated Maritime Surveillance System (IMSS) is designed for governments and other appropriate authorities challenged with demanding Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and Common Operating Picture (COP) requirements.

The IMSS is a tightly integrated network of ship and shore based sensors, communications devices and computing resources that collect, transmit, analyze and display a broad array of disparate data including automatic information system (AIS), radar, surveillance cameras, global positioning system (GPS), equipment health monitors and radio transmissions of maritime traffic in a wide operating area. Redundant sensors and multiple communications paths make the system robust and still functional even in the case of a major component failure.

The clever open architecture and purposeful use commercial off-the-shelf components provides the customer tremendous flexibility in making performance-cost trade offs today and in making capability upgrades and additions tomorrow.

Piracy Updates from ONI Through 3 Nov 11

You can get both ONI reports on piracy at Office of Naval Intelligence.

Among the notable events reported is the hijacking of the tanker Liquid Velvet (see here), about which the ONI Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly Report states:

(U) GULF OF ADEN: Tanker (LIQUID VELVET) hijacked by six pirates on 31 October at 0842 UTC while underway in position 12:00N – 045:33E, approximately 55 nm southeast of Aden, Yemen. The crew (21 Filipinos and one Greek) were able to lock themselves in the citadel, but the pirates were able to breach it. (UKMTO, Operator)

Some sources, e.g. Shiptalk have reported speculation the odd man out was a Greek security guard. It is noteworthy that the "citadel" was breached. Not sure if this means the pirates were better prepared to breach the citadel on this visit, or if the citadel itself was not well designed or . . . your speculation is as good as mine.

Other recent activity reported:

I. (U) INDIAN OCEAN–EAST AFRICA:
1. (U) INDIAN OCEAN: Petroleum tanker (DYNATANK) fired upon by pirates on 1 November at 0050 UTC while underway in position 08:10S – 046:06E, approximately 407 nm southeast of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The onboard security team returned fire, and after 30 minutes the pirates aborted their attack. (UKMTO)
2. (U) INDIAN OCEAN: Fishing vessel (TORRE GIULIA) attacked by pirates in two skiffs on 1 November at 0936 UTC while underway in position 01:21S – 052:21E, approximately 591 nm southeast of Kismaayo, Somalia. Vessel had protection detachment onboard. A mothership was detected in the vicinity. (Operator)
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4. (U) INDIAN OCEAN: Tuna fishing vessel attacked by pirates on 31 October at 1415 UTC while underway in position 02:23S – 049:29E, approximately 444 nm southeast of Kismaayo, Somalia. The vessel had a protection detachment onboard the vessel. (Operator)
5. (U) INDIAN OCEAN: Petroleum tanker (SCF PLYMOUTH) fired upon by four to five pirates in one skiff on 30 October at 1254 UTC while underway in position 04:20S – 043:41E, approximately 245 nm southeast of Mombasa, Kenya. Vessel was traveling at a speed of 14.7 knots. Pirates fired six rounds towards the vessel; armed security in turn fired six rounds back at the skiff. RPG and guns spotted, no ladders seen. (UKMTO)
***
G. (U) WEST AFRICA:
1. (U) NIGERIA: Petroleum tanker (HALIFAX) hijacked by pirates on 29 October at 1219 UTC while in position 03:26.5N – 006:42.3E, approximately 62 nm southwest of Bonny. Vessel was awaiting further berthing instructions from its charterers. Vessel has a crew of 24 Filipinos and one Bulgarian. (IMB)
***
K. (U) SOUTHEAST ASIA:
1. (U) MALAYSIA: Tanker (NAUTICA JOHOR BAHRU) hijacked 27 October while underway in the Singapore Straits. The vessel had a cargo of oil and gas worth $4.5 million USD onboard. Malaysian Navy and Indonesian vessels intercepted the hijacked vessel, and the ten pirates fled in a speedboat. The pirates took everything of value. (Open Source)
2. (U) MALAYSIA: Barge hijacked 26 October while underway in Indonesian waters while carrying a cargo of $2.6 million USD worth of palm oil. Authorities located the barge before the pirates returned from a trip to get a tug boat to move it. (Open Source)

Using the future weather as a tool for piracy likelihood, ONI show two maps, the first being a large view of the Indian Ocean. As color increases to red, weather favorable for small boat piracy increases. And, as noted on this map, don't attempt to use this for navigation, it's an informational chart.

This is followed by a "close up" of key areas. I took the liberty of adding a red arrow and the test "Gulf of Aden" for those unable to spot this on their own.

All of which is to say, it's dangerous out there for the under-prepared.

Strait of Malacca Piracy: A Tanker and a Barge Rescued

Reported as Malaysia rescues hijacked tanker, barge:

Malaysia maritime authorities have rescued a tanker and a barge which were hijacked in the latest South China Sea pirate attacks, according to officials.

A tanker carrying oil and gas worth 14 million ringgit ($4.6 million) was hijacked Thursday in the Straits of Singapore, said Syed Mohamad Fuzi Syed Hasan, a regional operations director with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

Authorities located the Malaysian-registered MT Nautica Johor Bahru off the country's east coast Friday after an alert from the shipping company that the vessel was no longer contactable.

Navy ships from Malaysia and neighbouring Indonesia managed to intercept the vessel in Indonesian waters though the pirates, about 10 men armed with a pistol and machetes, got away in a speedboat, Syed Mohamad Fuzi said.

None of the 19 crew members was injured but their belongings were stolen. The tanker was on its way from peninsular Malaysia to Borneo island, he said.

Meanwhile, authorities also rescued a barge with two crew and palm oil worth eight million ringgit on board Thursday off southern Malaysia, said maritime enforcement agency regional commander Zulkifli Abu Bakar.

The barge was hijacked from a fishing boat in Indonesian waters Wednesday while traveling from Borneo to peninsular Malaysia, he said. The six armed pirates had left the barge, presumably to get another tug boat.

Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting centre, called on authorities and ships to be vigilant.

"We hope it's not going to be a start again (of more such attacks). The authorities have to clamp down on these fast," he told AFP. "In this region ships should maintain a strict anti-piracy watch."

The cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia is to be commended.

UPDATE: More on the tanker rescue here:

The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) rescued a tanker with a RM12 million oil and gas cargo, from a group of armed pirates in the South China Sea, Friday night.

RMN Commander of Naval Region 1, First Admiral Datuk Mohamad Roslan Mohamad Ramli said the 19 crew oil tanker MT Nautica Johor Bahru was rescued at 9.10pm after they were given clearance by Indonesia’s Sea Security Coordinating Board to pursue the vessel into Indonesian waters.

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/10/30/navy-mmea-rescue-hijacked-oil-tanker/#ixzz1cNRjuuWl
***

Malacca Strait Piracy: "Arrests Reveal Major Criminal Operations"

Pirate Arrests Reveal Major Criminal Operations Across Malacca Strait:

Police in Aceh announced that the arrest of four suspected pirates had uncovered a highly organized and extensive criminal organization operating across the Malacca Strait.
***
Iskandar said the four, all from East Aceh, were believed to be part of a wider, highly organized pirate outfit operating extensively across the Malacca Strait, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.

He said the gang operated under the command of a prisoner currently being held at Tanjung Gusta Penitentiary in North Sumatra. “They would frequently receive instructions from him and then share their spoils with him,” the police chief said.

Strait of Malacca: Malaysia Captures Pirates

Reported inThe Jakarta Post:

Malaysian officers are questioning six Indonesians detained for allegedly attempting to hijack a ship in the Malacca Strait.

The commander of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s southern division, First Admiral Zulkifli Abu Bakar, said that sailors on a navy patrol boat allegedly saw the men climbing aboard a merchant ship off shore Johor Island, near Singapore, on Sunday morning.

“Once they realized that their acts were noticed, the pirates tried to flee. But our patrol vessel managed to catch up. We fired a warning shot before intercepting it in Malaysian waters,” he said on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com.

Zulkifli said that the men apparently approached Johor from Batam, to the south, and planned to hijack three ships.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) issued a hijacking warning in June to all ships transiting the Malacca Strait.

Somali Pirates: Terrorist Connections Alleged

This time the Somali pirate-terrorist connection link allegations come from India. As set out in Somali pirate-LeT tie-up is BIG threat for India:

The coming together of Lashkar-e-Tayiba and southern Somalia-based Al-Shahbab poses new maritime protection issues for India.
***
Intelligence sources told rediff.com that the Al-Shahbab group has links with the Al Qaeda and carries out the latter's operations. The cadres of this group specialise more on sea and have been using the pirates for their operations.
***
The detail that has been most revealing during the interrogation of these pirates is that the Al-Shahbab group, which has been closely associated with the Al Qaeda, is now cozying up to the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, which is probably India's biggest headache.

Intelligence reports suggest that the Lashkar-Al-Shahbab association will look to carry out more attacks on Indian waters and one could witness plenty of hostage crisis' in the near future, if not acted upon.

For those who don't remember, Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT) ("Soldiers of the Pure") is the group from Pakistan was the group that landed people ashore in Mumbai and killed 174 people.

As alleged in an American Shipper quoted yesterday:

“The Somali pirates are exploring further collaboration with the remnants of the Tamil Tigers out of Sri Lanka who in the past have sold weapons to them via Eritrea, and now our greatest fear is a coordinated assault between the Somali pirates and the remnants of the Tamil Sea Tigers against commercial navigation in the waters south of India and Sri Lanka,” Frodl said.

Before thinking that these connections may be about spreading terrorism on the seas, it is a good idea to read a post from Martin Murphy's excellent blog Murphy on Piracy, Pirate money flows to al-Shabaab in which, as of July, Mr. Murphy was of the opinion that the al-Shabaab link to pirates was about the money, not the spread of whatever al-Shabaab is spreading. In the context of some link up with the Tamil Tigers, this money connection makes sense, as the Tigers are not radical Islamists.

The concern is that these connections - and others- will lead to a spread of piracy into more sea lines of communication and chokepoints.  Right now, the entrance/exit to the Red Sea, the  Bab el-Mandab and the entrance/exit to the Persian Gulf are most impacted by piracy (that's where the ships are!), a spread to the east brings into play the entrance/exit to the Strait of Malacca.

Planned tanker terror attack in Strait of Malacca?

Reported as Singapore says terror attacks planned on oil tankers:

The Singapore Shipping Association said it had received an advisory from the Singapore Navy Information Fusion Centre about "an indication that a terrorist group is planning attacks on oil tankers in the Malacca Strait."

It said "this does not preclude possible attacks on other large vessels with dangerous cargo."

"The terrorists' intent is probably to achieve widespread publicity and showcase that it remains a viable group," the navy said in its advisory.

It reminded shipping operators that the militants could use smaller vessels such as dinghies and speedboats to attack oil tankers.

Could make a mess, difficult to stop up the entire strait, though.

ONI SOMALIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report (Horn of Africa) for 17-22 December 2009

SOMALIA: Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly (PAWW) Report (Horn of Africa) for 17-22 December 2009 from ONI:

3. (U) Projected Risk of Attack
A. (U) GULF OF ADEN: Over the next 72 hours weather conditions are less conducive for small boat activity in the Gulf of Aden with winds at 5-20 knots and associated wave heights of 2-6 feet (UK Weather Online).
B. (U) INDIAN OCEAN: In the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Somalia, weather conditions are now less conducive to small boat operations. Forecasts indicate wind speeds of 10-20 knots with associated wave heights of 4-8 feet (UK Weather Online).
***
5. (U) Forecast for Week of 23-29 December 2009

(U) Weather conditions continue to worsen in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden as the winter monsoon season sets in. The winter monsoon season is expected to bring weather likely not suitable to small boat operations in the Horn of Africa (HOA) region. However, it is likely that a few groups will still get underway and try to hijack ships. Mariners are warned that though we do expect a decrease in overall pirate activity in the HOA region, the possibility of pirate attack is still great, and mariners should continue to maintain all counter-piracy measures when transiting the area. Somali pirates currently hold fewer vessels for ransom than they have shown the ability to hold. This week, ONI assesses the risk of pirate attacks is moderate in the Indian Ocean with increased risks in the areas noted in red on the map below. Please note pirates south of the equator in the Indian Ocean have demonstrated the ability to operate in the capability range of Medium. Prevailing currents are significant between latitudes 1 degree north and 5 degrees south and tend to flow in an easterly direction with speeds up to 3.5 kts. Therefore, increased risk of attack exists due east of the Somali coast out as far as 1000NM (Past 62E longitude-Greater than 500NM northeast of Port Victoria, Seychelles) between these latitudes. While there has been a decrease in overall activity in the Gulf of Aden, it remains a prime operating area for Somali pirates.
***
A. (U) Summary of the Week
(U) There are two incidents to report in this period. Both incidents occurred last week but came to light this week.

1. (U) Vessels Hijacked
1. Dhow (NAFEYA) hijacked on 16 December 09 at 1700 local time while underway near position 02:45S – 42:37E. Dhow has a crew of 13 Indians on board. Dhow is now underway likely conducting pirate mothership operations.

2. Dhow (LAXMI SAGAR) hijacked on 10 December 09 while underway near position 06:00N – 51:00E, approximately 115NM southeast of Garacad, Somalia. Vessel was controlled by armed men for approximately five days before being released. Reportedly no ransom was paid. Armed men stole crew belongings and money before disembarking the dhow (IMB, LM: AFRICA NEWS).

I have rearranged the order of the report for ease of reading.

Other ONI info from the ONI Weekly Worldwide Threat to Shipping Report (to 18 December 09):

      2.  NIGERIA:  IMB reports surge in violent attacks on vessels off Nigeria, 4 Dec 09.  The
ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has reported a number of violent attacks on vessels off
the Nigerian coast.  The attacks, the aim of which is usually to rob vessel and crew of money and
stores, are notable for the attackersí willingness to use violence against crew members. In all of
the most recent attacks reported to the IMBís Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) the heavily-armed
pirates, at the very least, threatened crewmembers with deadly weapons. The pirates are usually
armed with knives and automatic firearms.  On 24 November 2009 an oil tanker anchored off the
coast of Benin, by the Nigerian border, was boarded by eight or nine robbers, all armed with
guns and knives.  IMB Director Pottengal Mukundan commented: "Whilst Somalia is, rightly,
getting a lot of media attention for its piracy problems, a worrying trend is emerging off the coast
of Nigeria. We have noted a higher level of violence in attacks off Nigeria than any other region
in the world."  In another incident, on 30 October 2009, a product tanker was attacked off Lagos
by six pirates armed with knives and guns.  IMB urges all ship masters, owners and managers,
and others involved in the shipping industry, to report piracy or armed robbery incidents to its
PRC. The PRC is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and is the only 24-hour manned centre able
to receive and process reports of attacks from around the world. This timely, first hand
information from ship masters enables IMB to identify high-risk areas to the governments
concerned and is the first essential step in the attack response chain. 
***
 H.  INDIAN OCEAN-EAST AFRICA:
.
     1.  GULF OF ADEN:  Tanker (NORDIC SPRITE) fired upon 7 Dec 09 at 0501 UTC while
underway in position 12:54N ñ 048:07E, approximately 120NM northwest of Bosasso, Somalia. 
Armed men aboard two skiffs fired upon the vessel with automatic weapons and RPGs. The
vessel used counter-piracy measures and was able to prevent boarding. No injuries were reported
(UKMTO, IMB, ONI, LM: Jakarta Post).
.
     2.  GULF OF ADEN:  Bulk carrier (RED SEA SPIRIT) reported suspicious approach 19 Nov
09 at 2200 local time while underway in position 13:37.9N ñ 047:41E.  A suspicious craft was
observed following the vessel until a distance of approximately 1.5 cables.  The vessel conducted
evasive maneuvers mustered the crew to the bridge.  The craft pointed a searchlight on the vessel
and fired a shot into the air, claiming to be the Yemeni Coast Guard.  The master contacted
coalition forces when the craft ordered the vessel to stop to conduct a search, for which the
master refused.  The men in the craft asked for information on the vessel and crew before
eventually leaving. Comment:  UKMTO assesses this was not a piracy incident, but indeed a
Yemeni Coast Guard craft, due to the bulk carrierís close proximity to Yemen territorial waters
(Operator, UKMTO, Reuters).
.
     3.  INDIAN OCEAN:  Dhow (LAXMI SAGAR) hijacked on 10 December 09 while
underway near position 06:00N ñ 51:00E, approximately 115NM southeast of Garacad, Somalia.
Vessel was controlled by armed men for approximately five days before being released.
Reportedly no ransom was paid. Armed men stole crew belongings and money before
disembarking the dhow (IMB, LM: AFRICA NEWS).
.
     4.  INDIAN OCEAN:  Bulk carrier (CORAL GLOBE) fired upon 7 Dec 09 at 1343 UTC
while underway in position 00:27N ñ 061:39E, approximately 977NM east of Mogadishu,
Somalia.  Armed men in two skiffs chased and fired on the vessel with automatic weapons and
RPGs. Vessel increased speed and was able to prevent multiple boarding attempts. Vessel deck
caught on fire but was quickly put out by the crew of the vessel. No injuries were reported.
(IMB, UKMTO, LL, ONI).
.
     5.  INDIAN OCEAN:  Fishing Vessel (SHAHBAIG) hijacked on 6 December 09 while
underway in position 11:52N ñ 62:36E, approximately 470NM southeast of Socotra Island.
Vessel reportedly has 29 crewmembers on board, all believed to be Pakistani. Vessel is
reportedly headed toward the Somali coastline (AP, UKMTO, EUNAVFOR, ONI).
***
K.  SOUTHEAST ASIA:
.
     1.  INDONESIA:  General cargo ship reported suspicious approach 11 Dec 09 at 0820 local
time while underway in position 05:15.9S ñ 123:25.1E, approximately 11NM east of Pulau
Buton.  Four men armed with a gun and spear in a speedboat chased the vessel.  The captain
conducted  counter-piracy measures and evaded the speedboat (IMB).
.
     2.  INDONESIA:  Tanker boarded 8 Dec 09 at 0325 local time while in position 06:13.62S ñ
108:28.29E, Balongan anchorage.  Four robbers boarded the vessel from the poop deck.  They
were spotted by the duty watchman who immediately informed the bridge duty officer.  The
alarm was raised and the crew mustered.  Upon seeing the crew alertness, the robbers escaped in
a waiting boat (IMB).
.
     3.  INDONESIA:  Bulk carrier reported suspicious approach 28 Nov 09 at 0900 local time
while underway east of the Ceram Islands.  Four persons in a white colored speedboat, flying the
Indonesian flag, approached the vessel.  The master raised the alarm and crew activated fire
hoses.  They noticed the men in the speedboat were waving a black cloth, but no contact was
made on VHF.  The master altered course several times to evade the approach.  The speedboat
made two attempts to get close and finally aborted the chase after approximately 25 minutes
(IMB).
***

Malacca Strait: Pirates go for anchored tankers off Singapore

Reported as Pirates attempt to board two tankers near Singapore:

Pirates attempted to board two tankers in a busy shipping lane off southern Malaysia on Monday, a regional government security agency said. Five men tried to board Panama-registered tanker Pacific Harmony early on Monday near the southern Malaysian port of Tanjung Ayam, just to the east of Singapore, according to the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP). The men fled on hearing the ship's alarm system.

Two hours later, six men with long knives tried to board Malaysia-registered chemical tanker MMM Kingston. They fled in a speed boat after seeing the crew had been alerted.

ReCAAP said the same group was probably involved and advised shipping crews to take precautions since there had been six such cases this year in the area, all during the night while the ships were anchored.

"That area is high risk ... there have been a number of attacks in that area," said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting centre in Kuala Lumpur, confirming the two attacks.

ReCAAP reports:

Strait of Malacca: Piracy off Singapore

Several recent incidents near the Strait of Malacca, as in this report from ReCAAP on a boarding on 30 Aug 09:




Not as exciting as Somali pirates - except for those involved, I expect.