The Singapore-flagged product tanker Success 9 has been boarded 310nm SSW Abidjan, Dryad Global’s latest Maritime Security Threat Advisory (MSTA) stated.
“It is understood that the vessel was boarded by an unknown number of perpetrators and the situation is ongoing,” the MSTA noted.
“The incident is the latest in a series of incidents involving the targeting of product vessels providing regional bunkering services in West Africa,” the MSTA added.
“The latest incidents occurred 72 nm SE of an incident involving the ocean MT B on November 23, 2022,” the MSTA continued.
In a statement posted on its website on Wednesday, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said it had received a report that the Singapore-registered oil tanker Success 9 “was approached by unidentified persons about 300 miles yachts off the coast of Abidjan. , Ivory Coast on 10 April 2023 at around 10pm (Singapore time)”.
“There are 20 crew members of various nationalities on board the vessel, one of whom is a Singapore citizen,” the MPA added.
In the statement, the AMP said it is working closely with the shipowner, the Monrovia Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Center and the Information Fusion Center at the Changi Command and Control Center “to monitor the situation and provide the necessary assistance.”
According to Dryad Global’s latest MSTA, West Africa has seen a total of nine incidents this year, which the MSTA notes is a 40 percent decrease compared to levels a year ago. The number of crewmen abducted in the region so far this year stood at six in the latest MSTA. This number has already surpassed the number of hijacked crew in West Africa in 2022, the MSTA showed.
China, Russia
Looking to other regions, the latest MSTA also noted that “recent reports indicated a significant escalation of tension between China and Taiwan.”
“Chinese ships conducted rehearsed combat operations in eastern Taiwan. As part of the military exercises, China’s Fujian Maritime Safety Administration launched a three-day special joint inspection and patrol operation in the central and northern parts of the Taiwan Strait which included movements to board ships,” the MSTA stated.
“The move was rejected by the Maritime and Ports Bureau of Taiwan’s Ministry of Transport, which asked all commercial operators to ignore such requests,” the MSTA added.
Inside the Black Sea, Russia has asked Western states to remove obstacles to Russian exports, the MSTA said.
“Russia … continues to state that it is ready to withdraw from the grains agreement unless its wishes are met,” the MSTA noted.
“The deal currently has a 60-day extension with Turkey asking for a 120-day extension. Russia has suggested that unless its conditions are met, it will allow the deal to lapse and look for ways to negotiate with the construction of the agreement,” the MSTA added.
On March 18, the UN website announced that the Black Sea Grains Initiative, which was signed in Istanbul on July 22, 2022, had been extended.
“The Black Sea Grains Initiative, together with the memorandum of understanding on the promotion of Russian food products and fertilizers on world markets, are critical to global food security, especially for developing countries,” said the UN in a statement the organization published on its site last month. .
“We remain strongly committed to both agreements and urge all parties to redouble their efforts to fully implement them,” the UN added.
On November 19, 2022, the Black Sea Grain Initiative was extended for 120 days, the UN site shows.
To contact the author, please send an email andreas.exarcheas@rigzone.com
