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Ship operators have been warned of an increase in the violence used by pirates attacking ships in Nigerian waters to steal money and stores.

In one attack last November, the Chief Officer of a ship was shot and killed by pirates.

The ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said in December: “In all of the most recent attacks reported to the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) the heavily-armed pirates, at the very least, threatened crew members with knives and automatic firearms.”

Giving details of the fatal shooting, the IMB said: “On Nov 24, 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. “The pirates managed to gain access to the bridge where they demanded the ship’s cash and the personal belongings of the crew, before beating the Master and tying up several other crew members. Another officer was able to raise the ship’s alarm, causing the pirates to panic.

“As they tried to escape, the ship’s Chief Officer was shot and killed. “One of the hijackers was apprehended by the crew and handed over to the authorities in Benin.”

In another incident, on Oct 30 last year, a product tanker was attacked off Lagos by six pirates armed with knives and guns. The crew took evasive measures and contacted Lagos Port Control.

“The pirates opened fire against the bridge windows and accommodation. Eventually gaining entry to the bridge, the pirates took all the crew members hostage. The crew were threatened and several assaulted,” said the IMB.

“The pirates eventually made off with ships cash, crew cash and personal belongings, not before they damaged communications equipment and locked all crew members in a cabin.”

The 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, which 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.

More on this and other news in Sea Breezes Magazine - February 2010 Issue
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