Pirates have struck off the coast of Somalia with an apparent hijacking in what some fear could be a game-changing incident for maritime security in the region.
Early reports suggest all 23 crew on board the vessel have been taken hostage following the incident 600 nautical miles (1,111 km), north-east of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Multiple media outlets and shipping market sources have identified the vessel as the 58,000-dwt Abdullah (built 2015), controlled by KSRM Group.
The incident has been met with immediate shock in the shipping community, which is already grappling with major disruption caused by sustained attacks from Houthi missiles and drones in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
“This is a change of landscape in terms of safety at sea,” one senior shipping source told TradeWinds, reflecting on potential return of piracy off Somalia after a decade of inactivity.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations said it received a report from a company security officer (CSO) about an incident on an unnamed vessel on Tuesday morning in the Indian Ocean.
Authorities are investigating, it added. Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa reported that several small boats intercepted the bulker.
The Ship Security Alert System was activated and the crew had taken refuge in the citadel, it said.
Security company ARC later cited the CSO as saying the ship was boarded by an unconfirmed number of “unauthorised persons” from two boats.
The perpetrators now have control of the vessel, the CSO has reported.
There are 23 Bangladeshi crew on board. All have been taken hostage, reports by Dhaka Tribune and BDNews 24 said, citing KSRM.
The crew members are safe and uninjured, the company’s SR Shipping unit told Bloomberg.
KSRM has been contacted for further information. The ship’s captain was named as Abdur Rashid.
The vessel, which is carrying coal, is reported to be being taken towards Somalia.
Security company Ambrey Analytics located the incident about 925 km east of Mogadishu, in international waters, while the ship was heading north.
The vessel was observed altering course to the south-east and increasing its speed. Subsequently, the ship slowed to a speed of 1 knot, Ambrey said.
Ambrey reported 20 armed suspects boarding the ship while it was en route from Maputo, Mozambique, to Hamriya, UAE.
The company assesses it as “unlikely” the crew made it to the citadel.
“There have been conflicting reports regarding the crew’s whereabouts,” the company said.
Ambrey added: “Merchant vessels are advised to stay well clear of this position as this is assessed to be an ongoing incident with perpetrators attempting to take control of the bulker.”
The ship had an estimated 5.6 metre freeboard at the time, the company added.
There have been fears over the resurgence of Somali piracy in recent months, potentially linked to backing from Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
India has called for renewed powers from the United Nations to allow naval ships to enter Somali territorial waters to tackle the threat of pirates.
Series of attacks
Its marines boarded the 170,100-dwt Lila Norfolk (built 2006) in January after it was seized by an armed group off the coast of Somalia.
The hijackers left the bulker before the marines boarded.
In December, the 41,600-dwt Bulgarian handymax bulker Ruen (built 2016) was hijacked along with 18 crew members.
Negotiations continue for the release of the Navibulgar-owned ship.
The Indian navy has claimed at least five other vessels have been attacked, boarded or hijacked by a group of pirates operating out of Puntland, Somalia, in recent months.
Five groups of pirates may be operating off the coast of Somalia with more attacks possible as the weather in the region improves, the EU naval force Operation Atlanta has warned.
The threat comes in addition to dozens of attacks on merchant ships by Houthi forces in Yemen.
