The Eastern Mediterranean controlled supramax bulk carrier Eleni M has been targeted by pirates for the second time in just over a year.
Pirates made an attempted boarding of the vessel at Port Harcourt Nigeria earlier this month just after the vessel had discharged its cargo.
However, maneuvering by the ship’s master and the action of the ship’s crew is understood to have thwarted the attack, according to TradeWinds sources.
Eastern Mediterranean told TradeWinds that all the crew were safe and unharmed following the incident. “We can confirm everything OK thanks to crew counter measures,” it said in brief a statement.
The company may have learned from an almost identical incident just over a year ago.
In April 2017 51,000-dwt Eleni M (built 2001) was attacked and boarded at Port Harcourt by four pirates. Six of the ship’s crew were taken hostage.
West Africa remains one of the world’s piracy hot spots according to the IMB piracy reporting centre.
It has sent a warning to shipowners cautioning: “Off Bayelsa, Brass, Bonny Island and Port Harcourt recently there has been a noticeable increase in attacks, hijackings, kidnapping of crew in these areas. Vessels are advised to take additional measures in these high risk waters.”
According to the IMB in the first few months of this year alone there have been five boardings, three attempted attacks and eight shooting incidents in the waters south of Port Harcourt.
