A Hapag-Lloyd chartered containership has reportedly been chased by pirates while sailing off the West African nation of Ghana.
The 4,253-teu Rio Grande Express (built 2006) is said to have been approached by two boats containing some nine perpetrators.
However, the ship’s master is said to have conducted several changes of courses and the two boats eventually moved away.
The incident took place earlier this month about 32nm south of Ghana’s Takoradi Port, but details have only just emerged.
Confirmation of the incident came in the latest weekly report by the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in Asia (ReCAAP).
This latest incident would appear to represent a further spread of piracy in the region, which has hitherto been restricted to waters of Ghana’s neighbours of Benin and Nigeria.
According to UK-based security consultancy there have been six reported incidents of piracy off Nigeria since the beginning of February 2018.
In the most recent incident, which took place on 16 March, a product tanker came under fire from a high-speed boat carrying eight armed men.
The ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said the tanker began evasive manoeuvres and alerted its own on-board armed security team.
All the tanker’s non-essential crew had been ordered to the ship’s citadel and there were no reports of any injuries. The attackers then broke off their approach.
“All waters in and off Nigeria and in the wider Gulf of Guinea should be seen as dangerous,” said Gray Page.
“Vessels should avoid slow steaming while underway and minimise time spent in anchorages.
“They are also advised to take ‘hardening measures’ to make boarding more difficult.”
