Ocean Tankers has emerged as the latest shipowner to have one of its ships targeted by suspected pirates off the coast of Yemen.
The 73,400-dwt Po Yang Hu (built 2007) was sailing in the Gulf of Aden when it noticed a suspicious mother boat with unknown number of people on board and two skiffs with two men on board each skiff.
Reports say the duty officer informed the master who activated security measures by activating the deck water spray, broadcasted the security situation and stationed three guards at the bridge.
He is then said to have commenced the lock down procedure and informed company’s chief security officer (CSO), operator and UKMTO of the situation.
However, when the tanker manoeuvred and increased speed, the mother boat and its two skiffs stopped chasing the tanker.
The incident took place earlier this month, but news of the incidents has gone largely unreported by the media.
Details have only just emerged in the latest report by the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in Asia (ReCAAP).
