Two piracy attacks occurred at the Gulf of Guinea in the last two days, with bullets fired upon a Greek bulker and seafarers kidnapped.
Marine Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) reported that seven armed men on a speedboat chased a Liberia-flagged vessel 100 nautical miles from shore yesterday morning.
TradeWinds understands the ship under attack was the 56,719-dwt Sofia (built 2011), owned by Goldenport Shipmanagement.
It was not possible to reach an executive from the John Dragnis-led company for comment.
The assailants opened fire upon the ship, which conducted anti-piracy measures and increased speed, forcing the skiff to sail away.
Four men kidnapped
Another attack took place on an offshore support vessel on Tuesday.
Pirates boarded the small tug Perelade1 (built 1992) and kidnapped the ship’s captain, chief engineer, chief mate and able seaman.
Andrew Varney, chief operating officer of Ambrey Risk’s west Africa services, told TradeWinds: “Despite a period of rapprochement between Abuja and several non-aligned groups in the Delta, armed militant factions remain demonstrably active and eminently capable of conducting, well-planned attacks against shipping transiting the area or conducting operations at offshore terminals.
“Recent attacks reinforce that reality and the inherent risk associated with operating in the Delta region.
“The abduction of four crew members from a vessel off Brass is indicative of the current preference for kidnap for ransom over product theft.”
Varney noted there has been a 34% increase in the use of armed guards in the region in the last few months.
