Three piracy incidents were reported around the globe Thursday, according to authorities.
Suspected pirates attacked a ship on Thursday off the coast of Nigeria in the Bight of Bonny, according to the Marine Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG).
The agency reported that the ship was under attack 19:50 Zulu time 45 nautical miles off the Nigerian coast.
Two other attacks have been reported along the coast of South America, according to the ICC's International Maritime Bureau.
The IMB said an officer on watch aboard a bulker carrier at Brazil’s Macapa Anchorage at 04:25 UTC noticed an open forecastle door and unauthorised persons on the forward deck.
The ship's alarm was sounded and the crew mustered, prompting the robbers to escape. A search of the vessel revealed that the ship's stores were stolen.
The port authority notified a local agent of the incident.
The bureau also reported that a tanker anchored off Venezuela at Puerto La Cruz anchorage was attacked by pirates the same day.
According to the bulletin, three robbers armed with knives threatened a crew member making rounds on the ship.
The crew chased the robbers off the ship once the alarm was sounded, but they escaped with stolen stores.
The incident was reported to Venezuelan authorities, who dispatched the coast guard to investigate the matter.
A week ago, MDAT-GoG reported that a vessel has been attacked off the coast of Nigeria in the Bight of Bonny.
Vessel operators are advised to exercise extreme caution in this area.
The IMB said it was the fourth piracy incident reported in the Gulf of Guinea region so far this year but global piracy has been on the decline.
It reported last month that 180 piracy incidents in 2017 represented the lowest level since 1995 and marked a decrease from 191 incidents in the prior year.
"Although the number of attacks is down this year in comparison with last year, the Gulf of Guinea and the waters around Nigeria remain a threat to seafarers," said IMB director Pottengal Mukundan.
