A Greek tanker crew has resisted yet another pirate attack in the Gulf of Guinea as threat levels remained critical.
The 73,700-dwt La Boheme (built 2007) was approached by two skiffs on Monday evening, 95 nautical miles (176 km) south of Cotonou in Benin, piracy reporting bodies said.
Seafarers on board the Marshall Island-flagged LR1 mustered in the citadel while the master and bridge team carried out evasive moves, security consultancy Dryad Global said.
The pirate boats later aborted the attack.
The tanker and all crew were reported safe.
This was the sixth unsuccessful tanker attack in the region in less than a month, and the fifth in the past six days.
Security consultancies had warned over the weekend of a critical threat to shipping in the region.
After a series of failed kidnapping attempts, they believed the gangs would become desperate and were almost certain to try again quickly.
La Boheme's Greek manager, Product Shipping & Trading, could not immediately provide further information.
Hot spots for gangs
Dryad said incidents remain focused on the waters south of Cotonou and in the southern Niger Delta.
"However, despite the prevalence of attacks within these areas, the threat remains fluid," the company added.
Dryad believes two or more gangs are operating.
"Whilst the pirates retain both the capability and intent to target larger vessels, it is highly likely that smaller vessels presenting more opportune targets will become more desirable as time goes on and the risk to the perpetrators increases," it said.
"The perpetrators are likely to be aware that increased time at sea with both the Beninese and Nigerian navies operating on high alert will significantly increase their own risk. As such it is highly likely that incidents will continue."
On Saturday, Torm's 50,000-dwt MR tanker Torm Alexandra (built 2010) was boarded 300 km south of Cotonou while en route from Lome in Togo.
On the same day, the 15,000-dwt Wesley (built 1995), managed by Union Maritime of the UK, was approached while underway 98 km north-west of the Agbami terminal in Nigeria.
A speedboat containing seven armed pirates came to within 250 metres.
Both raids were thwarted by use of the citadel, and in the case of Wesley, armed guards firing warning shots.
