THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | i

REPORT

Supported by the Global Maritime Crime Programme

(GMCP) of UNODC.
 Author:
Lydelle Joubert

Acknowledgments:
Stable Seas wishes to acknowledge and thank our funding partner, the Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) at the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, for their contribution to The State of Maritime Piracy 2020. The Stable Seas program is
grateful to have the excellent support and cooperation of the GMCP.
We would like to give special thanks to the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau, the
International Maritime Organization, and the information center of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy
and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia, from whom most of the information was derived. Den Norske Krigsforsikring for
Skib and independent sources also contributed incident data to the Stable Seas dataset. We also want to thank all regional
organizations and maritime security companies that share reports online.

Design & Layout:

Liz Allen & Andrea Kuenker

Citation:
The State of Maritime Piracy 2020, One Earth Future, Broomfield CO, USA 2020

Cover photo by Marina Militare Italiana

On 7 November 2020, pirates attacked the product tanker, Torm Alexandra. Upon arrival of a helicopter from the Italian frigate Martinengo, the pirates escaped
from the ship.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEFINITION OF PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY..................................... 1
INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................. 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................. 2
Data Sources.......................................................................................................................................3
State Of Maritime Piracy 2020: Incident Types..........................................................................3
Hijacking..................................................................................................................................................... 3
Kidnapping................................................................................................................................................. 3
Armed Robbery......................................................................................................................................... 3
Robbery....................................................................................................................................................... 3
Failed Attack/Boarding........................................................................................................................... 3
Suspicious Approaches........................................................................................................................... 3

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS

IN EAST AFRICA 2020............................................................................... 4
Main Messages...................................................................................................................................4
Overview: East Africa Incidents......................................................................................................5
Overview: East Africa Human Cost...............................................................................................6
Trends....................................................................................................................................................7
Robbery at Ports and Anchorages..................................................................................................8
Nacala Anchorage, Mozambique......................................................................................................... 8
Alang Anchorage, India.......................................................................................................................... 8
Umm Qasr Port, Iraq............................................................................................................................... 8
Ansar al-Sunna’s Activity in Cabo Delgado...................................................................................... 8

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS

IN WEST AFRICA 2020. . ............................................................................ 9
Main Messages...................................................................................................................................9
Overview: West Africa Incidents....................................................................................................10
Overview: West Africa Human Cost..............................................................................................11
General Trends and Shifts.................................................................................................................12
Fishing Vessels....................................................................................................................................14
Arrests and Prosecutions.................................................................................................................15
Ambika....................................................................................................................................................... 15
Epic Bermuda ......................................................................................................................................... 15
HaiLuFeng 11...........................................................................................................................................15
Passenger Boat......................................................................................................................................... 15
Ongoing Case of FWN Rapide............................................................................................................ 15
Pilgrim of Africa...................................................................................................................................... 16
iv | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

Robbery at Ports and Anchorages..................................................................................................16

Lagos Port Terminal and Anchorages, Nigeria.................................................................................. 16
Luanda Anchorages, Angola.................................................................................................................. 16
Takoradi Anchorages, Ghana................................................................................................................ 16
Conakry Anchorage, Guinea................................................................................................................. 16
Port of Cotonou, Benin........................................................................................................................... 16
Deep Blue Project..............................................................................................................................16

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN ASIA 2020............ 17

Main Messages...................................................................................................................................18
Overview: Asia Incidents..................................................................................................................19
Overview: Asia Human Cost............................................................................................................20
Kidnapping in the Sulu Sea..............................................................................................................20
Robbery and Attempted Robbery in the Singapore and Malacca Straits..............................20
Robbery and Attempted Robbery at Anchorages.......................................................................20
Arrests...................................................................................................................................................21
PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2020. . .................................... 22
Main Messages...................................................................................................................................22
Overview: Latin America and the Caribbean Incidents.............................................................23
Overview: Latin America and the Caribbean Human Cost.......................................................24
Attacks off Mexico.............................................................................................................................25
Ecuador.................................................................................................................................................25
Robbery and Attempted Robbery at Anchorages.......................................................................25
Callao Anchorage, Peru.......................................................................................................................... 25
Macapa Anchorage, Brazil..................................................................................................................... 25
Port-au-Prince Port and Anchorage, Haiti........................................................................................ 25
Barcelona Anchorages, Venezuela....................................................................................................... 25
Robbery on Yachts.............................................................................................................................26

ENDNOTES. . ...................................................................................................... 27
 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 1

DEFINITION OF PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS, 1982: 61) defines piracy as:
(a) any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation, committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers
of a private ship or a private aircraft, and directed:
(i) on the high seas, against another ship or aircraft, or against persons or property on board such ship or aircraft;
(ii) against a ship, aircraft, persons or property in a place outside the jurisdiction of any State;
(b) any act of voluntary participation in the operation of a ship or of an aircraft with knowledge of facts making it a pirate ship
or aircraft;
(c) any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described in subparagraph (a) or (b).
Resolution A.1025(26) (Annex, paragraph 2.2) on IMO’s Code of Practice for the investigation of the Crimes of Piracy and Armed
Robbery Against Ships defines armed robbery against ships as:
(a) any illegal act of violence or detention or any act of depredation, or threat thereof, other than an act of piracy, committed
for private ends and directed against a ship or against persons or property on board such a ship, within a State’s internal waters,
archipelagic waters and territorial sea;
(b) any act of inciting or of intentionally facilitating an act described above.

INTRODUCTION
In 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 had a profound impact on the shipping industry. Thousands of seafarers, unable to disembark
for crew changes due to closures of ports and airports, were trapped at sea. For the most part, COVID-19 had minor impacts on
the number of incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery of ships, with the exception of incidents on yachts in the Caribbean,
which were slightly lower than normal as cruising patterns changed when many cruisers returned to their home countries and
Caribbean countries closed their borders to yachts. Kidnapping of crew members continued in the Gulf of Guinea, as did robbery
of ships in the Straits of Singapore and Malacca and at anchorages around the world.
The State of Maritime Piracy 2020 marks the eleventh year that One Earth Future In the future, this report
Foundation has assessed the human cost of maritime piracy, evolving from a project
of Oceans Beyond Piracy to a flagship report of the Stable Seas program. Our focus has will live on as a project
expanded from piracy off the coast of Somalia to piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, Southeast of the newly established
Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. What has remained constant is our goal to Stable Seas Foundation.
explain and quantify the magnitude of these crimes and the profound impacts piracy and
armed robbery of ships have had on stakeholders and, most importantly, the victims, and
our belief that ending violence at sea is possible. In the future, this report will live on as a
project of the newly established Stable Seas Foundation.
2 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• IN 2020, THE GULF OF GUINEA REMAINED THE AREA WORST AFFECTED BY PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY
OF VESSELS WORLDWIDE, with 96 percent of all kidnapping incidents reported in this region. Pirate groups based in
the Niger Delta expanded operations from Côte d’Ivoire in the west to Gabon in the south and to almost 200 nautical
miles off the coast.

• INCIDENTS IN THE EAST AFRICA REGION REMAINED LOW, with no incidents recorded in international waters and
only one incident reported off the coast of Somalia: the armed robbery of the Panamanian tanker Aegean II off the coast
of Puntland. Robberies of small vessels off the coast of northern Mozambique by the insurgent group Ansar al-Sunna are
of concern.

• Five fishermen were kidnapped from a fishing vessel off Sabah, Malaysia by the Abu Sayyaf Group in January 2020,
emphasizing that THE THREAT OF KIDNAPPING IN THE SULU AND CELEBES SEAS REMAINS. ROBBERIES AND
ATTEMPTED ROBBERIES OF COMMERCIAL VESSELS REMAINED HIGH IN THE STRAITS OF MALACCA AND
SINGAPORE IN 2020, with 35 reported incidents. This figure is very similar to that of 2019.

• FEWER INCIDENTS WERE RECORDED IN 2020 IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN THAN IN 2019. A
large reduction in robberies of yachts, fishing boats, and tankers was recorded and there was an increase of robberies on
container ships and offshore support vessels, or OSVs. The incidents on OSVs were recorded in Mexican waters, but this
does not necessarily represent an increase in incidents, but rather an increase in reporting. Higher numbers of incidents
on container ships were recorded in Ecuador, and on vessels in general at anchorages in Haiti and Peru.
 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 3

Data Sources
Incident data were collected from several sources which included maritime authorities and other maritime role-players as well
as media reports. Major data sources include the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau, the
International Maritime Organization, and the information center of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy
and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia.

State of Maritime Piracy 2020: Incident Types

The location where an incident occurs will determine whether an incident will be classified as piracy (if it occurs in international
waters) or armed robbery of ships (if it occurs in territorial waters). This report includes both piracy and robbery. Incidents of
piracy and robbery of ships will also be classified into categories according to the type of incident. This report classifies incidents
into the following types:

Hijacking
Ships are hijacked to ransom the crew; to steal the oil cargo, ship stores, or crew possessions; or to use the vessel as a mothership in
the hijacking of other vessels. Hijacking for cargo theft often requires the complicity of a variety of actors. Ships carrying petroleum
products are often targeted and attacked. Once the vessel is hijacked, the crew is often forced to navigate to a remote location
where parts of the cargo are transferred to a smaller tanker or a storage facility on land. The stolen cargo is then sold on the black
market or blended with legitimate refined products.

Kidnapping
Kidnapping occurs primarily in West Africa and Asia when perpetrators board ships with intent to kidnap crew members. Hostages
are taken to land, where they are held during ransom negotiations. Off the coast of Somalia, pirates steer hijacked vessels toward
a coastline where they will hold both the vessel and its crew captive for an extended period of time until a ransom is paid. Somali
pirates have also been known to use motherships to launch attacks farther out at sea. Private armed security teams (PASTs) on
vessels, patrols by local and international actors, and efforts on land have had positive effects in combating the crime.

Armed Robbery
Armed robbery occurs when perpetrators are reportedly armed and attempt to steal ship stores and/or crew belongings. These
incidents can occur on ships that are underway or anchored, both at anchorages or ports and at sea. In West Africa, failed hijackings
or kidnap-for-ransom attacks may also lead to armed robberies.

Robbery
Robbery describes incidents where the perpetrators were reportedly unarmed and attempted to steal ship stores and/or crew
belongings. This type of incident frequently occurs aboard ships that are at anchor or drifting close to a port or anchorage. These
instances in general pose a minor threat to the crew.

Failed Attack/Boarding
A failed attack or boarding is an incident in which pirates or armed robbers were thwarted by self-protective actions taken by crew,
embarked security teams, or naval intervention.

Suspicious Approaches
Suspicious approaches include cases where a ship reports a close encounter or a direct approach from another vessel which is
threatening in nature. The perceived threat is determined by the ship’s master or PAST based on the actions of the approaching
vessel or from observation of weapons or ladders.
4 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN EAST

AFRICA IN 2020

MAIN MESSAGES
• Seventeen incidents of armed
robbery of ships were recorded
in East Africa in 2020, 11 against
commercial vessels and 6 on
small vessels. No incidents were
recorded in international waters
and only one incident was recorded
off the coast of Somalia—the armed
robbery of the Panamanian tanker
Aegean II, which was reported off
the coast of Puntland.
• Eight incidents of robbery and
attempted robbery at ports and
anchorages were reported: four at
Nacala Anchorage, Mozambique;
three at Alang Anchorage, India; and
one at Umm Qasr Port, Iraq. At the
Nacala port and anchorages, there MARITIME SECURITY
has been a slow increase in incidents INCIDENTS IN EAST AFRICA,
from one in 2017 to four in 2020. 2020
• Suspicious approaches and attacks
reported in the Bab el-Mandeb
Strait and the Gulf of Aden in 2020
are most likely linked to the conflict
in Yemen or fishing vessels and
trolling skiffs operating in the area.
• Several other maritime security
incidents unrelated to piracy were
reported in this region in 2020. A
vessel was intercepted and its crew
detained by the Houthis off the coast
of Yemen. The Houthis also used
remotely controlled waterborne
improvised explosive devices and
sea mines against Saudi vessels and
visiting tankers in Saudi Arabia. An
explosion from a naval mine was
also reported at a Yemeni-operated
facility, and a limpet mine attached
to the hull of a tanker was detected
off the al-Basra terminal in Iraq.
• Armed robberies on small sailing vessels crossing near Quifuque Island in the Palma District of Mozambique in late 2020 are
concerning. Commercial vessels operating near the coast and visiting small ports or harbors in northern Mozambique should
implement additional security measures. Currently there is no indication that this will affect commercial shippingtransiting
farther off the coast, but it is advisable that vessels remain vigilant in the area.
 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 5

OVERVIEW: EAST AFRICA INCIDENTS 2020

6 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

OVERVIEW: EAST AFRICA HUMAN COST 2020

 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 7

Trends
In 2020, no incidents in the region could be classified as piracy, but 17 incidents of armed robbery of vessels were reported, of
which 11 were on commercial vessels. Eight incidents were reported at anchorages in the region.
On 15 August 2020, the Panama-flagged tanker Aegean II developed engine trouble off Bandar Beyla and decided to seek shelter
off Bereeda, Puntland. On 19 August, six armed personnel in uniform boarded the vessel, disarmed the private armed security
team, and took their weapons. Five armed civilians also boarded and robbed the crew of valuables.1
A series of robberies of boat engines from small fishing vessels and pleasure craft were reported in 2020 at moorings off Mauritius.2
The last three hostages from the Iranian fishing vessel Siraj, which was hijacked at Ceel Huur in the Mudug region of Somalia on 23
March 2015, have been released as of 19 August 2020 after spending more than five years in captivity.3
A total of 34 suspects were arrested after four robbery incidents in India.4 Nine suspects were arrested by the Indian Coast Guard
when they attempted to rob the dead tanker Morbius, which was being towed by the tugboat Allianz Titanium off Gujarat, India.
The Morbius was towed to the Alang ship-breaking yard.5
Several maritime security incidents and suspicious approaches unrelated to piracy but linked to conflict in the region were
reported off the coast of Yemen, in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. This included attacks by waterborne improvised
explosive devices (WBIEDs) and sea mines against Saudi vessels and visiting tankers in Saudi Arabia.6 An explosion on the Maltese-
flagged tanker MT Syra on 3 October 2020, which was likely from a naval mine, was also reported at a single-point mooring in a
Government of Yemen–operated facility, Bir Ali.7
COVID-19 was particularly hard on armed security teams on floating armories (FAs) in the Western Indian Ocean. Most FAs suffered
from overcrowding at one time or another as crew changes became impossible due to closures of ports and airports as well as
customs limitations. Problems that FAs are currently experiencing are not only due to COVID-19 but also to falling prices for the

ESPS Santa Maria responded to an incident on chemical tanker Aegean II off Bereeda, Somalia in August 2020. Source: EU NAVFOR
8 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

services of private armed security teams placed on vessels, which place limitations Problems that FAs are currently
on FAs as well. It is likely that these services will become financially unsustainable if experiencing are not only due
these trends persist, which could potentially have security implications.
to COVID-19 but also to falling
The mandates of the European Union’s military maritime operation Operation prices for the services of private
Atalanta, the military training mission in Somalia (EUTM Somalia), and the EU’s
civilian capacity-building mission in Somalia (EUCAP Somalia) were extended for two
armed security teams placed on
more years until 31 December 2022. EUNAVFOR’s core tasks will still be counter- vessels, which place limitations
piracy to ensure the freedom of navigation and the protection of the World Food on FAs as well.
Programme and other shipping to Somalia, but they will also monitor illicit activities
such as weapons and narcotics and charcoal smuggling as well as illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing, and they will
contribute to the implementation of the UN arms embargo in Somalia and the disruption of funding to al-Shabaab.8

Robbery and Attempted Robbery at Ports and Anchorages

Nacala Anchorage, Mozambique
There has been a slow increase in incidents at Nacala since 2017, with one incident reported in 2017, two in 2018, three in 2019,
and four in 2020. Over the last four years, all incidents that were reported took place in the hours of darkness between 20:30
LT and 04:30 LT. Two or three robbers usually approach in a small boat, boarding via the anchor chain and hawse pipe (the pipe
through which an anchor cable passes), or in two cases, with a hook tied to a rope. Ship stores are stolen. Robbers were at times
armed with knives, but violence associated with these crimes is usually minor.

Alang Anchorage, India

On the west coast of India, robbers boarded and robbed barges and other vessels towed by tugs while they were waiting offshore
for demolition at Alang. The robbers steal scrap metal from the barges. Barges are usually unmanned, which makes them an
attractive target. Indian authorities arrested 10 suspects after the robberies on the barge Amil 12 towed by the tug Amil 59 and
the barge Naashi towed by the tug Bateleur.9

Umm Qasr Port, Iraq

On 27 April 2020, the container ship Seamax Darien was boarded while berthed at Umm Qasr Port, Iraq, by robbers disguised as
stevedores. They stole ship property; port authorities recovered the stolen goods. Robbery of vessels is very unusual at this port.10

Ansar al-Sunna’s Activity in Cabo Delgado

The Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique has been experiencing high levels of violence since October 2017.11 In the
beginning of 2020, the tempo of the activity of the insurgent group Ansar al-Sunna (or Ahlu-Sunnah Wal-Jama/ASWJ) in Cabo
Delgado increased dramatically. A maritime dimension was added to the conflict in April 2020 when the group started to use small
craft to target islands off the coast of northern Mozambique12 and captured the port of Mocímboa da Praia for the second time in
August 2020.13
On 23 November 2020, insurgents wearing Mozambican security force uniforms attacked civilians on Quifuque Island after arriving
by canoe.14 From the island, the insurgents attacked the sailing canoes that regularly travel between Pemba and Palma, mostly
for food. One such vessel, the Estrela, with a crew of 5 and at least 11 passengers on board, was attacked, and the food carried
by passengers was stolen.15 In November 2020, the Mozambican government placed a temporary ban on food shipments by sea
along the coast in an effort to stem further attacks. In another attack on 10 December 2020, six insurgents in a motorboat attacked
fishermen off Macomia and stole part of their fish catch.16
To date, it seems that the aims of the attacks on small sailing vessels are to acquire food and essential supplies and to cut essential
supplies to the area. What is worrying is the Islamic State’s affiliation with the group and that their maritime capabilities are
increasing. As these capabilities are limited at this time, it is unlikely that insurgents currently have the capability to attack
commercial vessels while they are underway, but vessels at anchor and in operation near shore are at risk. The situation should
be carefully monitored.
 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 9

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN WEST

AFRICA IN 2020

MAIN MESSAGES
• The Gulf of Guinea remained the area most affected by piracy and maritime robbery worldwide in 2020. For the most part,
the situation remained the same as in 2019. Although an 8 percent increase in incidents of piracy and armed robbery was
reported in 2020, three fewer kidnapping incidents from commercial vessels were reported and a 13 percent reduction
in the number of crew members kidnapped was noted in 2020 compared to 2019. Nigeria is still at the epicenter of this
problem in the Gulf of Guinea.
• In 2020, the range of attacks with the intent to hijack vessels or kidnap crew extended from Côte d’Ivoire in the west to
Gabon in the south and to almost 200 nautical miles off the coast. Attacks were often violent: 10 deaths, including those of
2 crew members and 8 navy personnel, were recorded.
• Four vessels were hijacked and 143 crew members were kidnapped during 27 incidents. Crew were kidnapped from vessels
off Benin, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria, São Tomé & Príncipe, and Togo. While a high concentration
of violent incidents was still recorded off Brass and Bonny, Nigeria, attacks became more dispersed over the wider region.
• In total, 45 incidents were reported at ports and at anchorages. High numbers of incidents of robbery and attempted
robbery were also reported at Lagos Anchorages, Nigeria, but a significant reduction was noted from 2019. High numbers
of incidents of robbery and attempted robbery were also reported at the Luanda anchorages in Angola and the Takoradi
anchorages in Ghana in 2020. Crew members were kidnapped from anchorages at Cotonou, Benin, and Malabo and Luba,
Equatorial Guinea.
• In total, 36 suspects were arrested for piracy and armed robbery in the region in 2020.

INCIDENTS OF PIRACY AND ARMED

ROBBERY OF VESSELS IN WEST
AFRICA, 2020
10 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

OVERVIEW: WEST AFRICA INCIDENTS 2020

 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 11

OVERVIEW: WEST AFRICA HUMAN COST 2020

12 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

General Trends and Shifts

From January to December 2020, 142 of the 143 crew members kidnapped were taken from commercial vessels. A kidnapping
incident on a passenger boat was also recorded. It is likely that all but one of these 27 kidnapping incidents resulted in the payment
of a ransom.
There was a shift in concentration of incidents in the Gulf of Guinea away from On 17 July 2020, crew were
the Niger Delta, Calabar, and Cameroon from 2019 to 2020. Pirate groups involved kidnapped from the Curacao Trader
in kidnappings of crew moved operations farther away from the Niger Delta and
Cameroon to as far off as Côte d’Ivoire in the west and Gabon in the south and almost 200 nm off the coast of
almost 200 nautical miles off the coast. The incidents on both the Curacao Trader Bayelsa, Nigeria, which represents
and Kota Budi occurred well off the coast of Nigeria. On 17 July 2020, crew were the farthest off the coast an attack
kidnapped from the Curacao Trader almost 200 nm off the coast of Bayelsa,
Nigeria, which represents the farthest off the coast an attack has been recorded in
has been recorded in the Gulf of
the Gulf of Guinea in the last ten years. Guinea in the last ten years.
In 2020, hostages were held captive for between 3 and 150 days, with crew held by vessel kept for an average of 43 days. The
hostages from the two vessels Djibloho and Rio Mitong, both owned by Equatorial Guinean companies and both attacked off
Equatorial Guinea on 9 May 2020, were held for 150 days. As negotiations slowed down and the first attempt to transfer ransom
failed, the kidnappers threatened to kill the hostages in an effort to put pressure on the owners. High numbers of Chinese, Georgian,
Nigerian, Russian, and Ukranian crew members were kidnapped in 2020. These nationalities were not necessarily targeted, but are
representative of the nationalities of crew on commercial vessels currently operating in the Gulf of Guinea.
Just under half of all reported attacks (48) were recorded off the coast of Nigeria, and 17 of these were in Nigeria’s territorial
waters. In 2020, 68 crew members were kidnapped off the coast of Nigeria during 10 incidents. Incidents were reported at the
Lagos Port terminals and anchorages, Onne Port, riverine areas, and up to 196 nm off the coast, with a high concentration of
incidents of Brass/Bayelsa.
Nine attacks were reported off Cotonou, Benin, at the anchorage and between 45 and 162 nm off the coast. The attacks resulted
in 29 crew members being kidnapped from five vessels. Four incidents off Gabon resulted in the kidnapping of 16 crew members.
In 2019, nine kidnapping incidents were recorded off Cameroon, mostly concentrated at the Idenau and Douala anchorages.
Fishing vessels were targeted during five of these kidnapping incidents. In August 2019, the government of Cameroon offered
free placement of security guards on board vessels at the Douala anchorage.17 No kidnapping incidents on commercial vessels
were recorded in 2020, but the kidnapping of one person from a passenger vessel was recorded 5 nm off Limbe. On 12 June 2020,
 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 13

a Cameroonian Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) patrol engaged a skiff with six armed men near Bakassi between Nigeria and
Cameroon. All six suspected pirates were either killed or drowned, and weapons and ammunition were seized.18
Crew members kidnapped from vessels in Equatorial Guinea were likely targeted by the same group. The general cargo ship Rio
Mitong was attacked at the Malabo anchorage and the research ship Djibloho was attacked at the Luba anchorage on 9 May 2020.
The two locations are both anchorages off the Equatorial Guinean island of Bioko, and are 27 nm apart. As the Rio Mitong was
previously owned by Glomar, a company linked to Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and Lithuanian
businessman Vladimir Stefanov (when it was then named Mikue 3), it was speculated that these incidents were more than mere
piracy,19 but at this time there is no real evidence to support this. In 2016, Glomar’s name was changed to Smart S&P SA.
On 17 October 2020, the LNG tanker Methane Princess was attacked shortly after loading operations at Punta Europa LNG Terminal,
Malabo, on Bioko Island in Equatorial Guinea. The vessel had been at Punta Europa for 24 hours prior to the incident. Two Filipino
crew members still on the jetty were kidnapped. One managed to jump off the pirate boat and escaped.20 He sustained injuries
doing so.
Kidnapping gangs in Nigeria are not limited to ships, but are part of a much larger kidnapping problem in the country. Kidnapping
is in some cases connected to other maritime crimes or extortion for protection. Ships that cannot afford onboard armed security
or armed escorts often pay protection money. According to some sources, the kidnapping of crew from the Ambika was the result
of a dispute over nonpayment of protection money. The payment of protection money, or “blessings,” by shipping companies was
illustrated on 18 January 2021 when a gang damaged the dredger Norfin Power 1 in an attack on the Norfin Offshore facility in
Akwa Ibom. The yard was the victim of an extortion demand of NGN20 million by the gang. The criminal gang had warned Norfin
that they would not be able to operate without paying.21
Similar to 2019, just over half of the vessels that became victims of hijacking or kidnapping had a permanent presence in the Gulf
of Guinea, and several are flagged in Gulf of Guinea countries as well.
On 21 March 2020, the Equatorial Guinea-flagged ro-ro passenger ship Elobey VI was hijacked 22 nm off Port-Gentil, Gabon, while
en route from the port of Bata to Annobón Island, Equatorial Guinea. The pirates forced the vessel to sail into Nigerian waters. On
the approach of the Nigerian Navy, the pirates escaped with three crew members—one Equatoguinean and two Moroccans. The
Elobey VI is operated by the Moroccan company Somagec from the port of Bata, Equatorial Guinea. Somagec has a large footprint
in construction in Equatorial Guinea and operates a ferry service between Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, implying predictable
routes which work in favor of the pirates when they are planning an attack.22, 23

On 7 November 2020, pirates attacked the product tanker, Torm Alexandra. Upon arrival of a helicopter from the Italian frigate Martinengo, the pirates escaped
from the ship. Source: Marina Militare Italiana
14 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

The use of citadels and best management practices proved to be effective during attacks. During five of the attacks, pirates
succeeded in boarding vessels but were prevented from kidnapping crew as they retreated to citadels. During one such attack,
on 7 November 2020 on the product tanker Torm Alexandra, the crew retreated to the citadel, giving the Italian frigate Federico
Martinengo,24 in coordination with Benin’s navy, time to respond to the incident. Upon seeing the Italian frigate’s helicopter, the
pirates left the ship and fled the scene.25
Cooperation between Gulf of Guinea navies and maritime authorities and international navies such as the Italian, Spanish, and
Portuguese navies had a positive outcome in the Gulf of Guinea and resulted in an arrest and the foiling of some attacks.
Several incidents where robbers attacked passenger boats in Nigeria’s internal waters were reported in April 2020. High levels of
violence were present during these attacks, with one passenger wounded in an incident in April. The passengers were robbed of
valuables, and often, boat engines were taken.

On 13 November 2020, 14 crew members were kidnapped from the heavy load carrier, Zhen Hua 7 off Sao Tome and Principe. Marines from the Martinengo
boarding the vessel to assist. Source: Marina Militare Italiana

Fishing Vessels
Relations between China’s distant-water trawlers and fishers in the region are strained as fishing stocks are experiencing severe
depletion. Small-vessel fishers in Senegal, Mauritania, and Liberia have complained of aggressive behavior toward them.26
To generate investment in fisheries, some countries in the Gulf of Guinea engage in Fisheries Partnership Agreements with distant-
water fishing nations such as China, South Korea, Russia, and the European Union. These companies are often registered or have
fishing vessels flagged in Gulf of Guinea countries. A total of 97 fishermen have been kidnapped from 31 fishing vessels off the Gulf
of Guinea since 2013. Cameroonian, Chinese, Ghanaian, Greek, Indonesian, Nigerian, Senegalese, and South Korean fishermen
were kidnapped during the incidents. Up to ten crew members are taken at a time, but most of the time two to three of the crew—
the master, chief officer, and engineer—are targeted. Several hijackings have also been reported. Some of the hijacked fishing
vessels were used as motherships in the attacking of other vessels. In 2020, 14 fishermen were kidnapped during four incidents. In
addition to the kidnappings, the fishing trawler Hai Lu Feng 11 was hijacked, and the fishing longliner Shenghai2 and fishing vessel
Kelly Danielle were attacked in 2020. In the case of the Kelly Danielle, the Cameroonian BIR prevented the attack. A BIR member
and some pirates were reportedly wounded during the firefight.27
Six hostages from the fishing vessels Amerger II and Amerger VII who were kidnapped on 3 May 2020 off Gabon were released on
9 June 2020. They were held captive in a camp east of Calabar in Nigeria close to the Nigeria-Cameroon border.28 In recent years,
crew were kidnapped from the Calabar River in Nigeria and from Idenau and Douala, Cameroon, several from fishing vessels.
Several of the attacks were very similar and were likely carried out by the same group.
 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 15

Arrests and Prosecutions

In total, 36 suspects were arrested for piracy and armed robbery in the region in 2020. In addition, six members of the security
team from the program Pilgrim Africa were arrested for facilitating payment of ransom to release hostages. They were part of the
security team involved in the release of the hostages from the Elobey VI.

Ambika
On 2 January 2020, the Deep Frontline Shippers of Nigeria–managed dredger Ambika was attacked at the mouth of the Ramos
River approximately 9 nm east of Forcados Terminal, Nigeria. Four Nigerian naval ratings were killed and two injured during the
ensuing firefight. Three crew members, two Russians and an Indian national, were kidnapped.29
On 5 January 2020, members of the Joint Military Task Force launched an operation in Bilabiri community, Bayelsa, and rescued
the three hostages. Select houses were reportedly also burned, including the houses of the paramount ruler and the suspected
leader of the group, an ex-militant, Bamitale Iwatan. Three other gang members, Odun Ogunse, a.k.a. Akaba; Adeojo Sunday, a.k.a.
Gatuso; and Edema ThankGod, a.k.a. Adone, were arrested on 31 January 2020. Although it was reported in some publications
that Iwatan was arrested, it does not seem to be the case.30
Iwatan is from the Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State in the Niger Delta, which lies along the Atlantic coast of Nigeria.
Authorities connected him with a prior kidnapping from an OSV, as well as engine theft from smaller boats in the riverine areas.31
His area of operations is near the coast and in the riverine areas of the Niger Delta. After the January 2020 attack, he was involved
in an attack on a political leader in the area in April 2020. It seems that Iwatan acts as an enforcer for a rival political leader.

Epic Bermuda
On 30 April 2020, authorities at Takoradi Anchorage, Ghana, arrested six suspects for the attempted boarding of the LPG tanker
Epic Bermuda.32

Hai Lu Feng 11
On 14 May 2020, the fishing vessel Hai Lu Feng 11, with a crew of 18, was hijacked while fishing off Côte d’Ivoire. The International
Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Center received a distress message and informed regional authorities and the vessel’s
operators. All communication with the vessel was lost, but it was spotted sailing toward Nigerian waters.33 Through rapid action and
cooperation between different African navies and institutions, the vessel was tracked, and the Nigerian Navy was able to interdict
the vessel 140 nautical miles south of the Lagos Fairway Buoy. The Nigerian Navy’s personnel on the NNS Nguru performed an
opposed boarding when the pirates refused to stop. All 18 hostages were saved and 10 pirates were arrested, whereafter the
vessel was escorted into Lagos.34 On 13 July 2020, the 10 suspected pirates were arraigned in the federal high court in Lagos for
the hijacking of the Hai Lu Feng 11 in terms of Sections 3, 10, and 12 of the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences
Act 2019.35

Passenger Boat
On 23 May 2020, 12 armed men in two speedboats attacked a passenger boat on the The attackers threw the
Egelegele River in Degema Local Government Area, Nigeria. Four of the passengers were
police officers. The officers initially returned fire, but three had to jump in the water and remaining officer in the water
then swam away. The attackers threw the remaining officer in the water and departed and departed with the boat
with the boat with two civilians still on board. It is not clear what happened to them.36 with two civilians still on
On 28 May 2020, officers of the Marine Division of the Rivers State Police Command
arrested 17 suspects in connection with the incidents and other attacks in the Degema,
board. It is not clear what
Asari Toru, and Akuku Toru waterways. Two AK-47 magazines, NGN50,000 and two happened to them.
speedboats used in the attack were also confiscated.37

Ongoing Case of FWN Rapide

On 21 April 2018, the Dutch-flagged and -owned General Cargo Ship FWN Rapide came under attack while underway near Port
Harcourt. Eleven crew members were kidnapped from the vessel. On 23 May 2018, the Russian and Ukrainian crew members were
released on payment of ransom.38 The alleged leader of the pirate group, known as Major, kept in touch with one of the hostages
via cell phone. The undercover team of Dutch police made contact with Major, or Itoruboemi Benson Lobia, and offered him a
lucrative security job in Mauritius and bought him a plane ticket. He was arrested in November 2018 while transiting South Africa
by the South African Police and INTERPOL. On 10 December 2019, he was extradited to the Netherlands to stand trial. The trial
began remotely on 9 December 2020, and Lobia attended via video connection from the Ter Apel penitentiary institution.39 The
case was postponed to April 2020.40
16 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

Pilgrim Africa
On 23 July 2020, three foreign nationals and six Nigerian staff of Pilgrim Africa Limited were remanded for aiding and abetting
terrorism, kidnapping, and illegal possession of firearms in terms of Sections 5, 8, 11, 17 (1), and 18 of the Terrorism Prevention
(Amendment) Act 2013 and Section 27 of the Firearms Act of 2004 at a federal high court sitting in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. They
were part of the team responsible for negotiating the payment of ransom and transporting to safety the three crew members
kidnapped from the ro-ro passenger ship Elobey VI on 21 March 2020. The nine suspects were arrested on 1 May 2020 when they
transported the hostages to Calabar in Cross River State after the kidnappers released the hostages on payment of a ransom of
$200,000.41 The hostages were handed over to the Equatorial Guinean Consul.

Robbery at Ports and Anchorages

During 2020, 45 robberies and attempted robberies were reported at ports and anchorages in the region. Five ports and/or
anchorages reported more than three incidents during the year. Crew were kidnapped from anchorages at Cotonou, Benin, and
Malabo and Luba, Equatorial Guinea.

Lagos Port Terminal and Anchorages, Nigeria

Eight incidents of robbery and attempted robbery were reported at Lagos Anchorages, Nigeria, but a significant reduction was
noted from 2019 when 14 incidents were reported. Only one of the robbery incidents in 2020 was successful. Incidents were
reported at the Lagos anchorage and the Secure Anchorage Area, as well as in port.

Luanda Anchorages, Angola

Luanda Anchorages reported eight incidents of robbery and attempted robbery in 2020. No incidents were reported in 2019 at this
anchorage. Three to five robbers boarded vessels from a rowboat or small motorboat while they were at anchor from midnight to
05:00 LT, and mostly stole paint from the paint store, and in one case, diving equipment. During one incident a robber was armed
with a sharp instrument and crew members were threatened and tied up.

Takoradi Anchorages, Ghana

In 2020, seven incidents were reported at Takoradi Anchorages. Ship stores and property were stolen in five incidents. All incidents
were between midnight and 04:00 LT. All incidents were non-violent.

Conakry Anchorage, Guinea

Four nighttime armed robberies were reported in 2020 and three in 2019. Robbers were armed with guns and were aggressive,
and crew were assaulted during one robbery and threatened in another. Cash, electronics, and crew property were stolen after
the ransacking of cabins. As the attacks were very similar in 2019 and 2020, it is likely the same group responsible for all incidents.

Port of Cotonou, Benin

Eight crew members were kidnapped in an incident at Cotonou Anchorage, Benin, in 2020. Vessels were also hijacked and crew
kidnapped from this anchorage in 2018 and 2019. On 21 January 2020, the Port of Cotonou issued Circular 141, “Strengthening
the measures to protect ships calling at the Port of Cotonou against acts of Piracy.”42

Deep Blue Project

Nigeria established the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, or Deep Blue Project (DBP), in 2019
in order to address insecurity and criminality in Nigeria’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone. According to the Nigerian
Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, 80 percent of the assets required for the project were delivered by June 2020. The
DBP will also necessitate the development of infrastructure, interagency information-sharing, and training.43
 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 17

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN ASIA IN

2020

MAIN MESSAGES
• In 2020, Stable Seas recorded 103 incidents in Asia, which is a 16 percent increase from 2019.
• One kidnapping incident was reported in 2020; five fishermen were kidnapped from a fishing vessel off Sabah, Malaysia,
emphasizing that the threat of kidnapping in the Sulu and Celebes seas remains. Crews of vessels are urged to remain
vigilant when transiting the area, and when possible, to re-route ships away from this area. Best management practices to
deter piracy and kidnapping should also be implemented.
• High numbers of robberies and attempted robberies remained in the Strait of Singapore, with 35 recorded incidents in 2020.
There was a reduction in robbery and attempted robbery of tugs towing barges in the Singapore Strait, with 6 incidents in
2020 compared with 17 in 2019. Attacks on 21 bulk carriers and 6 tankers were also recorded.
• Half of robbery and attempted robbery incidents reported in Asia in 2020 occurred when vessels were at anchor, with 54
recorded incidents. The highest number of incidents at any anchorage was recorded at Manila Anchorages, Philippines,
with 10 incidents. While no incidents were reported at Muara Berau Anchorage in Samarinda, Indonesia, in 2019, five
incidents were reported in 2020.
• At least 25 suspects were arrested by law enforcement officers of Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and Bangladesh in 2020 for
crimes related to piracy and robbery of vessels.

MARITIME SECURITY
INCIDENTS IN ASIA, 2020
18 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

OVERVIEW: INCIDENTS IN ASIA 2020

 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 19

OVERVIEW: ASIA HUMAN COST 2020

20 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

Kidnapping in the Sulu Sea

Since 2018, kidnapping incidents on boats have been confined to fishing vessels. All incidents were reported in the area between
Tambisan Island and Semporna in Sabah, Malaysia.
On 15 January 2020, the last hostage from the fishing boat SN3384/F, kidnapped on 23 September 2019, was released.44 Two days
later, the fishing boat SSK.00543F, with a crew of eight, was attacked by six masked gunmen dressed in black in a grey speedboat
off Lahad Datu, Malaysia. Shortly after the attack, it was reported that eight fishermen had been kidnapped, but the next day,
Malaysian authorities reported that three of the crew had been found in the vicinity. The rest of the hostages were taken to Sulu,
in the Philippines.45
In a case of mistaken identity, it was initially reported that Edi Lawalopo, age 53, was among the five kidnapped victims, but it
seems that this was not the case. One of the captives was a young boy of 14 named Khairuldin bin Yai Kil. He tried to escape in
June 2020 but was recaptured. At that time, the hostages were being held at Barangay (or “village”) Kagay, in Indanan, Sulu, by
Abu Sayyaf Group sub-leader Majan Sahidjuan (alias Apo Mike),46 a veteran involved in several kidnapping cases involving vessels
in the Sulu Sea.
On 29 September 2020, the captain of the fishing boat was killed while trying to escape in Patikul, Sulu, while the Abu Sayyaf Group
was engaged with the military. On 18 March 2021, three of the hostages were rescued by Philippine security forces as the boat
they were in capsized off the small island of Pasigan while it was traveling to Tawi-Tawi to escape ongoing military operations in
Sulu. With them was an alleged member of Abu Sayyaf, the Filipino Sahud Salisim, alias Ben Wagas.47 The last remaining hostage
was rescued on 21 March 2021 by Philippine troops in Tawi-Tawi. It was reported that Majan Sahidjuan was wounded and captured
during the operation.48

Robbery and Attempted Robbery in the Singapore and Malacca Straits

High numbers of robberies and attempted robberies remained in the Strait of Singapore, with 35 recorded incidents in 2020,
30 of which were in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme. Two to eight robbers board the vessels from two to
three sampans, often unseen or discovered only when already on board. The majority of these incidents take place in the hours
of darkness. Robbers are usually unarmed or armed with long knives, and violence during attacks is usually low, but crew was
assaulted during one incident in 2020 and crew have often been threatened or tied up and held hostage in the past. Engine spares
and ship stores are stolen. Incidents on 21 bulk carriers were recorded.
There was a reduction in robbery and attempted robbery of tugs towing barges in the Over the years, repeat attacks
Singapore Strait, with 6 incidents in 2020 compared with 17 in 2019. Approximately have been reported on several
seven robbers usually board the unoccupied barges towed by tugs from two to three
small sampans and steal mostly scrap metal. During the robbery on the barge Sung Fat of these tugs and barges.
32, steel construction material was stolen. Over the years, repeat attacks have been
reported on several of these tugs and barges. Two tugs and a barge that recorded attacks in 2020 had also recorded previous
incidents. Kim Hock Tug 9 reported two robberies on 18 January 2020; two prior incidents were reported in 2017 and 201949 on
barges towed by this tug. All were incidents in the Singapore Strait. The Indonesian Navy’s Western Fleet Quick Response Unit
arrested 15 suspects in 2017 in the Singapore Strait in connection to an incident on a barge towed by this tug.50 As tugboats
towing barges have predictable routes and are slow-moving and the barges are usually unmanned, they are an attractive target for
robbers. Predictable routes and schedules are also the reason for repeat attacks on the same vessels.

Robbery and Attempted Robbery at Anchorages

Just over half of robbery incidents in Asia were reported at anchorages, with 54 reported incidents total. In 2019, 37 incidents of
robbery and attempted robbery were reported at ports and anchorages, representing almost half of all incidents for that year.
The highest number of incidents at any anchorage were reported at Manila Anchorages in the Philippines, with ten reported
incidents. Ten robberies were reported at Manila Anchorages in 2017, but after the arrest of five robbers in January 2018, incidents
were low in 2018 and 2019, with three reported incidents. Container ships were targeted in all previous incidents.51 This pattern
remained for the most part in 2020, but in addition, a general cargo ship and a tanker were also targeted. Survival and safety
equipment such as immersion suits, breathing apparatuses and cylinders, and firefighting outfits and hoses as well as ship property
were stolen.
In 2018, one of the two places with the highest number of robberies and attempted robberies was Muara Berau Anchorage in
Samarinda, Indonesia. No incidents were reported at this anchorage in 2019, but incidents resumed in 2020 with five incidents
reported. On 11 July 2020, three perpetrators were arrested by the Indonesian Marine Police for the robbery on Captain Yannis
L, and the stolen items were recovered. The perpetrators, all from Samarinda, were also connected to previous incidents at the
anchorage.52
 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 21

In 2020, five incidents were reported at Lubuk Gaung Port and Dumai Anchorages, Indonesia, and five at Kakinada Port and
Anchorages in India. Suspects were apprehended by local police at a jetty in Kakinada for the attempted robbery on the OSV MWV
Falcon on 16 July 2020, but the investigation is ongoing.53

Arrests
In 2020, at least 25 suspects were arrested for robbery or attempted robbery on ships in Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and
India.
Crew apprehended robbers on two occasions. During one of these, a crew member sustained facial injuries. On 21 January 2020,
four robbers armed with sharp weapons boarded the tanker Horizon Maru in Batam, Indonesia. One crew member sustained
injuries when the crew apprehended one of the robbers.54
On 16 March 2020, five robbers boarded the bulk carrier Sam Jaguar while it was underway in the Singapore Strait, about 6.8 nm
east off Pulau Karimun Kecil, Indonesia. The crew locked three robbers in the engine room. Both the Singaporean and Indonesian
navies responded to the incident and the three robbers were apprehended.55 The other two escaped by jumping in the water. Their
identities are, however, known to authorities.56
Suspects arrested at both Chittagong, Bangladesh, and Muara Berau Anchorage, Indonesia, were repeat offenders. Two of the
three suspects arrested for the attempted robbery on the Sam Jaguar had been previously arrested in 2015 for the robbery on
the MV Marlin and were sentenced to four years. Three suspects were arrested for the robberies on the two bulk carriers Captain
Yannis L and Red Daisy at Muara Berau. They were also connected with two other attempted robberies at the same anchorage. All
of the suspects are from Samarinda. Two of the suspects had been arrested and prosecuted previously.
In a separate incident, six robbers were arrested for coal theft from the barge Dewi Iriana 1 pulled by the tug Intan Megah 3 at
Muara Pegah in Samarinda, Indonesia, on 9 July 2020.57
On 6 March 2020, robbers boarded the barge Antara Koh 18 which was towed by tugboat Capitol T2001 at Chittagong Anchorage,
Bangladesh. The robbers stole the crane data-logger display, portable batteries, diesel, and hydraulic oil. The crew of the tugboat
contacted a passing Bangladesh Coast Guard ship via VHF and they apprehended the perpetrators.58
22 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN LATIN

AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN IN 2020

MAIN MESSAGES
• In 2020, Stable Seas recorded 68 incidents of piracy and robbery in Latin America and the Caribbean, which is a 19 percent
reduction from 2019. Only two of these incidents could be classified as piracy. A large reduction in incidents on yachts,
fishing boats, and tankers was noted, while there was an increase in incidents on container ships and OSVs. The incidents
of armed robbery on OSVs were recorded in Mexican waters. It should be noted that this does not necessarily represent an
increase in incidents in Mexican waters, but likely an increase in reporting. Higher numbers of incidents on container ships
were recorded off Ecuador, Haiti, and Peru.
This reduction in incidents was mostly on yachts, as crew were in many cases repatriated to their home countries due to
COVID-19. The lower number of incidents on tankers was due to lower tanker incidents off Barcelona, Venezuela, with only
one incident recorded in 2020.
• There was a shift in anchorages recording a high number of robberies and attempted robberies in 2020. Callao Anchorage,
Peru; Macapa Anchorage, Brazil; and Port-au-Prince Port and Anchorage, Haiti, all recorded the highest number of incidents
at anchorages in Latin America and the Caribbean during 2020.
• In 2020, three suspects were arrested for robbery at Macapa Anchorage, Brazil, one in the US Virgin Islands, and one in St
Vincent and the Grenadines.

INCIDENTS OF PIRACY
AND ARMED ROBBERY OF
VESSELS IN LATIN AMERICA
& THE CARIBBEAN, 2020
 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 23

OVERVIEW: INCIDENTS IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN 2020

24 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

OVERVIEW: LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN HUMAN COST 2020

 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 25

Attacks off Mexico

Attacks on OSVs servicing the oil industry have been reported since 2016, but are likely underreported and are hard to verify. In
2019 the International Transport Workers’ Federation reported that 16 attacks per month were registered on commercial vessels
off Campeche, Tabasco, and Veracruz. Even higher numbers of attacks were reported against oil platforms. Armed robbers approach
the oil platforms in groups of boats at night and steal anything from communication equipment to metal manhole covers. Robbery
from oil platforms cannot, however, be classified as piracy.59
Stable Seas recorded 11 incidents in the southern Gulf of Mexico in 2020, but it is likely During attacks on vessels, 5
that there was underreporting. All but two were on OSVs; one was on an accommodation
barge and one was on a pipelayer. During attacks on vessels, 5 to 11 masked men
to 11 masked men approach
approach with one or two fast boats, usually during the night. At times they fire on the with one or two fast boats,
vessels. They are armed with machetes or firearms. During some of the attacks, crew usually during the night.
members were held hostage while the robbers ransacked the vessel, stealing anything
from money, equipment, and cargo to crew belongings.
In March 2020, Mexican President López Obrador announced that the Mexican Navy would establish a permanent presence at the
port of Dos Bocas, Tabasco. More naval assets have been assigned in the southern Gulf of Mexico, including air surveillance.60 No
incidents were reported after July 2020.

Ecuador
Five incidents were recorded against container ships underway in Ecuador. Three of these attacks were on the Guayaquil river
passage and two were south of Posorja. Six to eight men armed with guns usually board the container ships from one to two
speedboats and steal cargo from the containers. In four cases, robbers fired on the vessels. In an incident on 1 May 2020, 4 nm
south of Posorja, the robbers were unable to board as coast guard personnel on board returned fire.61

Robbery and Attempted Robbery at Anchorages

Callao Anchorage, Peru
Callao Anchorage, Peru, once again recorded the highest number of robberies and attempted robberies in the region. In 2020,
seven incidents were reported at Callao Anchorage, which is two fewer than in 2019. Bulk carriers, tankers, container ships, and
cargo ships were boarded in the hours of darkness by two to nine men in small boats. The men were armed with long knives, and
in one case, guns, and assaulted the crew during one robbery and threatened them during other incidents. Crew possessions and
ship stores were stolen.

Macapa Anchorage, Brazil

In 2019, two incidents were reported at Macapa Anchorage, a number which increased to six in 2020. Crew members were held
hostage and threatened in two cases. Robbers are at times armed with knives and steal ship stores and property.
Port-au-Prince Port and Anchorage, Haiti
Four incidents were recorded at Port-au-Prince Port and Anchorage. Robbers there are often aggressive and armed with guns or
knives.

Barcelona Anchorages, Venezuela

In total, seven incidents were reported on tankers at anchor off Barcelona in Venezuela in 2019, which is less than half the number
in 2018. All incidents were recorded from January to April 2019, after which activity stopped abruptly. Several factors could have
contributed to the end of incidents in April 2019, but it is likely due to placement of guards on board tankers.
On 24 February 2020, six armed men wearing balaclavas boarded the tanker San Ramon while it was anchored near Isla Borracha,
north of Puerto La Cruz, off Barcelona. There was an armed coast guard member on board. The captain resisted the robbers and
was shot in the face and killed. Another crew member is still missing and presumed dead after he jumped overboard. A coast guard
sergeant was also injured during the attack.62 This was the only incident reported off Barcelona in 2020.
26 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

Robbery on Yachts
COVID-19 influenced armed robbery on yachts more than any other type of vessel, as the normal patterns of yachts were disturbed
in the Caribbean and created unprecedented disruptions for this industry. It is estimated by the Ocean Cruising Club that 900
yachts were in the Atlantic, 500 in the Pacific, and 250 in the Indian Ocean, all scrambling to get access to countries that would
allow entry before the hurricane and cyclone seasons arrived in 2020. Often, ports and airports were closing before them and
behind them after the cruisers departed on several-week–long passages. Cruisers were left stranded in sailing marinas, unable
to go on shore, often with children on board. Cruisers solved these problems in novel ways, such as organizing flotillas of yachts
moving back to their home countries, including a 300-yacht flotilla sailing from the Caribbean to America.63 This not only affected
the yachting industry, but also the yacht services industry in the Caribbean, which relies on visiting yachts for income from repairs
and servicing. In countries such as Trinidad and Tobago, the yacht services sector is dependent on foreign exchange earnings.64
We saw a lower number of incidents of robbery on yachts in the Caribbean and the geographic pattern of incidents changed as
traditional cruiser countries closed their borders to yachts. In 2020, a total of 25 incidents were reported on yachts compared to
35 incidents in 2019. As owners repatriated after COVID, thefts on unoccupied yachts were reported, but the figures were not
higher than in other years. Thefts of three yachts were reported, which is higher than in other years. Two of these incidents were
reported at Green Cay Marina in St Croix and St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, and the third in St Vincent and the Grenadines. All
three yachts/catamarans were recovered. US Customs and Border Patrol intercepted the catamaran taken from Green Cay Marina
later the same night while it was underway. A suspect was arrested. The second yacht was found abandoned in Frenchtown, St
Thomas. The yacht Grand Filou, which was stolen from its mooring on 24 July 2021 at Union Island, Clifton Harbour, St Vincent
and the Grenadines, was sighted while underway three days later west of Guadalupe. On 30 July 2021, the US Coast Guard and
Immigration and Customs Enforcement located the vessel beached near the town of Guayama, Puerto Rico. One Jamaican national
found on board was taken into custody.65

The sailing vessel Grand Filou lays beached at Las Mareas in Guayama, Puerto Rico
Source: Coast Guard News

ENDNOTES
1 Den Norske Krigsforsikring for Skib Intelligence and Operations
Centre (DNK IOC), “DNK IOC Monthly Threat Assessment–Sep-
tember 2020,” August 31, 2020.
2 Lydelle Joubert, Stable Seas Piracy Database.
3 “Iranian Hostages Held by Somali Pirates Since 2015 Freed:
Adviser,” Aljazeera, August 20, 2020, https://www.aljazeera.
com/news/2020/8/20/iranian-hostages-held-by-somali-pi-
rates-since-2015-freed-adviser.
4 Joubert, Stable Seas Piracy Database.
5 “Coast Guard Nabs Boat off Gujarat Coast with 9 Crew for Mid-
Sea Theft in Scrapped Foreign Ship,” DeshGujarat, February 19,
2020, https://www.deshgujarat.com/2020/02/19/coast-guard-
nabs-boat-off-gujarat-coast-with-9-crew-for-mid-sea-theft-in-
scrapped-foreign-ship/.
6 Joubert, Stable Seas Piracy Database.
7 Edward Lundquist, “Tanker Loading Crude Damaged by Floating
Mine in Yemen,” Seapower Magazine, October 9, 2020, https://
seapowermagazine.org/tanker-loading-crude-damaged-by-float-
ing-mine-in-yemen/.
8 Council of the European Union, “Operation ATALANTA, EUTM
Somalia and EUCAP Somalia: Mandates Extended for Two
More Years,” Council of the EU press release, December 23,
2020, https://www.consilium.europa.eu/‌en/press/press-releas-
es/2020/12/23/operation-atalanta-eutm-somalia-and-eucap-so-
malia-mandates-extended-for-two-more-years/.
9 Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and
Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP), “Piracy and
Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Annual Report, Janu-
ary–December 2020,” https://www.recaap.org/resources/ck/
files/reports/annual/ReCAAP%20ISC%20Annual%20Report%20
2020%20v1(1).pdf.
10 International Maritime Organization, “Global Integrated Shipping
Information System (GISIS),” https://gisis.imo.org/Public/Default.
aspx.
11 Eleanor Beevor, “Who are Mozambique’s Jihadists?” Internation-
al Institute for Strategic Studies, March 25, 2020, https://www.
iiss.org/blogs/analysis/2020/03/csdp-mozambique-jihadists.
12 Kelly Moss, “A Hop, Skip, and a Jump: Ansar al-Sunna’s Is-
land-Hopping,” Stable Seas, October 13, 2020, https://www.
stableseas.org/maritime-terrorism/hop-skip-jump-ansar-al-sun-
na.
13 André Baptista, “Insurgentes Capturam Porto de Mocímboa da
Praia e Estado Islâmico Divulga Imagens,” VOA News, August
12, 2020, https://www.voaportugues.com/a/insurgentes-cap-
turam-porto-de-moc%C3%ADmboa-da-praia-e-estado-is-
l%C3%A2mico-divulga-imagens/5540447.html.
14 “Palma: Insurgentes Escalam Ilha de Quifuque,” Pinnacle News,
November 24, 2020, https://pinnaclenews.net/‌palma-insurgen-
tes-escalam-ilha-de-quifuque/.
15 “Interditas Circulações de Embarcações No Trajecto Palma–Pem-
ba,” Pinnacle News, November 25, 2020, https://pinnaclenews.
THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 27
net/interditas-circulacoes-de-embarcacoes-no-trajecto-pal-
ma-pemba/.
16 Author communication with Jasmine Opperman, Africa Analyst
at the Armed Conflict and Event Data Project (ACLED), December
11, 2020.
17 Lydelle Joubert, “The State of Maritime Piracy 2019,” Stable
Seas, 2020, https://www.stableseas.org/post/state-of-mari-
time-piracy-2019#:~:text=The%20State%20of%20Maritime%20
Piracy,human%20cost%20of%20‌maritime%20piracy.&tex-
t=In%202019%2C%20globally%20the%20Gulf,and%20armed%20
robbery%20of%20ships.
18 Ariane Fuguem, “Cameroon: 6 Pirates Neutralised in Bakassi,
SW Region,” Journal Du Cameroun, June 15, 2020, https://www.
journalducameroun.com/en/news-in-brief/cameroon-6-pirates-
neutralised-in-bakassi-sw-region/.
19 “Pirates Board Two Ships, Kidnap Seafarers in Gulf of Guin-
ea,” Vanguard, May 13, 2020, https://www.vanguardngr.
com/‌‌2020/05/pirates-board-two-ships-kidnap-seafarers-in-gulf-
of-guinea/.
20 Ed Reed, “Pirates Attack EG LNG Site, Kidnap Crew,” Energy
Voice, October 19, 2020, https://www.energyvoice.com/oiland-
gas/africa/lng-africa/272638/lng-carrier-equatorial-guinea/.
21 Gary Dixon, “Gunmen ‘Destroy’ Vessel in Attack on New Nigerian
Shipyard,” Tradewinds News, January 20, 2021, https://www.
tradewindsnews.com/casualties/gunmen-destroy-vessel-in-at-
tack-on-new-nigerian-shipyard/2-1-947845.
22 DNK IOC, “DNK IOC Monthly Threat Assessment–April 2020,”
https://www.fleetmon.com/maritime-news/2020/29209/coast-
al-freighter-attacked-3-crew-kidnapped-gulf-g/.
23 Lonely Planet, “Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea,” https://www.
lonelyplanet.com/equatorial-guinea/transportation/som-
agec-ferry/a/poi-tra/1554724/355279.
24 International Maritime Organization, “Global Integrated Ship-
ping Information System (GISIS),” https://gisis.imo.org/Public/
Default.aspx.
25 Marina Militare, “Today ITS Martinengo disrupted a pirates’
attack on the Singapore flagged M/V Torm Alexandra,” Twit-
ter, November 7, 2020, https://twitter.com/ItalianNavy/sta-
tus/1325144067152306178/photo/2.
26 “Fisherman Burned in Confrontation with Chinese Trawler,”
ADF Magazine, November 4, 2020, https://adf-magazine.
com/2020/11/fisherman-burned-in-confrontation-with-chi-
nese-trawler/.
27 Intermanager, “Fired On / Cameroon 03-301120,” November
30, 2020, https://www.intermanager.org/arc-intelli-report/
fired-on-cameroon-03-301120/.
28 DNK IOC, “DNK IOC Monthly Threat Assessment–July 2020,” June
30, 2020.
29 Marcus Hand, “Three Seafarers Kidnapped, Four Security
Personnel Killed, in Nigerian Pirate Attack,” Seatrade Maritime
News, January 6, 2020, https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/
ship-operations/three-seafarers-kidnapped-four-security-person-
nel-killed-nigerian-pirate-attack.
28 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020
30 “Three Sea Robbers Arrested In Ondo, 33 Others Declared Want-
ed,” Sahara Reporters, January 31, 2020, http://saharareporters.
com/2020/01/31/three-sea-robbers-arrested-ondo-33-others-
declared-wanted.
31 “Ondo: Navy Declares 36 Suspects Wanted Over Kidnapping,
Killings,” Vanguard, January 31, 2020, https://www.vanguardngr.
com/2020/01/ondo-navy-declares-36-suspects-wanted-over-kid-
napping-killings/.
32 “Six Arrested After W. Africa Vessel Attack,” Container News,
April 30, 2020, https://container-news.com/six-arrested-af-
ter-w-africa-vessel-attack/.
33 “HAILUFENG 11 Fishing Vessel Missing, Suspected Hijack,” Sweet
Crude Reports, May 17, 2020, https://sweetcrudereports.com/
hailufeng-11-fishing-vessel-missing-suspected-hijack/.
34 Ian M. Ralby, “Nigerian Navy Thwarts Hijacking of Chinese
Fishing Vessel,” Maritime Executive, May 17, 2020, https://www.
maritime-executive.com/article/nigerian-navy-successfully-inter-
dicts-maritime-kidnapping-attempt.
35 “Nigeria Charges 10 Pirates for Attacking Chinese Vessel,” Hellen-
ic Shipping News, July 14, 2020, https://www.hellenicshipping-
news.com/nigeria-charges-10-pirates-for-attacking-chinese-ves-
sel/.
36 US Office of Naval Intelligence, “Worldwide Threat to Shipping
(WTS) Report 14 May –10 June 2020,” June 11, 2020, https://
msi.nga.mil/api/publications/download?key=16920958/
SFH00000/wwtts_202006111‌00000.pdf&type=view.
37 Kazeem Ugbodaga, “End of the Road: 17 Sea Pirates Busted
in Rivers,” PM News Nigeria, May 29, 2020, https://www.
pmnewsnigeria.com/2020/05/29/end-of-the-road-17-sea-pi-
rates-busted-in-rivers/.
38 Lydelle Joubert, “Amahlo-Suritec Piracy Report May 2018.”
39 Merijn Rengers and Carola Houtekamer, “Gekaapt: Hoe de
Bemanning van Een Nederlands Vrachtschip werd Gegijzeld en
Weer Vrijkwam,” Dagblad van het Noorden, February 20, 2021,
https://www.dvhn.nl/‌groningen/Gekaapt-hoe-de-bemanning-
van-een-Nederlands-vrachtschip-werd-gegijzeld-en-weer-vrijk-
wam-26531145.html.
40 Author communication with Carola Houtekamer, April 17, 2021.
41 “3 Foreigners, 6 Nigerians Arraigned Over Hijack of Ves-
sel,” Vanguard, July 23, 2020, https://www.vanguardngr.
com/‌2020/07/3-foreigners-6-nigerians-arraigned-over-hi-
jack-of-vessel/.
42 “Cotonou (Benin) Anti-Piracy Measures,” Steamship Mutual, Jan-
uary 2020, https://www.steamshipmutual.com/‌loss-prevention/
cotonou-benin-anti-piracy-measures012020.htm.
43 Kelly Moss, “Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project: Who, What, and Why
it Matters to the Gulf of Guinea,” Stable Seas, August 28, 2020,
https://www.stableseas.org/maritime-enforcement/nige-
ria-deep-blue-project.
44 Zam Yusa, “Abu Sayyaf’s Last Indonesian Hostage Rescued in
Sulu,” Daily Express, January 15, 2020, http://www.dailyexpress.
com.my/news/146358/breaking-last-remaining-indonesian-hos-
tage-rescued-in-sulu/.
45 Teofilo Garcia, Jr, “5 Abducted Indon Fishermen Taken to Sulu:
Westmincom,” Philippine News Agency, January 22, 2020,
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1091641.
46 Zam Yusa, “Indonesian Boy Kidnapped in L Datu Who Escaped
Recaptured by Abu Sayyaf,” Daily Express, June 24, 2020, https://
www.dailyexpress.com.my/news/154724/indonesian-boy-kid-
napped-in-l-datu-who-escaped-recaptured-by-abu-sayyaf-/.
47 “Philippines Military Rescues 3 Indonesians from Abu Sayyaf,”Be-
nar News, March 19, 2021, https://www.benarnews.org/english/
news/philippine/sea-rescue-03192021143157.html.
48 “Philippines: Remaining Indonesian Hostage, 15, Rescued
from Abu Sayyaf,” Benar News, March 21, 2021, https://
www.benarnews.org/english/news/philippine/res-
cued-03212021135851.html.
49 ReCAAP, “ReCAAP ISC Weekly Report, 24–30 December 2019,”
https://www.recaap.org/resources/‌ck/files/reports/‌week-
ly/2019/ReCAAP%20ISC%20Weekly%20Report%20(24%20
-30%20Dec%2019).pdf.
50 “Navy Arrests 15 Alleged Pirates in Singapore Strait,“ The Ja-
karta Post, October 2, 2017, https://www.thejakartapost.com/
news/2017/10/02/navy-arrests-15-alleged-pirates-in-singapore-
strait.html.
51 Joubert, “State of Maritime Piracy 2019.”
52 Ufqil Mubin, “Dapat Asimilasi, Pencuri Tali Kapal Asing Masuk
Sel Lagi,” Nomor satu Kaltim, July 14, 2020, https://nomorsatu-
kaltim.com/2020/07/14/dapat-asimilasi-pencuri-tali-kapal-as-
ing-masuk-sel-lagi/.
53 ReCAAP, “Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Annual
Report, January–December 2020.”
54 Mikhail Voytenko, “Failed Tanker Robbery, Crew Captured One
Robber, Indonesia,” FleetMon, January 21, 2020, https://www.
fleetmon.com/maritime-news/2020/28473/failed-tanker-rob-
bery-crew-captured-one-robber-ind/.
55 Lester Wong, “Sea Robbery Attempt in Singapore Strait Foiled
by Singapore and Indonesian Navies,” The Straits Times, March
16, 2020, https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sea-robbery-
attempt-in-singapore-strait-foiled-by-singapore-and-indonesian-
navies.
56 “TNI AL Tangkap 3 Perompak Kapal Asing Berbendera Liberia di
Kepri,” Detik News, March 16, 2020, https://news.detik.com/
berita/d-4941814/tni-al-tangkap-3-perompak-kapal-asing-ber-
bendera-liberia-di-kepri.
57 IFC-IOR, “Monthly Maritime Security Update July 2020,” https://
www.indiannavy.nic.in/ifc-ior/Final_MMSU_Jul_20.pdf.
58 ReCAAP, “ReCAAP ISC Weekly Report, 10–16 March 2020,”
https://www.recaap.org/resources/‌ck/files/reports/week-
ly/2020/ReCAAP%20ISC%20Weekly%20Report%20(10-16%20
Mar%2020)-revised.pdf.
59 Joubert, “The State of Maritime Piracy 2019.”
60 Devin Lurie, “Understanding Mexico’s Piracy Problem,” American
Security Project, July 2, 2020, https://www.americansecuri-
typroject.org/understanding-mexicos-piracy-problem/.
61 International Chamber of Commerce International Maritime
Bureau, “Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships Report 1 Janu-
ary–31 December 2020.”
62 Lydelle Joubert, “Why the Sudden Drop in Armed Robbery of
Ships off Venezuela?” CIMSEC, April 1, 2020, https://cimsec.org/
why-the-sudden-drop-in-piracy-off-venezuela/.
 THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020 | 29

63 Daria Blackwell, “Retreat from Paradise,” Noonsite, December

28, 2020, https://www.noonsite.com/‌report/retreat-from-para-
dise/.
64 “Yachting Industry at Crossroads, Says Association,” Loop News,
February 7, 2021, https://www.looptt.com/content/yachting-in-
dustry-crossroads-says-association.
65 “Cancel BOLO for SV Grand Filou Stolen Union Island & Recov-
ered in Puerto Rico,” Boatwatch.org, July 30, 2021, https://
boatwatch.org/resolved/bolo-for-sv-grand-filou-reported-stolen-
union-island-in-the-caribbean/.
30 | THE STATE OF MARITIME PIRACY 2020

Supported by the Global Maritime Crime Programme

(GMCP) of UNODC.