Incident: Crude tanker evades boarding

A crude tanker, not otherwise identified, undergoes a boarding attempt in the Gulf of Aden by "armed pirates in a boat."

Ship raised alarm, sounded whistle, switched lights on, activated fire hoses, increased speed and commenced evasive manoeuvres. Pirate boat came about 2 - 3 meters off the ship's side, fired upon her and aborted the attempt. No injuries to crew. Coalition warship informed.

(ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: British Mallard escapes boarding try

The tanker British Mallard is is pursued and fired upon by men in a fast boat in the Gulf of Aden. Coalition warships were alerted.

The pirates attempted to board but the British Mallard's captain employed evasive action, fire hoses, and speed to cause them to break off the attack. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 6/10/09)

Incident: Stolt Strength attacked in Red Sea

The tanker Stolt Strength is attacked in the Red Sea 60 NM northwest of the Bab el Mandeb by seven armed men in a fast craft.

The captain increased speed, conducted evasive maneuvers, and contacted coalition forces. Yemeni coast guard dispatched their military boats and later a coalition helicopter arrived at the location. No injuries were reported. The vessel sustained holes from RPG and automatic gunfire.

(ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 6/19/09)

Stolt Strength is 175 m in length and registered in the Phillipines. (vesseltracker.com)

Incident: Bulk carrier escapes boarding

A bulk carrier operating in the Gulf of Aden (but not further identified) is attacked by "Six pirates in a speed boat armed with guns." "Ship made zigzag manoeuvres to prevent the pirates from boarding and contacted coalition warship for assistance." No further details. (ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Boarding foiled by warship

A chemical tanker, not further identified, is chased in the Gulf of Aden by "Five pirates in a blue coloured speed boat." the target vessel "contacted and manoeuvred towards a warship. Warship intercepted the speed boat." No further details. (ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Australia pledges warship

Australia's defense minister announces a warship will be dispatched to join anti-pracy operations off Somalia. No details. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 6/10/09)

Incident: Maud boarding foiled by Indians

The Liberian registered ship Maud is attacked by eight armed men in a high speed craft in the Gulf of Aden. An Indian warship, responding to Maud's call for help, sent a helicopter which fired at pirates as they were boarding, with two pirates falling into the sea.

French naval forces arrived to deliver the pirates to Puntland authorities while the Indian warships resumed escort duty. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 6/10/09)

The MAUD is a 247-m cargo vessel. (vesseltracker.com)

Incident: Bulk carrier fired upon

A bulk carrier, not otherwise identified, is chased and fired upon in the Gulf of Aden.

Two skiffs with four pirates in each armed with automatic weapons and RPG chased a bulk carrier underway and opened fire. Ship contacted IMB Piracy Reporting Centre for assistance. The report was promptly passed on to coalition forces to render assistance to ship. Meanwhile ship used fires hoses and rocket flares and manoeuvred to thwart the attack / delay boarding. A coalition warship in the area prevented the pirate attack. Crew and ship are safe and continued her passage.

(ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Antonis attacked, pirates captured

The cargo ship Antonis (pictured) is attacked in the Gulf of Aden with pirates attempting to board the vessel.

The Swedish corvettes (HMS MALMO) and (HMS STOCKHOLM), which are part of international efforts to fight piracy in the gulf, were ordered to help the cargo ship (ANTONIS) after it radioed it was under attack early on Tuesday. A party from the (HMS MALMO) bordered a fishing vessel used in the attack and seized seven pirates and two guns as well as a GPS navigator, the military said. No injuries were reported. The pirates were to be taken to Djibouti...

(ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Analysis: Anit-pirate forces meet in Bahrain

The Combined Maritime Forces staff, which oversees Combined Task Force 151, has organized a meeting in Bahrain to "deconflict" the various flotillas operating against Somali pirates:

Representatives from nations including Australia, Bahrain, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Jordan, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Russia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, UK, U.S., Yemen, the European Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) and NATO took part in today’s SHADE [SHared Awareness and DEconfliction] meeting. Following the establishment of CTF 151, the CMF staff determined that it would be helpful to implement working-level meetings ashore to discuss counter-piracy coordination and deconfliction. Today’s conference marked the fourth time CMF facilitated the meetings.

The CMF claimed success for coordination:

"These efforts streamline and maximize the effectiveness of naval forces to conduct counter-piracy operations in the region," said Commodore Tim Lowe, Deputy Commander, CMF. “By synchronizing and deconflicting our efforts, Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, EU, NATO and other international forces are making a difference.”

(CMF Press Release #087-09, 05/26/09)

In a spirit of optimism and good will that goes far beyond "making a difference," Capt. Richard Brown, commanding the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg assigned to CTF 151, announced that "What Gettysburg, the U.S. and our Coalition partners have been able to achieve in the Gulf of Aden is to keep the sea lines of communication free and clear." Turkish Rear Adm. Caner Bener, commander, Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, complemented international naval forces not assigned to his command: "Without the assistance of our international partners in the area, our fight against piracy wouldn’t be as successful as it has been." (CMF Press Release 086-09, 05/26/09)

The military view could not be clearer: The sea lanes have been cleared of pirates (Brown) and the fight against pirates has been successful (Bener). Let's see what pirates and commerce have to say about this.

Incident: Bulk carrier fired upon

A bulk carrier in the Gulf of Aden, not otherwise identified, is fired on by four men in a skiff. The target began evasive action while reporting the attack to coalition forces. After 10 minutes, the skiff ended its pursuit. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Crude tanker fired upon

A crude tanker, not otherwise identified, is attacked in the Gulf of Aden.

Pirates in white hull skiffs armed with guns and RPG approached a crude oil tanker from the stbd side and fired RPG rounds towards the tanker. Tanker raised alarm, activated fire pumps and contacted warships. A warship advised tanker that it was proceeding to assist. On seeing the warships the pirates aborted the attack.

(ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Bulk carrier fired upon

A bulk carrier, not otherwise identified, sailing in the Gulf of Aden is chased and fired upon by nine pirates "a light blue coloured speed boat armed with automatic weapons and RPGs."

Master contacted coalition warships and a helicopter came to the scene. Upon seeing the helicopter, the pirates aborted the attempt. The ship resumed her voyage with the warship in attendance.

(ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: pursuit foiled

A vessel sailing in the Gulf of Aden, not otherwise identified, successfully evades pursuit by three men in a white skiff. Crew saw the skiff launch from and return to "a small boat" acting as mothership. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Pirates taken after attack

The Italian navy seized nine pirates in the Gulf of Aden following attacks on the Maersk Virginia (USA registered) and the Maria K (flagged in St. Vincent and Grenadines). The Italian warship MAESTRALE captured the pirates after they fired on
the Maria K.

The pirates tried to flee in their skiff but stopped after warning shots were fired from the helicopter, [a] spokesman said...

Canada's HMS Winnipeg had sent a helicopter to rescue Maersk Virginia, but it was not needed upon arrival. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Chemical tanker fired upon

A chemical tanker, not otherwise identified, is fired upon by automatic weapons in the Gulf of Aden after being pursued (number of skiffs and pursuers not disclosed). Evasive action caused the attack to be broken off. (ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Chem tanker attacked

A chemical tanker, not otherwise identified, is fired upon 320 NM south of Port Victoria, Seychelles, by "men in skiffs." The target took evasive action and escaped pursuers. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Tanker fired upon

A tanker in the Gulf of Aden (not otherwise identified) is fired upon by men with "machine guns" firing from "a wooden boat." The captain in the targeted vessel raised the alarm, began evading, and pirates broke off the pursuit after four minutes. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: tanker pursued but escapes

A tanker, not otherwise identified, is pursued in the Gulf of Aden in the morning by a "high speed boat." Pursuers broke off after their target adopted evasive action. Warships were called for assistance but the pursuit ended without their aid. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: EU decides to patrol Seychelles

The European Union decides to include the Seychelles in the area of operations its forces will patrol for pirates.

There was unanimity "to extend the coverage up to the Seychelles, to reinforce the capacity of the air and naval patrols, which have already had good results, and prolong the duration of its operations," beyond the current December mandate, Spanish Defence Minister Carme Chacon said after that meeting.

The EU is running Operation Atalanta using naval resources from German, Swedish, Spanish, French, Greek, and Italian navies. The EU force will be augmented by contributions from Belgium, the Netherlands, Romania and non-members Norway and Switzerland in the future. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Tanker evades pursuers

A tanker, not otherwise identified, is pursued by men in two skiffs in the Gulf of Aden. The targeted ship fired flares, contacted nearby warships, and took evasive action to shake off pursuers. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Tanker fired upon

A tanker in the Gulf of Aden, not otherwise identified, was fired upon at 1012 in the morning by six pirates in a white skiff discharging automatic rifles and rocket propelled grenades. The captain contacted warships and began evasive action which caused the pirates to break off the attack after 36 minutes. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Stella "harassed"

The Stella is reported "harassed" by pirates in the Gulf of Aden. No details. The Australian Navy relief of the nearby Dubai Princess against attacks appears to have ended Stella's harassment as well. (Wikipedia, "List of ships attacked by Somali pirates," 12/31/09)

Incident: Dubai Princess attacked

The Panama registered, UAE owned Dubai Princess is rescued by Royal Australian Navy frigates HMAS Sydney and HMAS Ballarat while attacked in the Gulf of Aden by pirates armed with rocket propelled grenades. "The pirates fled the area after the two frigates and a Sea Hawk helicopter from Sydney appeared. The action occurred in international waters about 170 kilometres (92 nmi) south of Yemen." (Wikipedia, "List of ships attacked by Somali pirates," 12/31/09)

the 250 meter long tankship Dubai Princess is registered in the Marshall Islands (vesseltracker.com)

Incident: Spain hands pirates over to Kenya

Spain has handed 13 Somali pirates over to Kenya for justice. they were taken last week in an Atalanta operation in the Indian Ocean. One of the captured men remains in hostpital. (AFP, 05/16/09)

Incident: Amira attacked

The Amira, an Egyptian cargo ship, is attacked in the Gulf of Aden by pirates. After raising the alarm, helicopters from the USS Gettysburg and ROKS Munmu the Great drove off the attackers with sailors from the Gettysburg arresting 17 men on a nearby "mothership" after confiscating arms and ammunition. (RTTNews,05/14/09) Officials named the ships involved in the operation as South Korean destroyer MANMU THE GREAT and US cruiser GETTYSBURG. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: RO/RO evades pirates

A RO/RO vessel in the Gulf of Aden (not otherwise identified) is approached at 0639 hours by armed men in masks in four speedboats. The targeted ship fired two flares at its pursuers and contacted warships for help. While the RO/RO took evasive action, a helicopter arrived 30 minutes later causing the speedboats to return to a mother ship. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Kenya agrees to shipboard police

Kenya has agreed to post policemen on anti-piracy patrols to arrest pirates apprehended at sea, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. "The police, or 'ship riders,' would then deliver the pirates to Kenya for trial," according to reports. The disclosure was made by a UN official, Antonio Maria Costa, testifying before the US Congress. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Analysis: Pirate coordination and support

A report in Lloyd's Fairplay Shipping News says that pirates are spending loot to upgrade their boats and their intelligence networks, which has increased the number of attacks. Fairplay estimates only a third of any ransom goes to the pirates, another tenth going to local officials. the paper says that local Somali businessmen back piracy and that thei commercial connections allow them to move money around in regional banks.

Fairplay further discovered that pirates netted an estimated $80 million in 2008. An equal amount was also paid by owners of captured ships to lawyers, underwriters and to kidnap and ransom specialists to ensure safe return of crews and vessels.

(Janes, undated press release)

Spanish radio station Cadena SER have reported details of an EU naval intelligence report that says pirate land stations are dispatching patrols based on intelligence gathered in London and passed on to pirate leaders. "The information provided voluntarily by merchant ships transiting the area to various international agencies has now landed in the pirates' hands," according to the report. (Telegraph, 05/11/09)

"According to the same report the pirates receive their information by satellite phone and use sophisticated equipment to locate their targets.

At least one of the top five groups of Somali pirates has advisers in London, who in turn provide them with detailed information about the ships." (Yemen Post, 05/14/09)

Haldun Dincel, general manager of Turkey's Yardimci shipping company, says that during negotiations to release the Karagöl, "Every day the chief of the pirates got in touch with people from London, Dubai and some from the Yemen." Dincel said of the hijackers, "They knew the ­vessel, they knew the cargo, they knew the loading ports, they knew the destination, they knew everything." (Guardian, 05/11/09)

EU naval commander Phillip Jones meanwhile said that his forces were redoubling efforts to secure shipping information. He said he was "bemused" by the Spanish report. (BBC, 05/14/09)

Incident: Iran commits warships to fight pirates

Iranian state radio has announced that two Iranian warships will arrive in the Gulf of Aden in the next two days and will perform anti-piracy duty there for five months. It has announced the dispatch of a single ship to those waters in December. Reuters, 05/14/09) Iran's UN representative says,"The aim of sending these ships is to protect Iranian commercial vessels and oil tankers or those ships which carry Iranian commodities or nationals." (AFP, 05/14/09)

Incident: Vessel fired upon

An unidentified vessel was fired upon with rocket propelled grenades while sailing south of Mukalla, Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. Two RPGs were fired by men in two skiffs. Coalition forces arrived on the scene to assist the victim. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/13/09)

This may be the same attack as that carried out against a bulk carrier (not further identified) in the Gulf of Aden the same day.

Two boats with five pirates in each boat chased and fired upon a bulk carrier with automatic rifles and RPG. An orange and white coloured mother vessel was noticed around 3 nm astern of the vessel. Master carried out evasive manoeuvres, increased speed and contacted coalition warship. A helicopter arrived at the location and the pirates aborted the attempt.

(ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Container ship fired upon

A container ship, not otherwise identified, is chased and then fired upon by nine pirates in two skiffs armed with rifles and rocket propelled grenades. "Master carried out evasive manoeuvres and the pirates aborted the attempt after 45 minutes. No casualty to crew." The attack occurred in the Indian Ocean 740 NM east of Mogadishu. (ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Tanker escapes pursuers

A tanker in the Gulf of Aden, not otherwise identified, is approached at 0715 hours by two speedboats holding 13 men. The crew launched signal flares toward the boats while taking evasive action. A Russian warship was contacted and the pursuers broke off their chase. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: RoRo chased

A RoRo vessel, not otherwise identified, is chased in the Gulf of Aden by masked men with automatic weapons in four skiffs.

They came as close as 500 meters from the vessel. Vessel made evasive manoeuvres and fired two flares at the pirate boats. Master contacted coalition warships for assistance. Thirty minutes later, a helicopter flew over the location. The speed boats aborted the attempt and regrouped around a suspected, mother vessel 4 nm. The mother vessel was towing a skiff and was white in colour.

(ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Bulk carrier fired upon

A bulk carrier saling in the Gulf of Aden (not otherwise identified) is fired upon at 0930 hours by seven pirates firing automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades. The pirates also deployed an aluminum ladder to board the ship. Taking evasive action, the carrier notified warships while taking evasive action. The arrival of a helicopter caused the attackers to break off and the arrival of a warship placed the attackers under arrest. No details. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Failed boarding attempt

A tanker in the Gulf of Aden, not otherwise identified, escaped a noon boarding attempt by nine armed men in a blue skiff. The crew threw flares into the skiff and the ship's captain took evasive maneuvers. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/13/09)

Incident: Marathon taken

Armed pirates in fast boats capture the general cargo ship Marathon after a pursuit and boarding. Eight Ukrainian crew are said to be aboard. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/13/09)

Incident: Almezaan released

The ship Almezaan is released by pirates after its May 1 capture.

The vessel was reportedly released without ransom 6 May 09 after local Somali traders
confirmed the vessel was chartered by local traders.

(ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Product tanker fired upon

A product tanker, not otherwise identified, is fired upon in the Gulf of Aden off Al Mukalla. "Pirates armed with guns in a black and white speed boat chased a tanker and opened fire with automatic weapons." Evasive action delivered ship and crew to safety. (ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Vessel fired upon

A vessel in the Gulf of Aden, not otherwise identified, was fired upon by armed men in a skiff. Evasion by the captain of the target vessel caused the skiff to capsize and dump six men in the water. EU warships were summoned to the scene. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/13/09)

Incident: Two small craft chase vessel

A vessel in the Gulf of Aden, not otherwise identified, was chased by two "suspicious craft" - the crew was mobilized, fire hoses deployed against the pursuers, and he chase broken off after warships were notified of the incident. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/13/09)

Incident: Vehicle carrier avoids boarding

A vehicle carrier, not otherwise identified, escapes multiple boarding attempts in the Indian Ocean some 560 NM southeast of Mogadishu. Eight pirates in two skiffs made the attempts but were ultimately foiled by increased speed and evasive action. (ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Bulk carrier fired upon

A bulk carrier, not otherwise identified, is fired upon with "guns" by six pirates in a skiff while in the Gulf of Aden. Pirates

attempted to board the ship a few times but failed. Crew fired rockets towards the pirates and enforced anti piracy measures onboard. Coalition forces informed and a helicopter was dispatched. No casualties to crew. Bridge window broken due to firing.

(ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Boarding attempted

A vessel (not otherwise identified) is subjected to a boarding attempt in the Indian Ocean starting at 0930 hours local time.

Eight pirates in two speed boats armed with automatic weapons approached the vessel with a speed of 23 knots. A third boat was observed further back and assessed as being a mother ship. The captain increased speed and alerted the crew. The two speed boats arrived approximately 10 meters off the stern and attempted to get alongside the vessel several times in an attempt to board the vessel by using a portable ladder. The vessel conducted evasive maneuvers for 20 minutes before the pirates abandoned their pursuit

The attempt was made 155NM NW of Port Victoria, the Seychelles. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Michael S fired upon

The Michael S is fired upon with a rocket propelled grenade while underway in the Gulf of Aden. An Italian frigate arrived on the scene to drive off attackers, apparently numbering four men in a fast craft. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/13/09) Michael S is a Malta-registered cargo ship. (Vesseltracker.com)

Analysis: EU promotes success of convoys

The European Union says its registration and convoy system has succeeded in protecting all but one ship from pirate attacks off Somalia in an article published today by Lloyds List.

“Since 12 December 2008, 41 attacks have been
confirmed in the area of operations, resulting in seven actual hijackings. Only one of the seven hijacked vessels was following EU Navfor recommendations,” said the EU Council of Ministers, referring to the period to March 1.

The piece continues,

Rather than being escorted, commercial vessels are organized into convoys which are then watched over by EU navy vessels stationed at strategic points. Ship operators register vessels over a website and are given convoy start times and locations. “The EU mission is not alone in the region,” the Council of Ministers pointed out. “Efficient coordination both with the shipping industry and with other naval units deployed by maritime powers (Russia, China and India) or groups (US-led coalition TF 151 + NATO) is therefore essential. “The Maritime Security Centre (Horn of Africa) website, developed by Operational Headquarters in conjunction with the shipping industry, and voluntary exchange of information and best practices are the means through which efficient coordination is being achieved.”

(ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/13/09)

Incident: Victoria taken

The German owned cargo ship Victoria is taken in the Gulf of Aden while travelling in military convoy. The pirates attacked the Antigua and Barbuda flagged vessel while it was being escorted with a cargo of rice for Jeddah. It was taken to Bossaso with its crew of 11. (Bloomberg, 05/06/09)

Lloyd's says the ship was not in convoy: "the ship had registered its presence with the European Union’s anti-piracy naval mission Atalanta and had been sailing inside the transit corridor monitored by naval forces." (Lloyd's List, 05/06/09)

Incident: Seychelles re-arrest three pirates

Three pirates released by the French warship Nivose have been re-arrested by the Seychelles coast guard. No details. (AP, 05/03/09)

Incident:France captures 11 pirates

Two Somali fast craft bearing armed men closed with the French warship 600 miles off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. Eleven armed pirates were arrested after they realized their mistake. (Reuters, 05/03/09)

The ship in question was the French frigate Nivôse.

...mistaken for a merchant ship, Nivôse sailed into the sun to avoid being identified; as the pirates closed in, she turned about, launching her on-boarded helicopter and fast outboard vessels.

(Wikipedia, "List of ships attacked by Somali pirates," 12/31/09)

Incident: Tanker attacked

A tanker, not otherwise identified, is fired upon in the Indian Ocean some 320NM southwest of Port Victoria, Seychelles.

A mother ship and two speed boats were observed at a distance of 6NM from the vessel. The captain altered course and the boats started chasing the vessel. The captain raised the alarm, sent
out a distress message, increased speed, and took evasive maneuvers.

The attackers desisted once their distance from the mothership reached 20 km. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: General cargo ship taken

A general cargo ship, not otherwise identified, is hijacked off Mogadishu. No details. (ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Product tanker fired upon

A product tanker, not otherwise identified, is fired upon in the Indian Ocean by men in two speedboats.

A pirate mother vessel and two high speedboats were observed at a distance of six nm from a tanker underway. Master altered course and the boats started chasing the tanker. Master raised alarm, sent distress message, increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres. The boats came very close to the tanker and suddenly the 2nd boat stopped chasing the tanker, probably engine problem. The 1st boat fired upon the tanker with RPG and aborted the attack as the distance from the mother vessel increased to 20 nm. No damages and injuries to crew.

The attack occurred 560 NM southeast of Mogadishu. (ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Bulk carrier escapes boarding try

A bulk carrier operating in the Indian Ocean, not otherwise identified, escaped a boarding attempt 270NM east of Port Victoria, Seychelles, after 40 minutes of evasive maneuvering. Two speed boats pursued their target, firing small arms and rocket propelled grenades and inflicting minor damage on the ship. The pirates made a total of five failed boarding attempts using a small ladder to try to scale the high freeboard. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Almezaan taken

The ship Almezaan is captured by pirates 100 NM off Somalia in the Indian Ocean. No details. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Vessel chased

A vessel, not otherwise identified, was chased 220NM southeast of Port Victoria,
Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean by a suspicious craft. The chase lasted 20 minutes, ending thanks to evasive action by the captain of the pursued ship. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 5/27/09)

Incident: Al Misan taken

A Pakistani-owned ship, the Al Misan, is taken 60 miles off Mogadishu while carrying vehicles, sugar, and cooking oils from the UAE. A Somali trader with a stake in the ship or cargo said negotiations to free the vessel are underway. (AFP, 05/03/09)

Incident: Kition attacked

The Norwegian oil tanker Kition is attacked 161 km off the Somali coast but rescued by the Portuguese warship Corte Real. A Portuguese helicopter followed the attackers back to their mothership, arrested 19 men, then released them. (Xinhua, 05/02/09) "... the Portuguese found four sticks of P4A explosives on the vessel." (VOA, 05/02/09)

Incident: Ariana seized

A Malta-flagged Greek tanker, the Ariana, is taken in the Indian Ocean between the Seychelles and Madagascar while carrying soy from Brazil to Iran. Its crew of 24 Ukrainians was made hostage with the ship. No details (Xinhua, 5/2/09)

The attack occurred late Friday. (Xinhua, 5/2/09)

There is a British national among the crew in a managerial role. (VOA, 05/02/09)

CNN calls Ariana British-owned. (CNN, 05/02/09)

The ship is Greek-owned and registered in Malta. (Wikipedia, "List of ships attacked by Somali pirates," 12/31/09)

Analysis: Tangled military commands

One of the clear threads we described in the 2008 Yearbook was the devolution of military control throughout the year. The year began with a near unitary command situation: US Admiral Bill Gortney's US Navy forces dominated the region.

With the dramatic increase in piracy after commercial ships were herded into a patrol zone where no navy patrolled and after listening to various sociology and philosophy lessons given merchant seafarers by Admiral Gortney, the international community rose to the military challenge and sent navies to the region, taking care to keep those navies out of the hands of Gortney. Gortney's new CTF 151, a dedicated anti-piracy force intended to absorb various international contingents, attracted only the odd ship from America's closest allies. (Its website portrays an idle, self-absorbed command casting a lazy eye on news headlines from the region.)

In 2008, we watched independent Indian, Chinese, Russian, French and other flotillas rescue attacked ships, escort flagged vessels of their own nationality, and (too often) arrive late at the scene of a crime. Most curiously we saw the dispatch of allied fleets (from NATO and the EU) arrive to perform missions outside of any unifying leadership, U.S. or otherwise.

World Politics Review now suggests that the EU and NATO are "interblocking" in their bilateral dealings:

NATO and the EU now coexist with a confusing and ambiguous set of overlapping tasks, with no clear functional or geographical division of labor in the cards anytime soon. Nor have they signed any formal agreements regarding information sharing, security guarantees and a code of conduct, despite having troops [sailors], often from the same country, serving side by side in harm's way. Playing it by ear is the order of the day. Instead of interlocking, the two institutions have become interblocking.

Note that "NATO" refers to a separate command in the region, not to allied forces working under CTF 150 or CTF 151. Each of these CTFs has a different purpose as does the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the region.

Amidst this chaos - and we have not even considered independent forces here - we learn that NATO wants to revise its anti-piracy mission:

...the alliance has asked its military planners to come up with a stronger mandate and new rules of engagement for the mission ... a key issue is determining how to deal with captured pirates. NATO ships in recent weeks have captured several boatloads of suspected pirates but had to release them because of legal concerns.

None of this seems destined to influence command and control and the need for effective cooperation.

Incident: France releases pirate suspects

Three men captured on what appeared to be a mothership are released by "the captain of the French frigate Nivose." Nivose, on duty with an EU squadron, found gear on the captured vessel from the hijacked Bow Asir but no weapons. The suspected mothership, raided yesterday, was found "420 nautical miles east of the Somali coast in the Seychelles Exclusive Economic Zone." (AFP, 05/01/09)