Loss Prevention Bulletin - 28 January 2019

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reports two, most probably linked, failed night pirate attacks off Brass, Nigeria on 24 and 25 January 2019 (attacks 009 and 010-19) on two unidentified merchant vessels:

'24.01.2019: 1935 UTC: Posn: 03:43N - 006:10E, Around 35NM South of Brass, Nigeria.
A product tanker was fired upon while underway. General alarm raised, non-essential crews mustered in citadel and vessel conduct evasive manoeuvres. Due to the hardening measures, the pirates moved away. Incident reported to the Nigerian Navy.'

'25.01.2019: 0015 UTC: Posn: 03:32.8N - 006:11.6E, Around 45nm South of Brass, Nigeria.
Around five to seven armed pirates in a skiff chased and fired upon a bulk carrier underway. General alarm raised, deck lights switched on, speed increased and crew mustered in citadel. Armed guards on board the vessel managed to repel the attempted attack.'

These reports follow a substantial increase in the number of piracy attacks in the West African region in 2018, with IMB recording 82 actual and attempted attacks between January and December 2018 in their annual report compared to 45 for the same period in 2017. It is also believed that a significant number of attacks are unreported.