• Flag-out vessels to allow mercenaries on board when transiting the Gulf of Aden
German shipowners have started to flag-out their vessels in order to take mercenaries on board in an effort to protect their crews against pirate attacks.
Roland Höger, managing director of German shipowner, Komrowski has revealed that his company flagged out its 925 teu boxship Taipan to Liberia for a trip through the Gulf of Aden for its charterer Zim.
The move enabled the company to take agents of a London-based security firm on board.
Unlike Germany, the Liberian Registry recommends the use of private security providers and offers owner a list of companies which it regards as reputable.
Taipan flew the German flag when it was attacked by pirates at Easter. The vessel was subsequently recaptured by Dutch naval forces while the crew remained hidden in a secret panic room.
Should such a move become more common among German owners, this could lead to a huge setback for the German flag and shipowners’ attempts to keep up with their self-imposed guarantee to bring more vessels under the country’s flag.
In Germany, flagging is a politically sensitive terrain. Shipowners benefit from a generous tonnage tax regime. In return, the government expects owners to increase the number of ships under the German flag. During the financial crisis, the number of vessels under the German flag has fallen steadily.
This is of concern to Germany shipowners’ association VDR which in the past has been busy convincing owners to fulfill their reflagging commitments, but VDR spokesman Max Johns said 30-40 German-controlled vessels were trading regularly in the Gulf of Aden.
“We do not expect that a wave of vessels will be flagged out,” said Mr Johns. However, the association has started talks about the German federal police participating in the task of protecting German-flagged vessels.
German owners are at the end of their tether, Mr John said. “Although they adhere to all passive security measures advised, their ships were still attacked.”
Accordingly, the VDR has changed its position on guards. While it opposed the use of armed forces of every kind, including soldiers, in the past, the association now aims to have armed federal police accompanying vessels through the Gulf of Aden.
The German navy is not able to accompany vessels under German federal law, under which combating piracy is a matter for the police and not the navy, although the federal police are to equip to operate off the coast of Somalia.
“This would require changes to several laws,” Mr Johns said.
The VDR is, however, opposed to the use of mercenaries – whether the vessels fly the German flag or not.
“There is a lot of legal uncertainty regarding the use of mercenaries under the German flag,” said Mr Johns. “The big question is what happens if mercenaries shoot pirates on German sovereign territory.”
MEND Denies Abducting Sailors and Demanding $1.5 Million Ransom
Even as uncertainties still surrounds the whereabouts of the two Russian sailors who were allegedly abducted by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the militant group has denied involvement in the travail of the two sailors.
The alleged involvement of MEND was subject of media attention last week as both local and international media feasted on the story.
But a statement from MEND last week insisted: “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta categorically denies reports circulating in some local and international media that the two Russian sailors, Capt Boris Tersintsev and chief engineer Igor Shumik abducted on May 16, 2010 in the Cameroon port city of Douala are being held hostage by the group for a $1.5m ransom.
Two violent incidents were recorded off Douala in Nigeria’s southern neighbour Cameroon last month. Hostages were taken in both cases. However, the kidnaps seem to have been carried out by local gangs rather than the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, the main rebel faction in Nigeria.
The MEND however admits that it “is aware of the pirate gang holding the two men and their current location but will not intervene. We can only prevail on the gang not to harm them in any way.”
The media had reported that the Nigerian militant group are demanding a $1.5 million ransom for the release of two Russian sailors abducted from a ship at a Cameroon port last month.
The North Spirit vessel with a Russian-Ukrainian crew and owned by Greece’s Balthellas Chartering S.A., was attacked May 16 while anchored in Cameroon’s largest port of Douala, the Jour newspaper reported.
“The hostages will not be released until the ship owners pay $1.5 million,” the newspaper said, citing a local militant called Perewei.
Prior to last week’s denial, newspapers had also reported that the militants forced Tersintsev to get in touch with the ship’s owners and tell them how badly they are being treated.
According to the captain, they are being held in a mangrove forest without clean drinking water.
Recall that about 20 armed people boarded the vessel in the evening of May 16 when the ship was off the Douala port. They disabled ship- borne navigational equipment and took away the shipmaster and chief engineer.
SHIPTALK:
A GLOSSARY OF SHIPPING AND MARITIME TERMS
BALLAST – Heavy substances loaded by a vessel to improve stability, trim, sea-keeping and to increase the immersion at the propeller. In the days of sail rocks and sand were used. Modern ships use seawater loaded in ballast tanks placed at the bottom of the ship, or in some cases on the sides called wing tanks. Tankers admit ballast water into the cargo tanks to submerge the vessel to a proper trim. When ballast tanks are not connected with the cargo system, they are referred to as segregated Ballast Tanks.
BAREBOAT CHARTER – Vessel contract where charterers take over all responsibility for the operation of the vessel and expenses for a certain period of time, and appoints his own master and crew and pays all running expenses.
BARGE – Flat-bottomed boat for carrying cargo on protected waterways, usually without engines or crew accommodations. On inland river systems barges can be lashed together and either pushed or pulled by tugs and handle cargo of 60,000 tonnes or more. Small barges for carrying cargo between ship and shore are known as lighters.
DEADWEIGHT (DWT) – A common measure of ship carrying capacity, equalling the number of tonnes of cargo, stores and bunkers that the ship can transport. It is the difference between the number of tonnes of water a vessel displaces ‘light’ and the number of tons it displaces when submerged to the ‘deep load line’. A ship’s cargo capacity is less than its total deadweight tonnage. The difference in weight between a vessel when it is fully loaded and when it is empty (in general transportation terms, the net) measured by the water it displaces. This is the most common, and useful, measurement for shipping as it measures cargo capacity and is usually used when referring to liquid and dry bulk ships.
DOUBLE BOTTOM – General term for all watertight spaces contained between the outside bottom plating, the tank top and the margin plate. The double bottoms are sub-divided into a number of separate tanks which may contain boiler feed water, drinking water, fuel oil, ballast, etc. It is now becoming common on all tankers.
DRAFT – The depth of a ship in the water. The vertical distance between the waterline and the keel, is expressed in metres except in the USA where it is in feet.
F.O.B. – Free on Board: Export term in which the price quoted by the exporter does not include the costs of ocean transportation, but does include loading on board the vessel.
FORCE MAJEURE – Clause limiting responsibilities of chatterers, shippers and receiver of cargo
INTERNATIONAL WATERWAYS – Consist of international straits, inland and inter-ocean canals and rivers where they separate the territories of two or more nations. Provided no treaty is enforced both merchant ships and warships have the right of free and unrestricted navigation through these waterways.
JACKUP – A deck with legs that can be jacked up or down. During operations, the legs rest on the seabed. When the rig is moved, the legs are retracted, leaving the rig floating. A jack- up has normally no propulsion machinery of its own.
REVERSIBLE -TIME – Option for chatterers to add together time allowed for loading & discharging relative to terms of a particular charter party
SEAWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE – A certificate issued by a classification society surveyor to allow a vessel to proceed after she has met with a mishap that may have affected its seaworthiness. It is frequently issued to enable a vessel to proceed, after temporary repairs have been effected, to another port where permanent repairs are then carried out.
SAFETY 2
WEEKLY PIRACY REPORT (As At June 18, 2010)
16.06.2010: 0245 LT: Posn: 03:01.9N – 108:15.75E: 35 nm west of Subi Besar Island South China Sea.
Six pirates armed with knives in a speed boat boarded a container ship underway from the stern. They entered the master’s cabin and stole ships cash and crew personal properties. They took hostage the master and purser during the attack. Pirates later escaped.
15.06.2010: 0530 UTC: Posn: 13:26N – 042:41E: north of Bab el Manded, Red Sea.
Three skiffs with six pirates in each chased a tanker underway. The tanker increased speed, sounded ship’s horn and enforced anti piracy measures and warned all ships by VHF Ch. 16. Later pirates aborted the attack.
15.06.2010: 0430 LT: Posn: Chittagong anchorage: Bangladesh.
Anti piracy watch onboard an anchored chemical tanker spotted six robbers armed with knives on the aft deck. Duty watch entered the accommodation, locked all doors and informed the duty officer who raised the alarm. Robbers stole ship’s stores and escaped.
15.06.2010: 0415 LT: Posn: 02:59.5N – 108:11.0E: Off Pulau-Pulau Subi Besar, South China Sea.
Eight robbers armed with knives boarded a container ship underway from a speed boat. They took hostage duty officer and entered captain’s cabin and stole cash, crew and ship properties and escaped.
14.06.2010: 0030 LT: Posn: 5:13.2N – 4:2.6W, Abidjan anchorage, Ivory Coast.
About four to five robbers armed with knives boarded an anchored container ship. They threatened the deck watchmen who retreated into the accommodation. Robbers stole ships and stores and escaped.
13.06.2010: 1535 UTC: Posn: 03:13.5N–105:29.4E: Nine nm NW of Pulau Mangkai Island, South China Sea.
Six pirates armed with knives in fishing boat boarded a tanker underway. They stole crew cash and personal belongings and ship cash and properties and escaped.
13.06.2010: 1230 UTC: Posn: 13:24N – 049:35E: Gulf of Aden.
Pirates in a skiff chased a chemical tanker underway. The master made evasive manoeuvres, increased speed, sent SSAS alert and contacted authorities for help. The pirates attempted to hook on the aluminum ladder on to ship’s rail but due to evasive manoeuvres and anti piracy measures this failed and the boarding was prevented.
12.06.2010: 2000 UTC: Posn: 03:21.3N–105:48.2E: 20nm NE of Pulau Mangkai Island South China Sea.
About 10-12 pirates armed with knives in a speed boat boarded a container ship underway. They entered the bridge and took the duty officer hostage. They then entered the captain’s cabin and stole ship’s cash and ship’s properties and escaped. Later the vessel sent SSAS alert.
10.06.2010: 0010 LT: Posn: 03:10N – 108:37E: Off Pulau Subi Kecil, South China Sea.
Pirates boarded a tanker and entered the bridge and took hostage three crew members. The pirates then took AB to master’s cabin and stole ship’s cash, crew cash and personal effects and escaped.
10.06.2010: 0145 LT: Posn: 03:12.8N – 108:30.1E: Off Pulau Subi Kecil, South China Sea.
Duty officer spotted a speed boat on radar trailing it at distance of 2 nm. Ship enforced all anti piracy measures to prevent the boarding, made evasive manoeuvres, sent warning to all ships in the area by VHF Ch.16. Due to vigilant and effective anti piracy preventive measures the pirates aborted the attempt.
07.06.2010: 1030 UTC: Posn: 13:23N – 042:46E, Red Sea.
Pirates in two skiffs chased and fired upon a chemical tanker underway with intent to hijack. They attempted to board the tanker using ladder. Tanker took evasive manoeuvres and finally managed to evade the hijacking. One of the skiffs colour was green and the other is white.
NIMASA Concludes Phase 1 Of Salvaging Of Beached Vessels
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has concluded the first phase of the salvage operations for distressed vessels at the lighthouse beach in Lagos.
Arcturus 3, MT Penil, MT Odyssey and MT Kentastem were the four lucky vessels which were successfully refloated during the operations that lasted 14 days.
16 vessels were washed ashore the lighthouse beach early this year by strong tidal waves. Some of them were declared as wrecks after the salvageable ones were identified by a joint delegation from NIMASA and
ISAN who undertook a tour of the beach to ascertain the true state of the affected vessels.
The 24 hourly operations involved mobilizing equipment such as Bull dozers and Thug Boats to site.
Adequate environmental impact assessment was also carried out before the exercise commenced to ensure safety of aquatic and terrestrial lives during the entire operation.
Though contract was awarded for 10 days in the first phase of the operations, the contractor spent 14days on site.
The distressed vessels were then drained completely before the salvage exercise started. Arcturus number 3 was the first to be salvaged in the early hours of Monday 31st of may 2010.
MT Penil was refloated three days later, after two attempts. The salvage team immediately moved on to Odeyssey which was successfully refloated on the next day. The team immediately started dredging and excavation around MT Kentastem with pulling every 4th round of high tide. The vessel was eventually refloated
in the early hours of Tuesday 8th of June.
NIMASA management said last week that a comprehensive report covering the extent of work on the salvage operations has been sent to the Federal Ministry of Transport where the decision on when to commence the second phase of the salvage exercise will be taken.
It also expressed optimism that other vessels that had been classified as salvageable by the NIMASA/ISAN team such as: MT Morlap Trader, will be salvaged in the second phase of the operation.
The salvage operation is being undertaken by NIMASA as a Flag Administration is responsible for all Nigerian flagged vessels.
NPA Deploys Experts To ‘Emerge’ The Faulty Floating Dock
Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has blamed pump and valve malfunctioning as being accountable for the inability of its 6000 tons floating dock to pass what it called “routine test of submerging and emerging” during an exercise last week.
The floating dock eventually took in water and is now sitting on its belly on Lagos waters.
The routine test is usually carried out in two major occasions on the dock, namely after routine maintenance and or repairs or before lifting of ship for repairs, inspection or maintenance.
The General Manager, Marine of the NPA, Capt. Iheanacho Ebubeogu who gave this explanation in Lagos added that in the incident of last week Thursday the dock could, “only complete half of the circle of its routine test and attributed this to pumps and valves malfunctioning’’ .
Explaining the operation of the dock, the General Manager said the “NPA Floating Dock V is a watertight structure designed to submerge sufficiently, by admission of water into its pontoon tanks to admit a vessel. The tanks are then pumped out, the dock and vessel will then rise until the latter is clear entirely of the water”.
He said by so doing the dock creates a platform for the underwater inspection and repairs of vessels which would not have been possible if the vessel were water borne.
“In the course of restoring the emergence of the Floating Dock one of its securing pins to the mooring dolphin snapped off and the dock generated momentum under the influence of hydro dynamic pressure caused by flood tides. This in turn caused the second pin to snap and the dock drifted under tidal influence and went to beach opposite NIPCO jetty”.
The General Manager, who confirmed that no life was lost as a result of the incidence, assured that the present position of the dock did not block the channel but has warranted a guided Pilotage procedure under the directive of the Harbour Master’s “standing order”.
Captain Ebubeogu disclosed that the NPA Management has put in place some interim measures to safeguard the dock and ensure safety in the channel. This include the blockage of all the possible means that water can enter the engine and pump rooms of the dock as well as the closure of all, in and outlet valves of the dock adding that diving inspection of the dock is currently in progress to identify any existing holes and malfunctioning valves.
In addition to the fact that the dock is always illuminated at night for safety reason, with at least two tug boats at stand by, the General Manager said salvage experts have been deployed on how to emerge the dock.
Pirates Attack Turkish Vessel; Ozay-6 off Ghana Coast
Piracy in West Africa is seemingly shifting further north, with reports of a robberies on a Turkish-owned combination tanker near Ghana and on a containership off Côte d’Ivoire in recent days.
Maritime security professionals have reached the provisional assessment that both instances represent simple criminality rather then the knock-on effects of continuing political unrest in Nigeria, the region’s economic superpower. However, developments would be monitored closely, they said.
According to a local Lloyd’s List Intelligence correspondent, the 2008-built, 11,505 dwt Ozay-6 was attacked 14 miles off the Ghanaian coast on Saturday, when power boats drew up to the vessel and the occupants of the smaller craft opened fire at the superstructure.
The attackers then boarded the ship and collected crew wallets, passports, mobile phones and other valuable objects. Bridge equipment was partly damaged due to the incident and some of the seafarers were slightly injured.
LLI’s database gives Ozay-6 as associated with Istanbul-based Halikarnas Isletmeciligi.
A spokesman for the International Maritime Bureau, the shipping industry’s anti-piracy watchdog, this is the first piracy attack in Ghana this year. There were three incidents in 2009, all of a similar type amounting to robbery while at anchorage.
The IMB source added that while Ghana is not currently considered a high risk area for piracy, any extension of piracy prone waters in the region is naturally of concern.
Separately, there was also word of a robbery on a boxship close to Côte d’Ivoire in the early hours of last Tuesday, although details were sketchy at the time of writing. The vessel was boarded by five men armed with knives.
Arild Nodland of security consultancy Bergen Risk Solutions, which specializes in West Africa, said that there had been three previous incidents off Abidjan over the last year. But he advised shipowners to take matters in their stride.
“Thievery and armed robbery will happen from time to time. I don’t think it is increasing and I don’t think it is spreading outwards from Nigeria,” he said.
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