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DRYADMARITIME

SPECIAL REPORT:

MARITIME CRIMEFIGURES FOR 2015

18Indian OceanRegion (IOR)

49

236Southeast Asia

(SEA)

50Rest Of World

Gulf of Guinea(GoG)

© Dryad Maritime Ltd. 2015

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I&A

Incidents & AdvisoriesMaritime Security Circular

Daily Regional Intelligence Report

Weekly Intelligence Summary

Country Risk Map

INTRODUCTION

The media focus of maritime security shifted again in 2015 from West Africa towards Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean.

Continued increases in reported incidents of maritime crime, and considerable geopolitical unrest, have had a large effect upon

maritime trade and operations. The picture is not one of complete gloom however, with international recognition of a reduction in

piracy in the Indian Ocean and a marked increase in the quality of incident reporting throughout the rest of the world.

Dryad’s 2014 figures highlighted a drop in offshore maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea, and this has followed again in 2015

with the number of reported incidents dropping by 29% when compared to 2014. This drop in reported incidents also saw an

unprecedented 5 month break in piracy. However, it is not a time to be complacent, and the risk of kidnap remains a concern for

crew of vessels operating off Nigeria with the overall figures for the number of crew kidnapped actually surpassing 2014’s records.

The Somali pirate threat in the Indian Ocean remains broadly contained with no confirmed attacks of merchant ships, although

the hijack/detention of 3 Iranian fishing vessels gives some cause for concern. The pragmatic decision to reduce the BIMCO-

sponsored High Risk Area (HRA) is a recognition not only of this year’s crime statistics, but also of the continued decline in pirate

activity over the course of the last 3 years. The war in Yemen has so far had minimal effect on the transit of shipping through the

area, although the Saudi led coalition’s closure of the country’s ports has contributed to a humanitarian crisis ashore. The recent

increase in hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Iran has the potential to add to the volatile geopolitical situation in the Gulf region.

Southeast Asia saw a 10% rise in maritime crime from 2014, continuing year on year trends, but this could have been larger were it

not for the success of the various maritime authorities lead in arresting maritime criminals. The final quarter of the year saw a more

proactive and effective approach to law enforcement, in particular from the Indonesian and Malaysian authorities, resulting in a

welcome drop in crime levels. In this case, it appears that the focus of wider media and industry pressure has had a positive effect

on the region’s overall approach.

Looking at the rest of the world, 2015 saw an increase in levels of maritime crime. This may not point towards a real terms increase

though, as the quality of reporting continues to increase in multiple regions. A large portion of the incidents reported have occurred

in the Caribbean, Central and South America, but there has been an unusual recurrence of reports coming from the Tianjin area of

China.

Finally, the Mediterranean has become the area of most concern, due to the continued civil war in Libya and the expansion of the

Islamic State terrorist organisation both there and in the Sinai. Thankfully, attacks ashore, like those seen in Tunisia, have not been

mirrored with incidents at sea. Despite this, the unprecedented flow of desperate people, fleeing across the sea to Europe, has

meant that the ongoing crises and instability across North Africa and the Middle East have had a significant impact upon maritime

activities.

http://www.dryadmaritime.com/coming-in-2016-country-risk-map/

http://www.dryadmaritime.com/at-risk/



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Country Risk Map

2015 Maritime crime in Gulf of Guinea (GoG)In total, 2015 saw at least 37 crew kidnapped for ransom in

9 separate incidents off the Niger Delta. This compares with

14 incidents of similar attacks in the area in the previous year,

which resulted in the kidnapping of at least 34 crew members.

The number of crew taken during 2015 is on a par with 2014,

albeit from 5 fewer attacks. The majority of governments have

adopted a policy of non-financial negotiation with kidnappers,

whatever their cause or geographical location, and this

includes those active in the Gulf of Guinea. However, shipping

companies understandably have little option but to pay the

ransoms to secure the release of their mariners. Unfortunately,

this only acts as further encouragement for armed gangs

based in the Niger Delta.

The main target for kidnap is western crew, usually the

Master and Chief Engineer, due to the higher ransom that

the pirates can demand. West African crew may only fetch

several thousand pounds, whilst the criminals hold European

crew until a ransom of over $100,000 USD per man is paid.

The three crew, two Greek and one Pakistani, taken from

MT Kalamos in February this year were only released once

a $400,000 USD ransom payment was made. Nigerian

pirates have also kidnapped Polish, Lithuanian and Russian

crewmembers in recent weeks in this area.

The overall drop in the number of offshore attacks

compared to 2014 was due to an unprecedented five-month

period, from May to October of 2015, where no criminal

attacks occurred at sea in the Gulf of Guinea. The start

of this hiatus coincided with the inauguration of Nigerian

President Muhammadu Buhari, having ousted former

President Goodluck Johnathan in the national elections.

Some commentators believed that Buhari’s influence was

responsible for the almost complete cessation of attacks off

Nigeria’s coastline during that five month period. In reality

GULF OF GUINEADryad reported 49 incidents in the Gulf of Guinea during 2015, these include cases ranging from petty

theft to kidnapping and a single event of hijack for cargo theft. This compares to 69 incidents during the

previous year, a drop of 29%. After the five month break in piracy, kidnapping of crew offshore of the Niger

Delta recommenced when armed gangs took 11 crew members in October and November in 3 separate

incidents. Kidnap remains the most serious threat to mariners in the Gulf of Guinea, and further similar

attacks will almost certainly occur in 2016.

though, it seems that a more proactive and visual presence that

was being conducted by the Nigerian Navy off the Niger Delta,

assisted by new ships commissioned long before Buhari came

to power, is more likely to account for the prolonged break in

maritime crime.

0

5

10

15

20

AttackHijack Robbery Boarding AttemptedBoarding

SuspiciousApproach*

* High levels of inaccurate reporting make the exact number of suspicious approaches unreliable.

The overall drop in the number of

offshore attacks compared to 2014 was

due to an unprecedented five-month

period, from May to October of 2015,

where no criminal attacks occurred at

sea in the Gulf of Guinea.




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Vessel Safety Monitoring

Transit & Port Risk Assessments

Resource to Requirement (R2R)

Vessel hardening audits

In previous years, heavily armed criminal syndicates have

conducted the hijacking of larger vessels hundreds of miles

from the Nigerian coastline, before sailing them back to the

Nigerian exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and transferring the

cargo onto illegal offload tankers; in 2014 MT Kerala was

hijacked in Angola, and MT’s Fair Artemis and Haisoon 6

were taken from Ghanaian waters. One possible explanation

for this decline in cargo theft, from the 7 reported attacks

in 2012, is the reduced financial rewards available from

black market oil due to the decline in the global price of oil.

Nonetheless, as with any potential for maritime crime in the

region, operators of product tankers should not become

complacent to the risk of further attacks.

Robbery of vessels alongside or at anchor in West African

ports continues. Fortunately, despite nearly all incidents

occurring overnight, the vigilance of lookouts on board the

vessels targeted has forced most opportunist thieves to abort

their raids. Mariners are reminded that these criminals, whilst

intent only on relatively petty theft, are often armed with

knives and should not be physically confronted if they make it

on board.

Looking ahead at 2016, thieves will almost certainly

continue to board and rob vessels on an opportunistic

basis throughout West Africa, and make the most of dark,

moonless nights and lax on board security. It is possible

that hijack for cargo theft will again increase as the country

adjusts to the lower price of fuel, but these will most likely be

in small numbers, as seen in 2015. Dryad also anticipates a

continuation of the level of kidnap off Nigeria; it is endemic

ashore and the offshore attacks are just a continuation of this

crime on land. The main indicator of changes in the maritime

security off Nigeria will be the reaction of the Niger Delta

militants to the continued presidency of Buhari, and his efforts

to balance their requirements for the development of the area

alongside maintaining Nigeria’s political integration.

The number of incidents of hijack for cargo theft also dropped

during 2015. Whilst smaller vessels and barges are taken from

within Nigeria’s vast river networks for the same purpose,

there was just a single incident of this nature reported

offshore. The small tanker MT Mariam was taken off the

coast of Warri, Nigeria in early January 2015; the gang were

eventually intercepted by the Ghanaian navy and arrested.

SPECIAL REPORT: MARITIME CRIME FIGURES FOR 2015

The number of crew taken in in 2015 is on a par with 2014, albeit from 5 fewer attacks.

Dryad also anticipates a continuation

of the level of kidnap off Nigeria; it

is endemic ashore and the offshore

attacks are just a continuation of this

crime on land.




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Country Risk Map

2015 has seen an increase in reporting and subsequent

media attention to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU)

fishing in the waters off Somalia. The Puntland Coastguard

has arrested several vessels in the Gulf of Aden. We have

also seen the illegal capture of three Iranian flagged dhows

in the Somali Basin, by Somali nationals. In March 2015,

Iranian dhows MSV Jaber and MSV Siraj were captured by

Somali fishermen off the coast of Hobyo, Somalia (MSV

Jaber escaped in August 2015). On 22 November, Iranian

fishing vessel MSV Muhammidi was taken in the Somali basin

southeast of Eyl and subsequently escaped on 28 November.

Technically, these three dhows were hijacked this year, and

a clamber to announce a return to piracy was made by a

few commentators. Dryad’s view is that while further attacks

on foreign fishing vessels operating in or near the claimed

Somalis EEZ are possible, a return to the industrial level of

piracy seen at the start of this decade is unlikely.

The most significant event of the year for shipping was the

announcement in October of a reduction of the High Risk

Area (HRA) inside of the UKMTO’s Voluntary Reporting Area

(VRA). This was followed by an announcement in December,

by Lloyds Joint Warfare Committee (JWC) of a reduction in

their area. This has been widely met with a positive reaction

from the majority of the shipping community. Both these

decisions reflect the reality of the current threat of Somali

piracy and allow seafarers to focus their efforts where the

threat may actually be, rather than in areas where it is not.

Dryad believes both areas could have been further reduced

based on recent analysis, but accepts that these new areas

are a pragmatic first step.

INDIAN OCEANThere have been no confirmed attacks on merchant vessels transiting the High Risk Area of the Indian

Ocean during 2015. Additionally, there have been no reports of naval forces disrupting Somali Pirate Action

Groups (PAGs) during 2015. The reporting of suspicious vessels and approaches to MVs has continued

throughout the year with a total of 45 advisories sent by UKMTO*. It should be noted that Dryad assess

that none of these events can be considered to be an act of piracy or an attempt at piracy.

Prior to these announcements, Dryad’s records show the last

confirmed piracy incident east of 065°East was in March 2012.

Reports of suspicious craft operating close to the coast of India

since then have been classified as encounters with the myriad

fishing vessels operating out of west coast Indian ports and

harbours. To the north, in the Gulf of Oman, the last confirmed


SuspiciousApproach*


0

3

6

9

12

15

2015 Maritime crime in Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

Dryad’s view is that while further attacks

on foreign fishing vessels operating

in or near the claimed Somalis EEZ

are possible, a return to the industrial

level of piracy seen at the start of this

decade is unlikely.

*UKMTO: UK Marine Trade Operations









the civil war has proved to be a fertile breeding ground for

Yemen’s jihadist groups, including Al Qaeda in the Arabian

Peninsula (AQAP), which has long had a strong base in

southeast Yemen and have taken control of the port city of Al

Mukalla and moved into the city of Aden. Islamic State of Iraq

and the Levant (ISIL) have emerged from the chaos and are

building a following.

piracy incident was in December 2012. Again, reports of

suspicious vessels following and approaching MVs have been

classified as either encounters with fishermen or smugglers.

Effective anti-piracy patrols by naval assets, the provision of

armed security guards, implementation of BMP4 measures

and the use of timely intelligence have contained the spread

of piracy in the Indian Ocean to the stage where we have not

seen a confirmed piracy attack on a merchant vessel more

than 12 NM from the coast of Somalia since January 2014.

However, risk has not been removed entirely from the area.

The region’s security in 2015 has been overshadowed by

the civil war in Yemen. President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi

and his government were chased from the country, with

the Houthi rebels taking control in Sana’a in January. The

country’s major ports were temporarily closed, and vital

supplies denied to not only the rebels but also the civilian

population. On 26 March, a Saudi led coalition of 10 Muslim

nations was established with the intentions of removing the

Houthi and re-establishing President Hadi. Early gains in the

south of the country, and a sustained bombing campaign,

have failed to dislodge the rebels and by the end of the year

a stalemate situation has occurred across large swathes

of central and western Yemen. Talks in December were

unsuccessful in finding any common ground and a temporary

ceasefire was violated daily. Unfortunately, the mayhem of


Dryad has seen the illegal capture of three Iranian dhows in the Somali Basin, by Somali nationals.

Effective anti-piracy patrols by

naval assets, the provision of armed

security guards, implementation of

BMP4 measures and the use of timely

intelligence have contained the spread

of piracy in the Indian Ocean.

With no clear sight of an end to the fighting and the political

dialogue stalled, there appears to be little chance of a

positive outcome in the year ahead. While Saudi Arabia and

Iran continue to back the opposing factions, and now the

sudden deterioration in the political domain between these

two sucking in other Gulf States, 2016 will prove to be a

pivotal year in the region. The possibility of the world’s major

international forces being drawn into the dispute is clear. If

this happens, the focus will quickly be removed from the fight

against piracy.

Unless there is a major game changer, the resumption of

industrial scale piracy in the HRA during 2016 is assessed

to be unlikely. As long as the coast of Somalia and the Gulf

of Aden continues to see an international effort to supress

piracy, the opportunities for any would be pirates are few and

fraught with danger. The illegal taking of three fishing vessels

off the east coast of Somalia during 2015 does show the

continued resentment local fishermen have towards boats

taking part in IUU fishing. This was the scenario which has

been blamed for the upsurge in piracy in the 1990s. However,

in the event of open hostilities been Saudi Arabian and Iran,

anti-piracy vessels may be redeployed thus opening the

Indian Ocean for a resumption of attacks on MVs.


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Country Risk Map



SOUTHEAST ASIA

The second half of 2014 saw an increase in robbery from

ships underway in the Singapore Strait, and an upsurge of

hijackings for the purpose of fuel theft from small, regional

product tankers. This trend continued into 2015 with tankers

boarded at a rate of almost two per month for the first six

months. At the same time, the boarding of vessels underway

in the Singapore Strait increased month on month with

criminals boarding multiple vessels on consecutive nights.

These two elements of piracy saw the region responsible for

more incidents than the rest of the world combined and hit

the headlines in the world’s media for the first time in over a

decade. This increased media attention eventually provoked

the Malaysian, and then Indonesian, governments to

announce increased initiatives to quell the rising tide in crime.

The first major breakthrough came with the arrest of the

hijackers of MT Orkim Harmony in June. This came after a

joint operation by forces from Australia, Malaysia and Vietnam

and led back to the gang boss and financier based in Jakarta.

Despite one further hijacking, that of MT Joaquim in the

Malacca Strait in August, hijacking and subsequent fuel theft

has effectively ceased in the South China Sea and Malacca

Strait.

2015 has once again seen an increase in overall levels of reported incidents across Southeast Asia, with a

10% rise when compared to 2014. Dryad’s figures show a total of 236 incidents, compared to 214 in the

previous year. The first three quarters of 2015 saw a marked increase in maritime crime and piracy in the

region in comparison with the same period of 2014. However, the final quarter saw crime levels fall back to

those of 2009, as a welcome result of arrests made by Malaysian and Indonesian authorities.


SuspiciousApproach*


0

20

40

60

80

100

120

2015 Maritime crime in Southeast Asia (SEA)

In total, Dryad recorded 106 reports of

incidents in the Singapore Strait during

2015, an increase of 72% from 2014.

Over 80% of these were in the eastern

bound section of the traffic separation

scheme.

The second significant event occurred on 22 October, when

a group of five criminals were arrested after the boarding of

MV Merlin in the Singapore Strait. This led to further arrests of

five more gang members on 11 November. Quite remarkably,

the arrest of these criminals has seen the complete cessation

of the boarding on vessels in the eastbound lane of the

Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) between Pulau Karimun

Kecil and Pulau Besar. It is unlikely that this single gang was

responsible for all the earlier attacks in the Strait, but the

authorities’ success has deterred others from attempting to

carry out the robberies. In total, Dryad recorded 106 reports

of incidents in the Singapore Strait during 2015, an increase

of 72% from 2014. Over 80% of these were in the eastern

bound section of the traffic separation scheme. To the east of

the Straits, the anchorages at the OPL have seen a significant

reduction in reported incidents, from 39 in 2014 to only 5 in

2015.









The final success came in November when the Philippine

authorities, in cooperation with the Indonesian authorities,

captured the gang leader responsible for the hijack of

MV Rehobot, taken off North Sulawesi in January.

Throughout the wider area, the boarding and robbery from

vessels at anchor or alongside in ports continues with varying

degrees of success. Ports in Vietnam have seen the largest

increase in reported crime levels with 28 cases, up from just 8

during 2014, a 250% increase. The majority of these incidents

took place in the Vung Tau anchorages, 35 NM to the south of

Ho Chi Minh City.

Despite a reduction in incidents at Balikpapan and Jakarta,

reports of crime in the port of Belawan have risen from 9 to 16

in 2015. There has also been a reduction in reported incidents

at Chittagong, Bangladesh with 12 incidents in comparison

to 23 in 2014. However, there has been an increase in attacks

and kidnappings of fishermen in the Sundarbans areas with

more than 10 separate incidents reported, many of these

report multiple kidnappings.

In the Sulu archipelago, there have been a number of vessels

approached by armed men in small fast craft which, after

the ships’ Masters took anti-piracy measures, would retreat.

However, on 18 December, approximately 7 NM northwest of

Doc Can Island Philippines, armed personnel in a speedboat

fired upon bulk carrier MV Aqua Venture, after they failed in

a boarding attempt. Whilst the initial report describes the

personnel in the speedboat as robbers, it is unlikely that


those seeking to carry out a simple theft would open fire

on the vessel. These actions appear to be more indicative

of Islamist rebels, such as the Abu Sayyaf Group, intending

to kidnap crewmembers for ransom. Dryad anticipates

that further similar incidents in this area are possible in the

coming months, but they will probably be opportunistic in

nature and are unlikely to be frequent.

Looking forward to 2016, the hijacking of small regional

product tankers is unlikely to reach the levels experienced

during 2014/15, but there has been a trade in black market

fuel across Southeast Asia for many years. Despite the

closure of at least one syndicate in 2015, there are others

willing to carry out these hijackings and fuel thefts. Dryad

assesses sporadic attempts at fuel theft will continue, but

these will be isolated events.

Dryad expects the decline in boardings of vessels

underway within the Singapore Strait seen in the last three

months of 2015 to continue. The levels of theft from tugs

and barges will, however, remain stable as the personnel

responsible for this type of crime are not those involved

in the theft of stores from passing MVs. Opportunist theft

from vessels underway in the South China Sea, particularly

in the vicinity of the Anambas Island, will also continue.

Boardings and theft from vessels either at anchor or

alongside in the major ports around Southeast Asia is a

common occurrence and underreported. Inevitably, these

crimes take place during the hours of darkness. The

majority of these incidents are opportunistic in nature,

and the sight of upper deck patrols is normally enough to

deter would be thieves. Alert crew members and a sound

security plan are generally sufficient to prevent boarding

while in Southeast Asia.

Looking forward to 2016, the hijacking

of small regional product tankers is

unlikely to reach the levels experienced

during 2014/15.




I&A




Country Risk Map

The European Union operation against human smugglers

and traffickers, along with the Italian Coastguard, assisted by

Frontex, continues in the Mediterranean in an attempt to stem

people smuggling to Southern and Eastern Europe. Focus

has shifted slightly from the Central Mediterranean to Greece

and Turkey and the EU has seen little evidence that Turkey

has managed to reduce departures of migrants for Greek

islands since it signed an agreement to do so; an average of

4000 people per day were still reported to be crossing from

Turkey to the Greek islands during December. The shorter

transits in the area mean there is a reduced opportunity for

shipping being called to support rescue attempts, unlike in

the central Mediterranean; however, even here ships’ voyages

are occasionally disrupted.

MEDITERRANEANDuring 2015, the Mediterranean has continued to be an area of ongoing concern to the shipping community

due to the action of Islamic State (IS) in Libya, as well as the ongoing migrant crisis. Events such as the

Bardo museum and Sousse beach attacks have brought security issues to wider media attention. The

Libyan Air Force bombing of ships at sea, as well as the terrorist attack on an Egyptian patrol boat off Rafah,

have influenced decision makers’ assessment of the security situation in the area. However, it is the mass

migration across the Mediterranean that seems to have had the most impact on ships transiting the region.

Shipping is often diverted away from operations in order to

assist with the flow of migrants in distress off the Libyan coast.

Commercial vessels transiting between the coasts of Libya

and Sicily must have a plan in place (MSC.1/Circ. 1447, IMO

guidelines for the development of plans and procedures for

recovery of persons from the water) to deal with interaction with

migrant vessels, which are often heavily overcrowded and sink

as rescue craft approach. During the winter months, traffickers

will wait for a break in the weather before sending hundreds,

sometimes thousands of people into the Mediterranean in

inadequate boats. Any improvement in winter weather will lead

to a spike in those attempting the perilous crossing.

A total of over 1 million maritime migrants managed to successfully enter Europe via Greek and Italian islands, or by being rescued in attempts to do so, during the last 12 months.

As 2015 came to a close, it was reported that nearly 3,800

migrants had died attempting to enter Europe by sea. Whilst

over 800 of those fatalities occurred in the Aegean Sea

between Turkey and Greece, the vast majority who died had

left Libyan shores before drowning. A total of over 1 million

maritime migrants managed to successfully enter Europe via

Greek and Italian islands, or by being rescued in attempts to

do so, during the last 12 months.

As we enter 2016, serious tension remains between Turkey

and Russia after Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian

warplane that was conducting bombing raids against militant

targets in Syria. Whilst movements of private and commercial

vessels through the Bosphorous continue unhindered, some

Russian commercial vessels have experienced delays as

Turkish authorities challenge them. The possibility that this

tension will boil over to hostilities at sea is unlikely. However,

as evidenced by the warning shots fired by a Russian warship

in the Aegean in December, a misunderstanding could

possibly result in further deterioration of the relationship.

Despite the signing of a United Nations plan to form

a Government of National Accord by the rival Libyan

governments in Morocco in December 2015, Libya remains

a long way from establishing a secure and safe security

environment and this will continue to affect adjacent nations.

The recent attack by IS militants on As Sidra oil terminal is

indicative of the current lack of co-ordinations in dealing with

this threat. Without military intervention, be it unilateral or

international, to push IS back from the area, further ground

attacks on security checkpoints, and rocket attacks on the

facilities at As Sidra and Ras Lanuf, are likely. Some fear that

IS in Libya will attempt to conduct the same policy as in Syria

and Iraq, by capturing the As Sidra and Ras Lanuf terminals

and then selling the oil to fund further operations. In reality,





10Vessel Safety Monitoring




however, it would be practically impossible for IS to trade in

Libyan oil. Any gains that the group may make would be for

land they could take, and in the publicity and propaganda that

they could achieve by doing so.

Unlike the central and eastern Mediterranean, the western

Mediterranean witnesses far less migration via maritime

routes. Drug smuggling continues to be a major concern for

both Spanish and Moroccan authorities, as Morocco and

then Spain become transit countries for large quantities of

cannabis and cocaine. The presence of extremist elements

in Tunisia, as well as the collapse of security in neighbouring

Libya, continues to pose a significant threat to foreign

travellers. Jihadist gunmen killed 21 foreign tourists who

were visiting the Bardo Museum in Tunis in March, and in

another attack, 38 people died on the beach and hotel area


Migrants rescued as part of Operation Triton. (Source: Irish Defence Force)

The Mediterranean has continued to be a cause for concern for the shipping community in 2015.

of Sousse. These incidents highlighted the vulnerability of

foreign visitors to such an attack in North African countries,

away from the relative security of ports or of their cruise

vessels.

It is possible that we will see an improvement in Libya’s

security situation in 2016 as the GNA starts to exert its

authority, but a more likely scenario is the continued instability

and bi-partisan conflict that allowed IS to expand in 2015.

The possible deployment of western troops to the country,

as considered after the Paris terrorist attacks in November,

could thwart the expansion of IS, but will require a high level

of support from almost all parties involved in the Libyan Civil

War. The recent attacks on As Sidra and Ras Lanuf, coupled

with the presence of over 3,000 IS militants on the coast

between Sirte and Ben Jawad, may expedite those plans into

taking place within a matter of weeks, not months.

The migrant crisis is likely to continue unabated, although

whether 2016’s figures exceed 2015 remains to be seen. The

EU’s actions, along with support from Turkey, is expected to

at least maintain the current levels and is hoped to actually

reduce the numbers. However, shipping is still likely to be

affected by calls to support rescue operations in the Central

Mediterranean.

Some fear that IS in Libya will attempt

to conduct the same policy as in Syria

and Iraq, by capturing the As Sidra and

Ras Lanuf terminals and then selling

the oil to fund further operations. In

reality, however, it would be practically

impossible for IS to trade in Libyan oil.




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Country Risk Map

The boarding of anchored yachts in coves and off harbours

throughout the Caribbean, Central and South America has

been occurring for many years. A hallmark of these crimes

is the use of violence, which has been occasionally fatal.

This was seen again in an incident in the Rosario Islands,

Columbia, in September where the wife of a yacht owner was

killed. Around Trinidad, there has been an increase in attacks

against local fishermen and yachts, reportedly by Venezuelan

nationals. Major ports in Columbia and Venezuela have again

seen sporadic boardings of MVs for the purpose of cargo

theft.

REST OF THE WORLDDryad has recorded a marked increase in crime levels during 2015, up from 16 to 50. The majority of these

have been acts of robbery from sailing vessels around the Caribbean, Central and South America. This

has been attributed to better reporting from the cruising community, and Dryad suspects that this increase

during 2015 better reflects the actual number of incidents taking place annually.

During December, there have been five reports of incidents

against ships at anchor off the Chinese port of Tianjin, the first

reported incidents in China since 2012. Elsewhere, incidents

have been reported in Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia and

the United States.

Dryad expects 2016 to provide much of the same pattern

of maritime crime, with the robbery of anchored yachts in

the Caribbean making up the majority of reported incidents.

There are some emerging hot spots namely around Trinidad

and Tobago and the Chinese port of Tianjin; however, we

would expect that Chinese authorities would clamp down on

consistent acts of crime in their ports.

a

50Rest Of World

Total number of incidents in 2015









LOOKING AHEAD

• Looking ahead at 2016, the threat of kidnap and theft in

West Africa will continue, while hijack for cargo theft may

again increase as criminal enterprises adjust to the lower

price of fuel, but these will most likely be in small numbers

and of smaller vessels, as seen in 2015.

• The resumption of industrial scale piracy in the HRA during

2016 is assessed to be unlikely. As long as the coast of

Somalia and the Gulf of Aden continues to see an

international effort to supress piracy, the opportunities for any

would be pirates are few and fraught with danger.

The illegal taking of the fishing vessels off Somalia could

be seen as a precursor to the return of Somali piracy but this

seems unlikely.

• In Southeast Asia, the hijacking of small regional product

tankers is still a possibility as there has been a historical

trade in black market fuel across Southeast Asia, but it is not

anticipated to reach the levels seen in 2014/15.

• Looking to the Mediterranean, it is possible that we will see

an improvement in Libya’s security situation in 2016, but

there is a long way to go.

The migrant crisis is likely to continue unabated, although

whether 2016’s figures exceed 2015 remains to be seen.

The EU’s actions, along with support from Turkey, is

expected to at least maintain the current levels and is hoped

to actually reduce the numbers.

Shipping is still likely to be affected by calls to support

rescue operations in the Central Mediterranean.

96 crewkidnapped in 2015

Killed

Kidnapped969

47Estimated total number of crew currently in captivity




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Country Risk Map










This Special Advisory is a compilation of research and intelligence from Dryad’s Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) products; a suite of reports designed to help owners and operators manage risk and uncertainty at sea arising from maritime piracy, crime and other waterborne threats.

Stay up to date on maritime crime developments via some of our other products and services.

DRYAD SERVICES Want more updates on maritime crime in your operating area?

Managing risk is just one aspect of uncertainty at sea that Dryad Maritime manages for vessel owners, charterers and managers. Why not speak to us about our Voyage Efficiency and Weather Routing services.

MARITIME DOMAIN AWARENESS

VESSEL SERVICES

Country Risk Map – an online risk portal for those who need to fix cargoes

quickly and need a snapshot of the risk landscape in their

chosen areas.

Maritime Security Circular – a monthly

round-up of on and offshore risks in some of the popular cruising destinations around

the world.

Incidents & Advisories – a single, reliable source of reporting and analysis on

incidents affecting maritime trade.

Daily Regional Intelligence Report – daily

intelligence reports on maritime crime delivered

straight to your inbox

Weekly Intelligence Summary – weekly

summary of maritime crime events occurring in high risk

maritime regions.

Transit & Port Risk Assessments – bespoke assessment of risks to your

vessel underway or alongside.

Vessel Safety Monitoring – 24 hour vessel/fleet

tracking by experienced mariners.

Resource to Requirement (R2R) – Privately contracted

and managed armed security personnel or

unarmed maritime security liaison officers.

Vessel hardening audits – detailed audit of security defences and procedures

on-board.

I&A

To find out more or to speak to a Dryad representative, contact [email protected] or call 023 92 658313.




I&A




Country Risk Map

SPECIAL ADVISORY: MEDITERRANEAN

About Dryad Maritime

Dryad Maritime provide guidance and assistance to mariners facing the daily uncertainties and threats at sea that arise from criminal acts, piracy, the environment, commercial and/or regulatory pressure.

From its 24/7 operations room, Dryad Maritime delivers safety assistance and operational advice for ships at sea and their shore-based teams to optimise performance whilst also reducing management fatigue across organisations, at sea and ashore.With over 500 years of collective naval maritime experience, Dryad’s team understand the risks and uncertainties of life at sea.Their fully manned operations are conducted with the rigour of naval discipline, process and procedure and delivered with seafaring alacrity.

We welcome observations and contributions from readers. If you wish to submit your comments or find out more about our services please contact us on 0845 060 0072 or email [email protected]

The information is intended for use only by the individuals or entity named above, and is not for onward transmission without the specific permission of Dryad Maritime Ltd. If you are not the intended recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify me by telephone immediately. Advice given and recommendations made do not constitute a warranty of future results or an assurance against risk. Recommendations are based on information provided by you and other information available at the time of writing/publishing. No express or implied warranty is given in respect of any judgment made or to any changes or unforeseen escalation of any factors affecting any such judgment. Reports are intended for the recipient company only and may not be disclosed to any third parties without our prior written consent. You agree to indemnify us against any claim and any resulting damages that may be caused by any unauthorised disclosure of such documents.

Enquiries: +44 (0) 23 92 658313



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