MT Motivator

In the early hours of 4 July, the MT Motivator reported it was under small arms fire from a pirate attack in the northern Bab Al Mandeb area in the southern Red Sea. After notification of this attack, attempts were made to make contact with the Motivator but to no avail. The hijack was confirmed early on 5 July.

The MT Motivator, deadweight 13,065 tonnes with a crew of 18 Filipino nationals on board, is a Marshall Islands Flagged chemical products tanker loaded with lubricants oil. EU NAVFOR is monitoring the situation.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Programme (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

Schleswig-Holstein on patrol

In the early hours of 28 June, pirates took control of the MV Golden Blessing approximately 90 nautical miles off the northern Somali coast. On notification from the Master of the MV Golden Blessing that pirates were on board, the EU NAVFOR German warship Schleswig-Holstein immediately launched their helicopter and reported sighting suspected pirates on board the MV Golden Blessing.

The MV Golden Blessing, a Singapore flagged tanker with deadweight of 14445 tonnes, was carrying a cargo of glycoethelen. The MV Golden Blessing has a crew of 19 Chinese; there are no reports of injuries. The vessel is under pirate control and is now moving towards the  Somali Coast. EU NAVFOR is monitoring.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP) and vessels of AMISOM, and to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EUNAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

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MV PANEGA

EU NAVFOR can confirm that the hijacked MV PANEGA has now arrived off the coast of Somalia and is anchored in the vicinity of Garacad.

MV PANEGA was hijacked on the afternoon 11th of May in the Gulf of Aden approximately 100 nautical miles east of Aden (Yemen). The ship was on route from the Red Sea to India when she was attacked by pirates.

MV PANEGA with a dead weight of 5,848 tones, has a crew of 15, all Bulgarian. EU NAVFOR will continue to monitor the situation.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Programme (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

The ship was reported hijacked by Taipei Rescue Command Centre via IMB on the afternoon of 7 may.

The ship has a crew of 28 (9 Chinese, 3 Vietnamese, 3 Filipinos, 7 Kenyans and 2 Mozambique) and it is believed that all are well. The TAY YUAN 227 is heading towards Somali coast and EU NAVFOR will continue to monitor the situation.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Programme (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf  of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

The ship was approached by a pirate skiff firing automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenades and the crew reported that they saw the pirates climbing onboard.

The ship has a crew of 22 (19 Indian, 1 Ukranian, 2 Bangladeshi) and it is believed that all are well. A passing merchant ship tried to make contact by VHF radio  but received a response from the bridge of the hijacked vessel to “go away”. EU NAVFOR will continue to monitor the situation.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Programme (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf  of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR alsomonitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

Oil Tanker Moscow University

On the morning of 5 May, the Liberia flagged (Russian operated) Oil Tanker MOSCOW UNIVERSITY, was hijacked approximately 350 nautical miles east of Socatra.

At the time of the attack, the MOSCOW UNIVERSITY was heading east with a final destination of China. The ship has a crew of 23, all from Russia, and all are believed to be well. MOSCOW UNIVERSITY, with dead weight of 106,474 tones, was not registered with Maritime Security Centre Horn of Africa (MSCHOA) for their recent transit through the IRTC but they had reported to UKMTO.

It is understood that a Russian warship is heading towards the hijacked position. EU NAVFOR continues to monitor the situation.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Programme (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

Bulk Carrier Yasin C

The Turkish flagged Bulk Carrier YASIN C was hijacked earlier today approximately 250 Nautical Miles east of Mombasa.

The YASIN C, with deadweight of 36 318 tonnes, left the IRTC almost one week ago and was heading to Mombasa. The Turkish owned and operated YASIN C has a crew of 25 and all are believed to be Turkish. It is understood that first reports of the attack on the ship came from the NATO Turkish warship GELIBOLU that received distress calls from  the YASIN C. EU NAVFOR, who works closely with NATO and CMF, continues to monitor the situation.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP) and vessels of AMISOM, and to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

Samho Dream

The Marshal Islands flagged, crude oil tanker Samho Dream, previously reported hijacked approximately 600 nautical miles off the Somali coast in the early hours of 4 April has now arrived off the coast of Somalia.

The Samho Dream, South Korean owned and operated, with a deadweight of 319360, has a crew of 24 made up of 5 Koreans and 19 Fillipino and all are believed to be safe. EU NAVFOR continues to monitor the situation.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP) and vessels of AMISOM, and to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia

MV Taipan

MV Taipan, a German flagged and owned container ship of deadweight of 12612 tonnes, was on route to Mombasa from Djibouti when pirates attacked and took control of the ship.

On the morning of the 5 April, 500 nautical miles east off the Somali coast, a Pirate Attack Group (PAG) attacked and got onboard the MV Taipan. As the pirates boarded the ship the MV Taipan crew followed EU NAVFOR Best Management Practice, retreated to a secure strong room and locked themselves in; they were able to stop all engines and thereby disable the ship,  before alerting EU NAVFOR that the ship had been taken. HNLMS Tromp was sent immediately to the scene and located the pirated ship. 

Initially HNLMS Tromp attempted to negotiate with the pirates to avoid casualties but when it became clear that the pirates intended resisting, HNLMS Tromp launched a highly professional operation to recapture the ship. Marines from the TROMP have now boarded and retaken control of the ship from the pirates. The crew of 13 (2 German, 3 Russian and 8 Sri Lankan nationals) have been released unharmed. 10 pirates have been taken into custody.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP) and vessels of AMISOM, and to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

Samho Dream

The Marshal Islands flagged, crude oil tanker Samho Dream, was hijacked by pirates approximately 600 nautical miles off the Somali coast in the early hours of 4 April and is now been taken to the Somali coast by pirates.

The Samho Dream, South Korean owned and operated with a deadweight of 319360, has a crew of 24 made up of 5 Koreans and 19 Fillipino and all are believed to be safe at the moment and EU NAVFOR continues to monitor the situation.

 EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP) and vessels of AMISOM, and to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.