Reporting indicates that a speed boat with 5 people on board attempted to board the container ship RIO CHARLESTON in transit to Onne port. It is understood that the perpetrators attempted the boarding via the Port Side of the vessel. The vessel raised the alarm, increased speed, activated fire pumps and performed evasive manoeuvres. The assailants aborted the attempt, crew and vessel are safe.

All vessels are advised to maintain heightened awareness.

Thus far this is the 9^th deep offshore incident within 2020. Within 2020 the waters south of Nigeria at a distance of over 70nm have seen the majority of incident reporting with the majority of incidents involving attempted boarding’s or vessels fired upon and boarded. This brings the total number of incidents within West Africa to 59 incidents representing a slight increase when set against 56 incidents across the same time-frame in 2019.

Source: Dryad Global