Navigate Noonsite

  • Home
  • Member Benefits
    • Login
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • About Noonsite
    • About Us
    • Contacts
    • Newsletter
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Newsletter
  • Latest News and Reports
    • Latest News
    • Latest Reports
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Cruising Resources
    • Books
    • Charts
    • Circumnavigation
    • Courtesy Flags
    • Communications
    • Covid 19
    • Cruising Information
    • Cruising with Children
    • Cruising with Pets
    • Cruisers Websites
    • Documents Required
    • Equipment
    • Environment
    • European Union
    • Global Yachting Services
    • Insights
    • Insurance
    • Piracy and Security
    • Portrait of a Cruiser
    • Rallies
    • Routing
    • Safety and Medical
    • Weather
    • Explore More

    • Countries and Ports
    • Find a Business
  • Countries by Region
  • Countries and Ports
  • Find a Business
  • Find News
  • Find a Report
  • Find a Comment
Loginor Register

The Ultimate Cruisers Planning Tool

Register for free Login 23211 Members
How to add an anchorage?
Noonsite Map: User Instructions COVID-19: Open/Closed Countries

Somalia: First hijacking since the height of Somali piracy in 2012.

Previous Page

News Intro

Last Update - April 13, 2017

News Item Content

On 13 March 2017 Somali pirates hijacked the MT ARIS 13 as it was preparing to cut through the Socotra Gap between the tip of Somalia and the island of Socotra. This incident marks the first hijacking of a large merchant vessel since the height of Somali piracy in 2012 and reinforces the need for vessels to follow Best Management Practices (BMP) within the High-Risk Area.

This report from Oceans Beyond Piracy:

On 13 March 2017 Somali pirates hijacked the MT ARIS 13, a tanker vessel en route to Mogadishu from Djibouti. The ship was seized approximately 18 km off the northern tip of Somalia.

  • The MT ARIS 13 was not registered with the Maritime Security Center for the Horn of Africa, an organization that registers and tracks commercial traffic in the region.
  • The MT ARIS 13 was preparing to cut through the Socotra Gap between the tip of Somalia and the island of Socotra. This route is frequently used as a cost- and time-saving measure for vessels travelling down the east coast of Africa despite the threat of piracy.
  • The ship had a low freeboard of only three meters.
  • It was moving at a slow speed of five knots.

These factors made the vessel an easier target for pirates, who typically board ships with ladders from fast-moving skiffs. This attack reinforces the need for vessels to follow shipping industry Best Management Practices (BMP) within the BMP specified High-Risk Area.

On March 16 the crew was released from Somali pirate hands due to the efforts of the Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF).  The entire crew is reported unharmed.  Under the care of the PMPF, the MT ARIS 13 is now proceeding to the Somali port city of Bosasso.

This incident marks the first hijacking of a large merchant vessel since the height of Somali piracy in 2012.

The Puntland Maritime Police Force was formed in 2010 and was deployed against pirates for the first time in 2012. The PMPF has had several successes, including the release of the MV Iceberg 1, the dramatic cliff top rescue of the fishing vessel the al- Amal, and the recent operation against ISIL militants in the town of Qandala.

Read the full reports from Oceans Beyond Piracy Here:

Is Piracy on the way out? – a report by http://www.ship-technology.com

Places

Mogadishu, Somalia,

Update History

Date Last Edited

April 13, 2017 - 05:05 PM

Last Edited By

User Comments

You must register first or be logged-in to leave a comment.
    No comments for this post.

How to use:

To add an anchorage click on the map to place the red marker. Then, click on the red marker to open the add anchorage window.

Terms of Use

Cookie Policy

Privacy Policy

Countries

Subprocessors

© Copyright World Cruising Club

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.