Heightened Risk of Crew Kidnapping in Gulf of Guinea

It has prompted the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau (IMB) to recently express their concern at the unprecedented level of crew kidnapped in the Gulf of Guinea.

The IMB highlights two separate kidnapping attacks in December 2019 involving heavily-armed pirates.  The first concerned a product tanker underway approximately 118nm of Cotonou, Benin where 20 seafarers were taken, leaving only the deck cadet behind. The second involved the kidnapping of 19 crew members from a VLCC about 100nm south of Bonny Island.

The IMB says these incidents show a serious escalation in seafarers being targeted for kidnap for ransom in the region and it is very notable that the attacks took place well outside territorial waters.

Success breeding confidence

James Wilkes of maritime security and intelligence specialists Gray Page observes that it is not just the rate of abductions that has increased of late, it is also the attackers’ appetite for abductions in large numbers.

Wilkes suggests that this is because success is breeding confidence. He told us: “The ‘model’ – the logistics of attack and abduction, ransom expectations and negotiations, hostage management etc. – is obviously working (at the moment).”

Failures in maritime security

Wilkes expresses his concerns on the absence of an effective security and law enforcement eco-system at regional, state or international level. Coupled with a dense population of ships to target in the region, many of which have little or no meaningful security in place, this results in crews being under-protected.

This allows the gangs orchestrating the abductions to make the most of a readily-exploitable situation.

“I don’t think we’re seeing much ‘best practice’ in terms of vessel hardening and crew protection”, says Wilkes. “On the contrary, I think what we are seeing are examples of maritime security failure.”

Gray Page advise that there are substantial security improvements that can be made on most ships – from physical hardening measures, procedures, to situational understanding and preparedness. It’s important that shipowners and operators understand what good, effective security looks like and how to achieve it. Don’t wait until something goes wrong before making security a priority.

• More information on Gray Page
• IMB Live Piracy Map
• Maritime security guidance and external links

North has produced a series of briefings on maritime security that include:

• General recommendations
• Gulf of Guinea region

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