Global Security, Privacy, & Risk Management

As West Africa Piracy Increase….Naval Forces to Decrease in 2012 October 12, 2011

In what is sure to be a winning combination, piracy in West Africa is increasingly substantially while Lloyds list today published an article indicating that Naval support for anti-piracy efforts will decrease sharply in 2012.  It was announced todaythat another vessel was hijacked off the coast of Nigeria.  According to the IMB a tanker was hijacked off the coast of Nigeria.  A spokesperson for the IMB stated: “The vessel is still under captivity…We believe the crew is still on board,” according to the official of the piracy watchdog, who added that there was “no indication that the crew has been taken away”.

While Somali pirates are becoming increasingly violent and desperate as attacks are thwarted and piracy on the West Coast of Africa is increasing, the international community has seen fit to decrease the presence in high risk waters.  Reasons given are austerity measures being enacted as well as the need for vessels to support operations in Libya and other areas in the Middle East and North Africa.  Regardless of the reasons, the end result is likely to be the same.  Increases in pirate attacks on merchant vessels.  It is imperative that ship owners and other stakeholders consider the use of armed guards on their vessels as 2012 is sure to see a marked increase in piracy on both the East and West coasts of Africa.