Pirates Attack Tanker Off Ivory Coast

Pirates assaulted the Singapore-flagged chemical tanker Success 9. According to Praesidium International, the attack occurred on April 10 in the Gulf of Guinea, 300 nautical miles south of Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

The number of individuals on board is unknown, AIS transmission has been lost, and the event is ongoing. Praesidium noted that the vessel frequented the area and was most likely involved in bunkering operations.

Fuel theft is considered to be the motivation for this and other attacks in the region. In March 2023, the Liberian-flagged tanker Monjasa Reformer was assaulted. Six kidnapped crew members were eventually recovered safely by the French Navy.

Last year, the tanker B Ocean was attacked by pirates twice in the region, once in January and once in November. Both incidents featured the theft of cargo.

In 2022, the ICC IMB reported 115 occurrences of piracy and armed robbery against ships, down from 132 in 2021. The IMB claimed in January 2023 that the fall was due to a general decrease in pirate activity in the Gulf of Guinea, which decreased from 35 events in 2021 to 19 incidents in 2022.

It did, however, state that additional measures are required to assure the continued safety of sailors in the Gulf of Guinea region, which remains risky.

Reference: MarineLink, Baird Maritime