Product tanker B. Ocean (IMO 9377834) was boarded
by pirates near Cote d’Ivoire and later released. It was the second time that
the tanker had been boarded by pirates in 2022.
Monitoring operation MDAT GOG (Maritime Domain Awareness
for Trade Gulf of Guinea) raised the initial alarm, reporting that communication
had been lost with the 5,700 dwt product tanker on Wednesday, November 23rd.
South Korean officials and security operations monitoring the Gulf of Guinea
later confirmed the boarding.
The vessel’s last known position was reported as 247nm SSW
of Abidjan. MDAT GoG requested masters operating in the area report any
sighting of the vessel or suspicious activity.
The vessel had left Abidjan on October 1st and
was standing by offshore possibly awaiting its next contract. Reports indicated
it had been in the anchorage at Freetown, Sierra Leone departing on November 17th.
Security group EOS Risk Group reported that an analysis of the AIS data shows
the vessel “made a number of dubious course changes before slowing to 1 knot”
on November 23rd.
South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on
Friday November 25th that it had been informed by the crew of the B.
Ocean a little over 24 hours after the vessel went silent. They confirmed that
the tanker had been boarded by eight armed attackers. According to some reports
the crew was able to reach the citadel. All of the crew, which consisted of the
South Korean captain and chief engineer and 17 Indonesians, were said to be safe.
The pirates were reported to have stolen petroleum from
the tanker and damaged the ship’s equipment. The ministry reported that the
captain had contacted the shipping company after the pirates left the tanker.
He informed them that the ship was still operational and would be heading back
to Abidjan. South Korea also asked an ally nation to escort the ship back to
Abidjan.
The B.Ocean has had an unlucky year in the Gulf of
Guinea, In January it was hijacked when it was about 50nm south of Abidjan. In
that incident the armed boarders were reported to have stolen 977 tons of
diesel before releasing the vessel with the crew unharmed.
The latest incident is the fifth reported in the past 30
days – pirate activity often increases in the Gulf of Guinea during the fourth quarter.
The monitoring programme, which is jointly run by the UK and French navies,
showed that this was the fourth boarding, and that there was also one robbery.
Two of the incidents occurred near Nigeria. There were also a boarding in the
Takoradi anchorage off Ghana and another to the west near Sierra Leone.
For the year to date however piracy in the region has
declined dramatically over the past couple of years.
2009-built, Marshall Islands-flagged, 3,978 gt B. Ocean
is owned b y Ocean Marine Holdings Co Ltd care of SK Shipping Co Ltd of Seoul,
South Korea. ISM manager Doorae Shipping Co Ltd of Busan, South Korea. It is
entered with Skuld (Business unit Skuld Hong Kong) on behalf of SJK Shipping Co
Ltd.
