EMEA News
MGO Tanker Missing as Pirates Strike During Bunkering
A Kiribati-flagged tanker carrying marine gas oil (MGO) is missing after a Friday attack by 10 heavily armed pirates south of Ghana, Maritime Security Review reports.
The MT Hai Soon 6, owned by HaiSoon Pacific Pte Ltd. and operated by Hai Soon Ship Management Pte. Ltd., was hijacked and sailed through Togo, possibly toward Cotonou, Benin.
Benin and Nigerian naval vessels are searching for the ship, which, if it follows the pattern of previous similar incidents, may be held for several days while pirates siphon the MGO into smaller tankers.
"The vessel was in the midst of bunkering operations with another vessel when it was boarded by heavily armed pirates," said Glen Forbes, of OCEANUSLive.
"That the pirates were able to take control of the vessel during such an operation would indicate that they were well aware of the vulnerabilities of shipping in the region."
Forbes said the newly established Maritime Trade Information Sharing Centre (MTISC) contacted local operation centres to coordinate the response.
"Whilst OCEANUSLive is aware of ongoing search operations, they are rightly unlikely to be made known until the incident is resolved," Forbes said.
"However, regional and international authority engagement remains the foundation to combating the threat of piracy, or extended duration robbery as it were."
Last month, a Liberia-flagged oil tanker was hijacked off the coast of Ghana and had its cargo stolen.
