In the Gulf of Guinea, more structured, bolder pirates
(B2 in Brest) Pirates in the Gulf of Guinea are tracked by the MICA Center, the Maritime Information Cooperation & Awareness Center established in Brest. We were able to review their new methods with an officer from the centre.
Professional management
Pirates have adapted. " They are more structured, organized, with onshore logistics, sponsors. They developed a ransom business, with hostage taking. With professional management. »
Further
African countries are not not yet fully autonomous ". Especially on the high seas.” They obtain good results in the port area and territorial waters. It has really dropped, especially in Nigeria. But beyond that, it's more complicated. The pirates have understood this well and are going further, towards the area of Sao Tomé e Pricipe, 200 nautical miles away. The reaction time of an armed force will then be longer.
Between opportunity and target
How do they choose their target? " Sometimes it's precise. They target certain companies (NB: like the shipping company, based in New Delhi). Sometimes not. There are thus attacks of pure opportunism. » In a general view, “They monitor the areas where they are going to act. If they realize the area is being patrolled, they « let cool ».
To the grinder to attack the citadel
Hackers know the methods of protection and now do not stop there. " All means are good. When they see a citadel, they first burst into the citadel to try to enter it. To force the door, they look for equipment on board, such as grinders to cut the door, or even arrive with means of their own to force the door. They know they have little time. If they fail, they look for another boat in the area. »
The Tonsberg a turning point
In November 2021, off Nigeria, the Danes of the frigate Esbern Snare had led an assault on a pirate ship, killing four of them, wounding a fifth and capturing four others. The pirates have learned a lesson from this, going further offshore, and above all being more aggressive.
Increased violence
A few weeks later, in December 2021, the attack on the Tonsberg — a Greek container ship sailing under the Maltese flag — constitutes ' a turning point ". They arrived on board, causing amazement, killing a member of the crew at once and capturing six sailors. A recommendation was issued to sailors to stash all tools and other means to force the citadel. This is part of a new BMP recommendation (best maritime practices).
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)
The Gulf of Guinea, one of the most violent areas World
Even if it is not the one where the most incidents occur, the Gulf of Guinea has become the most violent area today. Certainly in figures, it is the Strait of Malaca which holds the record. But we are more on rapine, theft. As soon as the pirates see someone, they run away. In the Caribbean, it is more drug trafficking that leads the dance. Instead, traffickers use hacker processes to hide drugs, disappear. Then the recovery is done in Europe. " A new phenomenon, narco-piracy, reported this year that we observe carefully at the Mica Center. In Latin America, off the coast of Peru, there is robbery - in the Calao anchorage with a little more violence than elsewhere. But we are not reaching the level that existed at the time in Somalia.
