Container Ship Evades Hijacking

EU NAVFOR reports that a pirate action group failed in their attempt to pirate the MV NORTHERN VALOUR on Thursday, November 18.

The Antigua and Barbuda flagged ship was traveling through the Somali Basin, approximately 400 miles south east of Mogadishu, when it reported being under attack.

The ship reported that two skiffs were approaching, firing an RPG and machine guns. To evade the attack the ship’s captain increased speed to 21 knots and ordered all non-essential personnel to a safe room.

The ship was able to outpace the skiffs and eventually abandoned their attack.

Thanks to the utilization of Best Management Practices the container ship and her crew were able to avoid a hijacking.

For more information of Best Management practices, visit http://www.mschoa.org/bmp3/Pages/BestManagementPractises.aspx

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Programme (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia. (Source/Photo courtesy of EU NAVFOR)