Diverse and complex threats dominate Q1 2015 maritime concerns
The report is not limited to traditional piracy and maritime crime, but includes commentary on other threats and issues; from civil war and terrorism in Yemen and Libya to criminal gang enabled mass migration in the Mediterranean.
Ian Millen, Chief Operating Officer, Dryad Maritime: “The first few months of 2015 have demonstrated, in the most visible way possible, just how complex and sometimes dangerous the maritime domain can be, as well as how important it is to maintain awareness, treat the risks and avoid complacency at all costs.”
The in-depth report tracks the latest trends and current threats which are collated from Dryad’s global network of sources. These quarterly results are then analysed by Dryad Maritime’s team of intelligence experts and presented in an extensive report and infographic to provide clear and essential guidance to shipowners and mariners.
In addition to the normal areas of reporting in the Gulf of Guinea, Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia, the latest analysis looks at regions and specific areas beyond these, such as Latin America and the Caribbean, Mediterranean waters off the shores of Libya and conflict area such as Yemen. The kidnapping of crew for ransom continues to pose a real and viable threat to mariners off Nigeria and the political and military instability in Libya is intrinsically linked to difficult and dangerous conditions for trade and shipping. In addition to the praiseworthy work of rescue forces saving lives off Libya, Dryad reports that the privately funded Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) ship ‘Phoenix’ will re-deploy in support of these efforts in May.
The number of people attempting to cross from North Africa to Europe is up 40% on the same period last year and shows no signs of abating. Whilst Dryad confirms that incident numbers in the waters of South America and the Caribbean are significantly up – from 2 to 13 when comparing the same quarter of 2014, it believes that this is due to better reporting and not necessarily an upsurge in crime. That said, forward thinking points to areas like Venezuela where economic decline could lead to more crime.
In Southeast Asia, despite a continued reduction in crime in certain Indonesian port and anchorage areas, Dryad predicts that further hijackings for cargo theft in the South China Sea and Singapore Strait, unless we see more effective intervention from regional security forces.
In the Horn of Africa, traditionally the inter-monsoonal period of Q2 provides optimum conditions for piracy in the Indian Ocean; but according to Dryad’s Q1 analysis the presence of international naval patrols on the Somali coast and Gulf of Aden and ships continuing to take the appropriate security measures should continue to contain the threat.
