UNCLASSIFIED
(U) WORLDWIDE: Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) Report,
24 August – 21 September 2022
21 September 2022
(U) Table of Contents:
1. (U) Scope Note
2. (U) Warnings and Advisories
3. (U) Summary
4. (U) Details: Monthly Incidents by Region
5. (U) Appendix A: Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea Statistics and Trends
6. (U) Appendix B: Definitions and Sourcing
7. (U) Appendix C: Active U.S. Maritime Advisories
1. (U) Scope Note
(U) The Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) message provides information on threats to merchant vessels, the
shipping industry, and other maritime stakeholders worldwide in the last 30 days. This report is produced primarily
to inform merchant mariners and naval forces.
2. (U) Warnings and Advisories: No warnings or advisories issued this week. See Appendix C for active advisories.
3. (U) Summary:
A. (U) GHANA: On 19 September between 1250 and 0050 local time, crewmembers discovered as many as four
perpetrators onboard a refrigerated cargo ship while anchored in Takoradi Anchorage.
B. (U) MALAYSIA: On 17 September at 1650 local time, as many as ten perpetrators from four sampans boarded a
barge towed by a tugboat in the westbound lane of the Singapore Strait Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS).
4. (U) Monthly Incidents by Region
(U) This section lists reports of active violence against shipping, credible threats to shipping, or the potential for a
situation to develop into a direct threat to shipping over the past 30 days. Every effort is made to ensure that
incidents are not double-counted. In the event that double-counting is detected, or an incident is later found to
be different than initially reported, an explanation of the cancellation of the inaccurate report will be made in at
least one message prior to dropping the erroneous report.
UNCLASSIFIED
1
UNCLASSIFIED
A. (U) NORTH AMERICA:
1. (U) MEXICO: On 7 September at 1930 local time, robbers boarded an oil platform in the southern Gulf of
Mexico’s Bay of Campeche, approximately 14 NM northwest of Campeche port, near position 19:58N – 090:44W.
After maintenance personnel had departed the platform, the marine control center for the oil company was made
aware of robbers, on two small boats, gaining access onto the platform and stealing equipment. Mexico’s Marine
Secretariat (Secretary of the Navy) was alerted and a security vessel was dispatched to the location. The security
vessel interdicted and detained a boat with six persons onboard, however, there was no evidence that the boat or
persons onboard had been involved in the robbery. The security vessel then released the boat and six persons.
(Clearwater Dynamics)
B. (U) CENTRAL AMERICA – CARIBBEAN – SOUTH AMERICA:
1. (U) BRAZIL: On 30 August at 0100 local time, masked robbers armed with knives and a gun boarded an
anchored bulk carrier at Macapa Anchorage near position 00:30N – 050:59W. While onboard, the robbers beat
and restrained six local security guards and duty crewmembers. The alarm was raised and the master informed
port control via VHF. The perpetrators escaped with ship’s stores. (IMB; Clearwater Dynamics; vesseltracker.com)
C. (U) ATLANTIC OCEAN AREA: No current incidents to report.
D. (U) NORTHERN EUROPE – BALTIC: No current incidents to report.
E. (U) MEDITERRANEAN – BLACK SEA: No current incidents to report.
F. (U) WEST AFRICA – GULF OF GUINEA:
UNCLASSIFIED
2
UNCLASSIFIED
(U) Figure 1. West Africa – Gulf of Guinea Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea
1. (U) GHANA: On 19 September between 1250 and 0250 local time, crewmembers discovered as many as four
unauthorized persons onboard the anchored Liberia-flagged refrigerated cargo ship ACONCAGUA BAY at
Takoradi Anchorage, in position 04:54N – 001:41W. They raised the alarm, and called Takoradi Port Security. The
crew determined that the perpetrators had stolen ship’s stores before their escape. All crew were reported safe.
(MDAT-GoG; Clearwater Dynamics; vesseltracker.com)
2. (U) GUINEA: On 14 September at 0005 UTC, five robbers armed with knives and guns boarded the anchored
Antigua and Barbuda-flagged general cargo ship MARTINA at Conakry Anchorage, near position 09:12N –
013:46W. The perpetrators attempted to force their way into interior spaces, which resulted in the crew retreating
to the citadel. Port control was informed and a security vessel was dispatched. As the security vessel approached
the cargo ship, the robbers were observed escaping on a motor-powered boat with stolen items of ship’s
equipment. The ship reported damage to external doors and navigation equipment. The vessel and crew are safe.
(MDAT-GoG; splash247.com; Clearwater Dynamics)
3. (U) NIGERIA: On 2 September, pirates approached and fired upon a passenger boat while underway from Bille
to Port Harcourt in Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State. A spokesperson for the Rivers State police
command confirmed one passenger killed and another wounded. (Clearwater Dynamics; Sahara Reporters; Punch)
4. (U) ANGOLA: On 24 August, at 0420 local time, a robbery occurred on a container ship anchored approximately
7.7 NM west of Soyo, near position 06:07S – 012:12E. Two robbers boarded the ship and escaped with stolen
boxes of refrigerated chicken. The incident was reported to the local authorities. (Clearwater Dynamics; MDAT-
GoG)
UNCLASSIFIED
3
UNCLASSIFIED
G. (U) ARABIAN GULF: No current incidents to report.
H. (U) INDIAN OCEAN – EAST AFRICA – RED SEA:
1. (U) EGYPT: On 7 September at 0415 local time, the duty crew of the anchored United States of America-flagged
container ship MAERSK COLUMBUS noticed two perpetrators attempting to board via the anchor chain in position
29:49N – 032:34E at the Southern Anchorage of the Suez Canal. The duty crew directed a searchlight towards
them, which resulted in the perpetrators escaping empty-handed. (IMB; vesseltracker.com; Clearwater Dynamics)
I. (U) EAST ASIA – SOUTHEAST ASIA:
(U) Figure 2. East Asia – Southeast Asia Piracy and Maritime Crime
1. (U) MALAYSIA: On 17 September at 1650 local time, as many as ten robbers from four sampans boarded a
transiting barge towed by a Singapore-flagged tugboat in the westbound lane of the Singapore Strait Traffic
Separation Scheme, in position 01:17N – 104:09E. The crew noticed persons stealing cargo and raised the alarm.
Vessel Traffic Information System was informed, and a patrol boat was sent to investigate. Upon seeing the patrol
boat, the perpetrators escaped with stolen scrap metal. The master informed the port operations control center
that the crew were safe and no assistance was required. The tugboat continued its voyage to Vietnam. (IMB;
Clearwater Dynamics)
2. (U) MALAYSIA: On 7 September at 2325 local time, ten wooden boats were sighted alongside the barge SUNG
FATT 36 towed by Malaysia-flagged tugboat SUNG FATT 31 in the westbound lane of the Singapore Strait TSS,
UNCLASSIFIED
4
UNCLASSIFIED
near position 01:12N – 103:32E. Due to length of towline and hour of darkness, the master and crew aboard the
tugboat were not able to determine the number of perpetrators onboard the barge. The master reported robbers
stole scrap metal from barge, the crew was not injured, and that no assistance was requested. The tug continued
its voyage towing the barge to Penang, Malaysia. (ReCAAP; Clearwater Dynamics)
3. (U) INDONESIA: On 3 September at 0045 local time, three robbers boarded an underway Singapore-flagged
bulk carrier in the eastbound lane of the Singapore Strait TSS. The perpetrators stole generator parts before their
escape. The master informed port operations control center that the crew was safe and no assistance was
necessary. The vessel continued its voyage to China. (Clearwater Dynamics; vesseltracker.com)
4. (U) PHILIPPINES: On 31 August, robbers boarded the berthed Singapore-flagged vehicle carrier NORD ADRIATIC
at Batangas Port between 0730 and 2130 local time. The duty crew discovered the robbery while carrying out
routine rounds and confirmed that ship’s properties had been stolen. (IMB; Clearwater Dynamics; ReCAAP)
5. (U) INDONESIA: On 29 August, at 0402 local time, the duty crew sighted three robbers, armed with hammer,
knife, and metal rod close to the engine room on the underway Bangladesh-flagged bulk carrier MEGHNA
LIBERTY, approximately 5.4 NM east of Little Karimun Island, near position 01:07N – 103:30E. Upon hearing the
ship’s alarm, the perpetrators made their escape. Nothing was reported stolen and the crew are safe. The vessel
did not require assistance and continued its voyage to Singapore. (Clearwater Dynamics; ReCAAP)
6. (U) MALAYSIA: On 26 August, at 1928 local time, fifteen perpetrators in eight sampans approached and boarded
a barge towed by the underway Singapore-flagged tugboat HK TUG 9, while in transit along the eastbound lane
of the Singapore Strait TSS, near position 01:17N – 104:20E. The captain reported the boarding to local authorities
and a Singapore police coast guard craft deployed to the incident. The crew are reported as safe.
(vesselfinder.com; Clearwater Dynamics)
7. (U) INDONESIA: On 25 August, armed assailants boarded a fishing vessel likely within territorial waters in the
Berhala Strait off the east coast of central Sumatra near Lambur Luar (01:36S – 103:56E) in Jambi Province . The
perpetrators stole crew’s valuables, their catch, as well as the fishing vessel’s battery and gearbox, leaving it adrift.
Another fishing boat passed by and was able to pull the victim’s vessel to a safe port. (Indonesia Maritime
Information Centre)
J. (U) INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: No current incidents to report.
K. (U) AUSTRALIA – NEW ZEALAND – PACIFIC OCEAN AREA: No current incidents to report.
UNCLASSIFIED
5
UNCLASSIFIED
5. (U) Appendix A: Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea Statistics and Trends
6. (U) Appendix B: Definitions and Sourcing
A. (U) Definitions: In order to promote consistent use of accurate terms of reference, we use the following
definitions to describe a range of criminal antishipping activity and impediments to safe navigation in our
worldwide reporting and analysis.
(U) Attempted Boarding – Close approach or hull-to-hull contact with report that boarding
paraphernalia were employed or visible in the approaching boat.
(U) Blocking – Hampering safe navigation, docking, or undocking of a vessel as a means of protest.
(U) Boarding – Unauthorized embarkation of a vessel by persons not part of its complement without
successfully taking control of the vessel.
(U) Fired Upon – Weapons discharged at or toward a vessel.
(U) Hijacking – Unauthorized seizure and retention of a vessel by persons not part of its complement.
(U) Kidnapping – Unauthorized forcible removal of persons belonging to the vessel from it.
UNCLASSIFIED
6
UNCLASSIFIED
(U) Hijacking/Kidnapping Combination – Unauthorized seizure and retention of a vessel by persons not
part of its complement who forcefully remove crewmembers from vessel when disembarking.
(U) Robbery – Theft from a vessel or from persons aboard the vessel.
(U) Suspicious Approach – All other unexplained activity in close proximity of an unknown vessel.
B. (U) Sourcing: ONI derives information in this report primarily from government agencies, piracy reporting
centers, maritime security companies, and open press.
7. (U) Appendix C: Active U.S. Maritime Advisories
Title Effective Date Expiration Date
2022-005-Various-GPS Interference & AIS Spoofing 9 SEP 22 8 MAR 23
2022-009-Black Sea and Sea of Azov-Military Combat 4 SEP 22 3 MAR 23
Operations
2022-008-Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of 30 AUG 22 26 FEB 23
Oman, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Bab al Mandeb
Strait, Red Sea, and Western Indian Ocean-Threat to
Commercial Vessels
2022-007-Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed 6 JUL 22 2 JAN 23
Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom
2022-006-Global-Overview of the U.S. Maritime 15 JUN 22 12 DEC 22
Advisory System
(U) ICOD: 21 September 2022
(U) The Worldwide Threat to Shipping reports are posted weekly on the ONI Intelligence Portal:
https://www.oni.navy.mil/ONI-Reports/Shipping-Threat-Reports/Worldwide-Threat-to-Shipping/
UNCLASSIFIED
7
