Cargo Vessel Steered Towards Somalia by Suspected Pirates

A cargo vessel has been reported hijacked off the coast of Somalia, according to officials and maritime security groups. The incident occurred on Monday, marking the second such event in less than a week. The ship, Sward, was carrying cement from Suez, Egypt, to Mombasa, Kenya, and flew under the flag of St Kitts and Nevis.

The hijacking took place approximately 6 nautical miles northeast of Garacad, a coastal town in Somalia. According to UKMTO, the vessel’s crew consisted of two Indian nationals and 13 Syrians. The ship is currently under pirate control and is en route towards the Somali coastline.

Vanguard, a British maritime security group, reported that nine pirates had boarded the Sward and taken control. The Puntland Maritime Police Force has been notified, and an operations officer stated that the ship was being monitored.

Somali piracy has experienced periods of reduced activity since 2018, largely due to international naval patrols and improved maritime security measures. However, pirate activity has increased again in recent months, coinciding with a decline in anti-piracy patrols and a shift in resources to counter Houthi rebel threats in Yemen.

In addition to the Sward incident, an oil tanker was seized off Puntland earlier this week while en route to Mogadishu. A commercial tanker was also attacked off the coast of Mogadishu in November, with armed assailants firing machineguns and rocket launchers.

The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran has resulted in a significant disruption to global oil supplies, with the Strait of Hormuz blockage affecting a substantial portion of petroleum exports. As a result, some ships have been diverted to alternative routes or taken longer journeys to reach their destinations.

Source: Al Jazeera