Page 72 - ΝΑΥΤΙΚΑ ΧΡΟΝΙΚΑ - ΜΑΙΟΣ 2024

ON THE SEAFRONT

The IMB is aware of several reported hijacked dhows WHY THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ SHOULD NOT
and fishing vessels, which are ideal mother ships to CLOSE
launch attacks at distances from the Somali coast- As the months-long conflict in the Middle East con-
line. tinues, Iran recently launched its first attack against
ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton said: “The Israel. Although, at the moment, diplomatic chan-
resurgence of Somali pirate activity is worrying, and nels seem a promising solution, the scenario of an
now more than ever, it is crucial to protect trade, expansion of the war with the involvement of other
safeguard routes, and the safety of seafarers who countries cannot be excluded. Due to the looming
keep commerce moving. All measures to ensure the threats by Iran, shipping’s eyes are turned towards
uninterrupted, free flow of goods throughout inter- the Straits of Hormuz.
national supply chains must be taken”. Iran has indirectly threatened that it is in a position to
IMB has commended the timely and positive actions close the Straits of Hormuz to shipping. This threat
taken by authorities to ensure the release and safety has caused grave concerns as 30% of the world’s
of the crew. oil trade passes through these straits, according to
A 40-hour operation by the Indian navy in the Indian a Bloomberg article.
Ocean on 15 March 2024 culminated in the capture The Straits of Hormuz waterway connects the Gulf
of 35 Somali pirates and the release of a previously of Oman with the Arabian Gulf. Therefore, dozens
highjacked vessel and its 17 crew. of tankers sailing to and from the ports of impor-
A bulk carrier boarded by pirates on 4 January over tant maritime trade countries, such as the United
450 nm off the east coast of Somalia was rendered Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, and Iran, pass
safe along with its 21 crew members by an Indian through it.
naval vessel. Iraq, the UAE, and Kuwait are among the top ten
In late January, the Seychelles coast guard intervened countries in terms of oil exports, while Iran and
to safeguard a hijacked fishing vessel and its six crew. Qatar are in the top twenty. In addition, Qatar is
Three suspected Somali pirates were apprehended one of the three leading countries in terms of LNG
in this operation. exports, which demonstrates that the disruption of
IMB Director Michael Howlett said: “We reiterate our shipping through the Straits of Hormuz would affect
ongoing concern on the Somali piracy incidents and the tanker market as well.
urge vessel owners and Masters to follow all recom- The impact on shipping and global energy trade
mended guidelines in the latest version of the Best would be catastrophic. Oil prices would skyrocket,
Management Practices (BMP 5). We also commend driving major economies to protect themselves by
the actions of the Indian navy and Seychelles coast consuming part of their strategic reserves.
guard for intercepting hijacked vessels, safeguarding At the same time, developments in the Straits of Hor-
crews, and capturing pirates”. muz regarding the dark fleet tankers will be of par-
Incidents within the Gulf of Guinea waters continue ticular interest. Even if Iran were to close the Strait of
to be at a reduced level. Six incidents were reported Hormuz, it would logically allow ships to pass through
in Q1 2024 compared to five in the same period of if they were headed to Iran to load its own oil.
2023. The IMB urges continued caution as nine crew In addition, rising oil prices would allow Moscow to
were kidnapped from a product tanker on 1 January sell its crude at even higher prices while remaining
2024 around 45nm south of Bioko Island, Equatorial attractive to Chinese and Indian importers. Dreams
Guinea. of capping Russian oil to limit Russia’s energy profits
“While we welcome the reduction of incidents, piracy would remain just pipe dreams.
and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea remains a In any case, the headache of marine insurance will
threat. A continued and robust regional and interna- continue, if not worsen, creating a new challenge to
tional naval presence to respond to these incidents maritime safety and increasing the risk of environ-
and safeguard life at sea is crucial”, Mr Howlett said. mental accidents.
There has been a noticeable increase in reported low-
level opportunistic crimes in Bangladeshi waters in EU NET-ZERO INDUSTRY ACT: EUROPEAN
2024, with seven reported incidents received – six SHIPOWNERS WELCOME 40% PRODUCTION
from vessels at anchorage in Chattogram – com- BENCHMARK FOR CLEAN SHIPPING FUELS
pared to one report for the whole of 2023. IN EUROPE
The Singapore Straits recorded five incidents against During the last plenary of its five-year term on Thurs-
four large bulk carriers and a general cargo vessel, day, 25 April, the European Parliament in Strasbourg
which were considered low-level opportunistic inci- adopted a new law which aims to scale up industrial
dents. But the threat to crew safety remains high capacity for green technologies in Europe.
as five crew were taken hostage in three separate European shipowners strongly welcomed the inclu-
incidents in January. sion of clean fuels for shipping, including advanced

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