Gulf of Aden News

Update: Fuel Tanker Hijacking Revives Fears of Somali Pirate Threat

The hijacking of a fuel tanker off Somalia’s coast shows the threat pirates still pose to one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, a risk that may also hamper the Horn of African country’s efforts to explore for offshore oil …

Pirates Demand Ransom for Oil Tanker Hijacked off Coast of Somalia

Pirates off the coast of Somalia, who hijacked an oil tanker with eight Sri Lankan crew on board, are demanding a ransom for the release of the vessel, the EU Naval Force said. The pirates seized the Comoros-flagged Aris 13 …

Somali Pirates Hijack Oil Tanker in 1st Commercial Attack in 5 Years

Pirates have hijacked an oil tanker with eight Sri Lankan crew onboard, a Somali official said on Tuesday, the first time they have successfully taken a commercial ship since 2012. The Aris 13 sent a distress call on Monday, turned …

Steamship Services Publishes Revised War and Piracy Area Warnings

Following a review by Steamship Services Joint War Committee, the War Breach areas have been revised and amended. War and Piracy warnings have been amended for the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman and the Southern …

UPDATE: Chapala Threatens Yemen with Flooding, High Winds: AccuWeather

The AccuWeather Global Weather Center has reported that “Yemen is bracing for impacts from a small, but currently powerful Tropical Cyclone Chapala in the Arabian Sea.” The storm, whose intensity was at one point equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane …

Growing Yemen War Risk Threatens Vital Sea Routes; Premiums Likely to Jump

With Middle East giants Saudi Arabia and Iran squaring up on opposing sides in the Yemen war, the dangers to vital oil tanker and goods voyages are growing daily. Millions of barrels of oil pass through the Bab el-Mandeb and …

International Shipping Lines Suspend Port Calls to Yemen as Conflict Worsens

International shipping lines are being forced to scale back or suspend port calls to Yemen as the conflict gets worse, putting pressure on supplies of food as prices rise in local markets. Yemen imports more than 90 percent of its …

Yemen Conflict Adds to Worries for Ships Dodging Pirates, Terror

When it comes to world trade, a 17-day shortcut trumps terror, piracy and now bombs. That’s the time a supertanker saves by using the Bab el-Mandeb waterway that skirts Yemen at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, rather than …

Dryad Maritime Welcomes Japan Plan to Allow Armed Guards on Ships

Dryad Maritime, a UK-based commercial maritime intelligence company, has welcomed the Japanese government’s plans to submit legislation that will permit the carriage of armed guards on Japanese-flagged vessels. The company cited a report in the Japan Times last week, which …

Typhon Launches Private Maritime Security Service against Piracy

Typhon Maritime Security Service announced the launch of its first marine convoy escort service, designed to enable “ship operators to transit the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean in unprecedented safety while saving time and money.” The private …