Oil Tanker Attack Emulates Shadow War
Whilst unconfirmed, the attack on the MT Mercer Street oil tanker emulates that of the ongoing Israel/Iran shadow war which has seen a tit for tat exchange of attacks on vessels.
That’s what Dryad Global’s latest Maritime Security Threat Assessment, which was updated on the 2nd August, noted, adding that the attack resulted in an explosion onboard.
In a statement posted on its website on the 30th July, Zodiac Maritime, which manages the Japanese owned vessel, said at the time of the incident the MT Mercer Street was in the northern Indian Ocean, travelling from Dar es Salaam to Fujairah with no cargo onboard.
The company noted on the 30th July that details of the incident were still being established and that an investigation into the incident was underway.
Looking other regions of the globe, Dryad Global’s latest Maritime Security Threat Assessment also highlighted that South-East Asia, Singapore, and the Malacca Strait witnessed a slight uptick in armed robbery within the last reporting period, while the remainder of the region remains relatively benign.
In West Africa – Edo State, police confirmed the abduction of seven naval officers by armed bandits, two of which remain missing, Dryad Global revealed. The company said such incidents remain common within the rivers and waterways of the southern Niger Delta. In response, the Nigerian Navy have been deployed to fight maritime crime in the region, Dryad Global pointed out.
South America and the Caribbean continue to experience rates of low-key maritime crimes, Dryad Global noted. Such incidents remain sporadic within the Gulf of Mexico, although reporting continues to indicate a high degree of capability and intent, the company outlined.
So far there remains no narrative that indicates an intent to conduct kidnap for ransom operations, according to Dryad Global.
Dryad Global is a maritime risk intelligence company. Its Triton Scout Maritime Security Threat Assessment provides current and in-depth global maritime crime statistics and incident data analysis on a weekly basis.
Source: Rigzone