The number
of pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea could double next year if governments
do not act to protect off-shore assets, according to Paramount Group, Africa’s
largest privately owned defence and aerospace business.
There have been
over 360 attacks on merchant shipping this year and without action by West
African governments this could rise to over 700 incidents in 2014. This could see an average of two attacks
every day of the year.
However,
piracy threatens more than just oil and gas assets, criminal gangs at sea are
responsible for drug trafficking, arms smuggling, dumping of toxic waste,
illegal bunkering and illegal fishing.
This is in
addition to the problems caused by the profits from piracy that finance other
criminal activity such as terrorism and human trafficking that have a significant human and financial
cost.
James
Fisher, CEO of Paramount Naval Systems said: “As stronger counter-piracy
measures have developed in East Africa, criminal organisations have come to see
coastal assets in West Africa as soft targets. The result is that the waters of
the Gulf of Guinea are now the most dangerous in Africa for merchant shipping.
“West
African nations are rapidly developing their oil and gas infrastructure to
capitalise on existing assets and exploit new offshore discoveries. These
assets can serve as the driver of long-term economic development in these
countries, boosting industry, creating thousands of jobs and bringing in
billions of dollars of foreign investment.
“Unless it
is tackled quickly and effectively, piracy could do serious damage to Nigeria’s
oil and gas industry, slowing development for years to come.
“The solution
is not to seek international help to solve these African problems, but to build
African solutions to them. The development of a strong African shipbuilding
industry means it is possible for African nations to find African solutions to
the threat of piracy.
In response
to growing demand from sovereign governments across Africa and the developing
world, Paramount Naval Systems is developing a fleet of multi-role patrol
vessels.
The speed
and flexibility of Paramount’s ships mean they are ideal for a wide range of
operations in coastal waters to prevent illegal activity and protect assets and
territory.
Paramount
presented their multi-role naval vessels as part of the fight against piracy in
West Africa at Africa’s largest maritime security event, Maritime & Coastal
Security Africa in Cape Town (November 25-27), where Rear Admiral Emmanuel
Ogbor, Chief of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Navy, highlighted developments in
West African navies’ response to piracy threats.
Attacks on
shipping in the Gulf of Guinea have become the greatest threat to merchant
shipping in Africa, surpassing attacks off Somalia in 2012.
Currently
there is an average of one attack per day on ships in the Gulf of Guinea and
the trend is only worsening.
Fisher
continued: “To protect national resources, it’s essential to invest in flexible
and modern maritime resources to patrol coastal waters and effectively counter
piracy.
“Our
multi-role patrol vessels establish a capability that allows African navies to
respond rapidly to an array of terrorist and criminal threats by giving naval
forces the resources to ensure they are always a step ahead of the pirates.”
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