Knowledge about Maritime Security

Current security threats and pattern

As possible threats to ships, the following should be taken into consideration: (examples are given belowe (extract of ISPS Code Part B, Paragraph 8.9)

1. damage to, or destruction of, the ship or of a port facility, e.g. by explosive devices, arson, sabotage or vandalism;
2. hijacking or seizure of the ship or of persons on board;
3. unauthorized access or use, including presence of stowaways;
4. smuggling weapons or equipment, including weapons of mass destruction;
5. use of the ship itself as a weapon or as a means to cause damage or destruction;

Recent security incidents

Limburg VLCC 30,000DWT 6/Oct/2002 6km off Mukalla (near Ash Shihr in the Gulf of Aden)
One crew dead, 17 crew injured VLCC explosion, fire, oil spill While approaching pilot station of the second loading port in Gulf of Aden after loading crude oil 60,000 ton in Persian Gulf, small ship hit No.4S tank of Limburg which caused explosion, fire, oil-spill

Achille Lauro, Italian passenger ship with 400 passenger on board, Oct. 7 - Oct.9 in 1985 Off Alexandria (Mediterranean Sea)
To take revenge for Israel's killing of many Arabs, 4 PLO terrorist boarded the passenger ship with weapons in their handbagThey hijacked the ship and demanded Israel to free 50 Palestinianprisoners and murdered one of the passengers.While 4 terrorists flying secretly in Egyptian aircraft after disembarked in Port Said, US Armed Forces identified and all 4 terrorists were captured.

Karine A, general cargo ship 4,028GRT, 3 Jan 200,2, Red Sea(500km off Eilat, 200km off Sharm el-Sheikh)
Israel kept following the ship leaving Iran for Red Sea, .where the ship was seized by Israeli commandos who found 50 tones of weapons including anti-tank missiles and Russian Katyusha rockets on board.All the Palestinian crew was captured of smuggling weapons.Israel accused Palestinian leader Arafat of ordering and financing the weapons shipment.The Palestinian leader denied the charge.The ship's name and the flag were changed to hide the identity a few months before the incident occurred

Information sources

There are websites provideing maritime security information: