The following is excerpted from a maritime advisory issued by the United States Maritime Administration on June 18. Click here to read the full advisory.
2025-014-Gulf of Guinea-Piracy/Armed Robbery/Kidnapping for Ransom
Description:
This revised advisory cancels U.S. Maritime Advisory 2024-014
1. Reference: None.
2. Issue: Piracy, Armed Robbery, and Kidnapping for Ransom (KFR) continue to pose significant threats to vessels and crews operating in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) as well as to mariners onboard a vessel, or transiting to or from a vessel, in the GoG.
3. Guidance: Over the last several years, pirates, armed robbers, and KFR groups are known to have operated off Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Sao Tome and Principe, and Togo. These groups have fired on vessels during boardings and attempted boardings. KFR groups generally kidnap senior crew members, such as the master and chief engineer, and any Western or foreign crew members. Kidnapped crew members are normally taken ashore in the Niger Delta region where KFR groups demand ransom payments in exchange for the safe return of the crew members. Details of incidents in the GoG can be found in the Office of Naval Intelligence Worldwide Threat to Shipping reports, posted at https://www.oni.navy.mil/ONI-Reports/Shipping-Threat-Reports/Worldwide-Threat-to-Shipping/.