Security Alert

A maritime security alert has been issued for the Gulf of Guinea following the hijacking off the coast of Togo of the products tanker Rhine.

Maritime Security Alert Issued for Gulf of Guinea

A maritime security alert has been issued for the Gulf of Guinea after the products tanker Rhine was hijacked off Lome, Togo, along the West Coast of Africa.

Reports suggest the owners received a phone call from the master believed to be acting under duress on board the vessel with a crew of 24, GAC Protective Solutions said in a statement. The Rhine sailed from Ventspils, Latvia, with a shipment of gasoline. No further contact has been made with the vessel.

Anchorages off Lome, Cotonou, Lagos, and Port Harcourt are highly susceptible to incidents of armed robbery, kidnap, and possible hijackings, due to insufficient patrols, GAC warned.

Source: Break Bulk