IMB defends Bangla piracy data

The Piracy Reporting Centre of the International Maritime Bureau has defended its categorisation of Chittagong in Bangladesh as a “key hot spot” for piracy attacks. “Our data is based on reports from ship captains,” the Centre’s chief Noel Choong told Fairplay. The Bangladesh authorities were alerted twice by the Centre about the rising incidence of attacks in and around the port of Chittagong. Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard had in fact conducted joint-operations in the Bay of Bengal and killed two pirates. “Our concern is that increasingly cargo ships are being attacked or boarded. Crew safety is endangered,” Choong said rebutting criticism from Chittagong port authorities that the report was exaggerated and only insignificant items were stolen. The Centre recorded as many as 33 incidents in Bangladesh – 22 actual and 11 attempted. A Bangladesh government representative is scheduled to hold talks this week with IMB officials. Meanwhile ransom negotiations are on to release 14 crew of the hijacked general cargo ship Veesham 1owned by UAE interests, who are held hostage by Somali pirates since 1 November.