The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has confirmed an attempted piracy attack on the Maltese-flagged chemical tanker, MT Endo Ponente, off the coast of Lome, Togo.
The Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade (MDAT) Gulf of Guinea Watchkeepers alerted NIMASA’s C4i Centre to the attempted attack around 8:53 pm on Thursday, August 28.
According to NIMASA, suspected pirates attempted to board the vessel near position 05°10’N, 001°23’E, close to Lome Port. The Special Mission Vessel DB Lagos, operated by the Nigerian Navy under the Deep Blue Project, was deployed to intercept and secure the distressed tanker.
The crew adhered to standard security protocols by retreating into the Citadel, a fortified section of the ship designed to protect them during attacks.
NIMASA is actively coordinating with the Nigerian Navy and other regional maritime security agencies to ensure the safety of the crew and support ongoing investigations into the incident.
The agency’s Director General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to enhancing regional maritime safety, stating that NIMASA will continue to strengthen security collaboration across the Gulf of Guinea to safeguard seafarers and deter criminal activity.
The Gulf of Guinea remains a high-risk maritime corridor, but NIMASA believes the Deep Blue Project and joint naval operations are crucial in deterring piracy and enhancing trade safety.
The MT Endo Ponente, a moderate-risk vessel, regularly operates in West, Central, and Southern Africa, with its last port of call being Kalamu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
