Lok Sabha Question No. 2114 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-08
Subject: Incidents of Piracy at Sea
Ministry: SHIPPING
Asked by: BALASUBRAMANIAM SENGUTTUVAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SHIPPING

## UNSTARRED QLIESTION NO.21 1 4 TO BE ANSWERED ON 8th MARCH,2$18

## LOK SABHA INCIDENTS OF PIRACY AT SEA

## 2114, SHRI B. SENGUTTUVAN:

Willthe Minister of SHIPPING  be pleased to state:

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- (a) whether the incidents of piracy at sea are on the rise affecting  the lndiarr sailors and if so, the details thereof for each of the last three  years and the current year;
- (b) whether the incidents of piracy are very rampant off the Somali coast nea,'the Horn of Africa and in the Gutf of Guinea with the demands of high lansern for releasing the hostages and if so, the details of such incidents  involving lnd,ian sailors during the said period;
- (c) whether it is a fact that a vessel sailing underr Panama flag  "Marine  Expresr,r" i'vith 22 lndian sailors onboard and another vessel "MT Barret"  with 22 crew meml:ers were hijacked by pirates off the coast of Benin in Africa and were released ortly on payment of ransom and if so, the details thereof;
- whether the Government  has prepared any proposal to curb the incidents of piracy against lndian vessels and lndian sailors and if so, the details thereof; and (d)
- whether the Government  proposes to set up any overseas  naval base such as set up by China in Djibouti for quick intervention in thre event of hijacking/piracy and if so, the details thereof? (e)

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY.CF  SHIPPING (sHRl PON. RADI{AKRISHN/\N)

(a)&(b):  The details of the incidents of piracy off the Somali coast near the Horn c'f Africa and in the Gulf of Guinea, involving lndian sailors cluring the last three years a'td the gu r[qnlfeal\_\_qle  ag  fo I low: [sr.:[ffie'-ot=1n-elnas -J oitE  -or  ]  oZie oireteased-*"--l  no-of I  No -- -ofl

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| [6. I        | -fM.Tsirrett ---- I -                                                         | I wt-ai]nat lrslands | [To.oTzote t                  | | 16.01 .2018 ___i _ - -_  | --i I 11 t----t-  | I 11                                       |
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(c): M.T. Barrett(Flag-  Marshal  lslands) with 11 lndian crew was hijacked off cotonou Anchorage in Benin on 10.01 .2018 and released  on 16.01 .201 8. Government has no information regarding the ransom paid by the owners.

M.T.Marine Express  (Flag-Panama) with all 22 lndian crew wAS hilacked off Cotonou Anchorage in Benin on 01 .02.20'l  8 and released  on 06.02.2018 wii'hout payment of any ransom.

(d):  An lnter-Ministerial Group (lMGo) was set up by the Governmr-.nt  Lrnder  the Ministry of Shipping to deal with the hostage situation arising out of the hijacking  at sea of merchanl vessels with lndian crew. Government  had also approved  the Conlingency Plan for dealing with piracy  and hijacking of merchant ships and r:onstituted a Cominittee of Secretaries  on Anti-Piracy  and Hijacking at sea (COSAPH) uncler the Chairmansitip  of Cabinet Secretary.  ln addition to this, the following anti  -piracy  mt:asures  have been  put in place  for lndran flag merchant vessels and Sailing vessels:

- (i) Guidelines  for anti-piracy measures  to be implemented  on lndian ships through issue of Merchant Shipping Notice No.'1 of 201 1 dated 14.1 -2L\11 . The guidelines provide  for elaborate anti-piracy measures (Best Management Practices),  including safe house/citadel for vessels.
- (ii) Banning  of sailing vessels to ply in waters south or west of the lilre  joining Salalah and Male lhrough  Merchant Shipping Notice No. ll/2010 dated 31.3.2010
- /iii) Advisory issued by Directorate General of shipping  vide Notice No. 35-NT1.2)/2017 dated 6th April,  2017 for not transiting through Gulf of Aden.
- (iv) Naval escort provided by lndian naval ships in the Gulf of Aden since 2008.
- (v) Enhanced vigil by the lndian Navy in the lndian Exclusi'r'e  Economic Zone (EEI) and westward  upto 65 degree east longitude.
- (vi) Active participation by India in the security meetings of the lnternational Maritime Organization,  Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) and other international fora.

(e):  The lndian Navy has maintained a continuous presence in the Gulf of Aden sincc 2008, towards anti-piracy operations.  The ships deployed have been carrying out Operational Turn Around at the ports including the port of Djibouti.