2021 February 9 11:37
ECSA welcomes pilot launch of new security concept in Gulf of Guinea but highlights continuing severity of piracy threat
European Community Shipowners' Association (ECSA) says that the European shipping industry welcomes the EU’s political commitment to a first pilot of the new Coordinated Maritime Presences (CMP) concept in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of West Africa, but cautions that the situation remains very precarious for European and international merchant vessels and more needs to be done urgently.
The shipping industry remains extremely concerned about the continued rise of armed attacks on merchant vessels in the Gulf of Guinea. Through the CMP concept launch, the EU is taking a positive first step to pool and coordinate Member States’ resources in the region, working together with the coastal states towards finding solutions to this complex problem. However, more remains to be done to ensure the safety of vessels and crew transiting in the Gulf of Guinea.