For European shipowners, the European Union plan to boost the military presence in the Gulf of Guinea to fight piracy is a good start.
The European Community Shipowners’ Association (ECSA) said on Monday that it welcomes the EU's Coordinated Maritime Presences (CMP), approved in late January, but that "more remains to be done to ensure the safety of vessels and crew transiting in the Gulf of Guinea".
"The CMP is a good additional step and foundation for further action," said ECSA secretary general Martin Dorsman.
"We support the further implementation of this concept with an eye on the practical benefits for European and international shipping in the region.
"We would in particular like to thank the EU member states which have committed air and naval assets to the CMP and we call on others to do likewise, in order to help de-escalate the threat level as quickly as possible."
The statement came the day after the 318,700-dwt VLCC Seaking (built 2005) was approached by a suspicious ship in Sao Tome & Principe territorial waters, with would-be raiders attempting to board via ladder.
The ship reportedly took evasive manoeuvres to avoid the attack.
Subsequent reports from security sources said a Gabon-flag fishing vessel crewed by 14 Chinese nationals was hijacked on the same day in the same area.
Maritime security consultancy Dryad Global said the fishing vessel could be used as a "mothership" to launch further attacks.
Diaplous Maritime Services would later report that a speedboat fired on an unnamed ship, pursuing it for 45 minutes before aborting the attack.
The CMP seeks to harmonise the missions of European naval forces in the region. Nigeria also intends to step up its anti-piracy measures, including the $195m Deep Blue project to secure domestic anchorages.
Last year, 135 crew members were taken hostage in the Gulf of Guinea, a quarter of all piracy incidents in the region.
The highest-profile recent incident was on board the Borealis Maritime-owned, 2,824-teu boxship Mozart (built 2007). Pirates cut into the citadel and shot and killed a crew member before taking 15 seafarers hostage.
