German shipowners association VDR has called for a ramping up of anti-piracy measures in the Gulf of Guinea.

The comments follow the abduction of eight crew members from a German-managed ship off the coast of Cameroon on 14 August.

VDR chief executive Ralf Nagel said the incident involving the 10,600-dwt multipurpose vessel MarMalaita (built 2012) “sheds light on a problem that goes much beyond German shipping”.