Norway and Denmark call on Nigeria to combat piracy
Norwegian Shipowners’ Association says the two Scandinavian countries are on the same page and call for a resolution to the growing maritime threat in West African waters.
The deteriorating state of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea has prompted the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association and Danish Shipping to call upon the Nigerian government to do more to tackle piracy in the region, reports Shippingwatch today.
Boardings and kidnappings are rife in the Gulf and 2020 saw a marked escalation in maritime crime in the heavily-plied waters. In November last year Denmark’s military intelligence service, FET, increased its threat assessment for the area and the Norwegian Shipowner’s Association said the risks are now unacceptably high.
John Hammersmark, head of security and contingency, said: “It is important to remember, that it is the coastal state’s responsibility to handle security in its waters and in the areas where the pirates are based on land. This means that Nigerian authorities need to assume responsibility and the task [sic].”
