The Bay of Campeche has seen a rise in maritime robberies, notably focusing on offshore vessels and oil platforms.
That’s what Dryad International said in its newest Maritime Safety Risk Advisory (MSTA), which was launched on October 21.
“Sea pirates function in small fishing boats and are sometimes armed with pistols,” Dryad warned within the MSTA.
- Advertisement -
“In a single incident on 14 October 2024, the perpetrators stole crew property, cellphones, computer systems, and different gear, together with SCBA,” it added.
“They instructed the crew to share their checking account info and made transfers to a different account whereas on board the ship,” it continued.
Within the MSTA, Dryad famous that these incidents have been attributed to organized crime teams, “notably these linked to drug cartels, who’re identified to function in maritime environments for drug trafficking and could possibly be diversifying into piracy attributable to potential income from stealing oil or gear”.
Dryad mentioned within the advisory that governance points contribute to the area’s vulnerability, “as weak maritime policing, surveillance, and fast response capabilities enable these incidents to happen with relative impunity”.
It additionally famous that the bay’s geographical benefits, “akin to lengthy coastlines and quite a few oil platforms, present ample hiding locations and operational benefits for pirates”.
The state of affairs within the Bay of Campeche exhibits indicators of doubtless turning into a extra established piracy cluster if left unchecked, Dryad warned within the MSTA.
“If the development continues with out vital intervention, it might have broader implications, together with elevated prices for safety measures, potential manufacturing delays, or momentary shutdowns of platforms attributable to security considerations,” Dryad warned.
Dryad’s newest MSTA charges Mexico’s threat ranking as “substantial” and the nation’s Dos Bocas port terminal threat ranking as “reasonable”.
On the time of writing, a U.S. State Division map warns vacationers to train elevated warning at each Mexican state bordering the Gulf of Mexico, besides Taumalipas, which has a don’t journey warning, and Yucatan and Campeche, which have an “train regular precautions” advisory.
In a press release posted on its web site in July 2023, Dryad famous that, in 2022, the Gulf of Mexico confronted elevated maritime safety considerations, notably within the Campeche Bay area.
“The rise in piracy incidents focusing on static platforms, offshore provide vessels, and the native fishing trade was notable,” the assertion highlighted.
“These incidents are sometimes characterised by violence however to date are understood to not contain kidnapping. There may be understood to be vital underreporting of the problem,” it added.
Again in March this 12 months, Scarlett Suarez, an intelligence analyst at Dryad International, instructed Rigzone that personnel working offshore in oil and fuel operations haven’t any particular threat profile projected for 2024, however added that an space of concern is the Gulf of Mexico/Bay of Campeche area being liable to theft and petty theft.
In January, Corey Ranslem, the CEO of Dryad International, instructed Rigzone that “there’s a persevering with menace to the oil… rigs throughout the Gulf of Mexico (particularly throughout the Bay of Campeche area), and we don’t see that state of affairs altering over the approaching 12 months”.
In November 2022, Dryad said in an MSTA on the time that the Gulf of Mexico continues to be an space of accelerating instability.
Dryad highlights on its web site that its mission is “to convey the most effective at school info and evaluation collectively in a single place and offering digital safety for mariners”. Dryad releases its MSTA weekly.
To contact the creator, e-mail andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com
