Somali pirates are believed to have seized a chemical and oil products tanker carrying 20 crew members. According to reports from Puntland, Somalia’s semi-autonomous region, those aboard the MT Asana include eight Germans and ten Filipinos. The nationalities of the remaining two crew members are not yet known.
Armed men boarded the Tanzanian-flagged vessel on 17 July in the Gulf of Aden, around 65 nautical miles south of the Yemeni port city of Al-Mukalla. The tanker issued a distress call before falling under the attackers’ control. British maritime security company Ambrey said shortly afterward that the hijacking was likely carried out by Somali pirates.
The MT Asana was bound for Bosaso in Puntland. After seizing the vessel, the hijackers took it toward the coastal town of Caluula in northeastern Somalia. A local resident reportedly saw pirates loading provisions aboard, suggesting that they may be preparing to hold the crew for an extended period.
Naval Assistance Came Too Late
A South Korean warship sailed toward the MT Asana after it issued its distress call. According to Ambrey, the tanker had no armed private security team aboard. It remains unclear why international forces were unable to reach the vessel in time.
Merchant ships operating around the Horn of Africa are not permanently escorted by naval vessels. The area stretches from the Gulf of Aden deep into the western Indian Ocean and cannot be monitored continuously. International forces patrol major shipping routes, issue warnings and respond to emergencies. The European Union’s Operation Atalanta is tasked with deterring and combating piracy and armed robbery off Somalia.
Responsibility for protecting individual vessels nevertheless rests largely with shipping companies. Measures include additional lookouts, barriers along the railings, secure citadels where crews can shelter and, in particularly dangerous waters, armed guards. In the case of the MT Asana, the attackers boarded before military assistance could reach it.
Puntland has largely governed itself since 1998, with its own administration and security forces, but is still internationally recognized as part of Somalia. During the first major wave of piracy, its coastline served as a refuge for groups that seized merchant vessels and held their crews for ransom.
Piracy Resurges off Somalia
Between 2008 and 2018, the waters off Somalia ranked among the world’s most dangerous for commercial shipping. International naval operations, armed security teams and improved defences aboard merchant vessels subsequently drove attacks down sharply. Somali pirates have become more active again since late 2023.
Some groups use hijacked fishing boats as floating bases, allowing them to operate far from shore. At the same time, conflicts in the Red Sea and off Yemen are stretching naval forces that must now contend not only with piracy but also with attacks by the Houthi militia.
There have so far been no confirmed reports of injuries aboard the MT Asana or of any demands from the hijackers. Neither the shipping company nor the Puntland authorities have publicly commented on the condition of the crew.
According to the latest reports, the vessel remains off the coast of Puntland. The delivery of provisions suggests that the pirates are preparing for a prolonged standoff before presenting their demands for the crew’s release.