DUBAI // Merchant ship-owners have been warned against complacency in thinking Somali pirates have been defeated, amid growing attacks and skirmishes at sea.
The most recent incident occurred at the beginning of this month, when two skiffs approached a tanker headed for Fujairah. The attempted attack in the Gulf of Aden was foiled by the ship’s armed guards. It was one of several pirate sightings this year in the Arabian Gulf region.
“It would require only one successful attack to encourage others to revert to this activity,” said P Mukundan, director of the International Maritime Bureau.
“The threat from Somali piracy has not gone away. There are reports received by the IMB which indicate that pirates are still operating, although in smaller numbers. It is therefore important that all vessels continue to remain vigilant and take all self-protection measures.”
There was an even more stark warning from Mohammed Bisthamy, 60, one of 11 crew from the hijacked MV Albedo who escaped from a gang of Somali pirates two months ago.
“Now they are hungry and dangerous because they have not got a ship for so long. They need money and are on the lookout for more ships,” Mr Bisthamy said.
“Continuing safeguards is important, because from my experience the pirates can strike anywhere.”
Pirates have not seized a UAE-owned vessel since the release of the chemical tanker MV Royal Grace and its 21 hostages in March last year after more than a year in captivity.
Naval patrols and armed guards on board merchant ships have reduced the number of attacks. Ships have also installed barbed wire, deployed water hoses and increased speed in known piracy areas to deter attacks.
However, experts warned of the need for constant monitoring in the Gulf of Oman, the north Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el Mandeb, the strait between Arabia and Africa.
The UAE’s proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil exports pass, has always made vigilance necessary with slow-moving big ships a target for pirates in fast-moving skiffs and speedboats.
Convincing owners to keep alert levels high was crucial, experts said.
“The greatest challenge is encouraging vessels to remain vigilant and avoid complacency in the face of so little activity,” said Ian Millen, chief operating officer of Dryad Maritime, an intelligence company that helps seafarers to manage threats from piracy and terrorism.
“Those companies that use the downturn in piracy to relax their guard and save money are at most risk from their vessels being involved in future piracy events. It is the responsibility of ship-owners to conduct proper risk analysis of their vessels and the transits they make.”
Maritime security firms also advise clients to remain watchful.
“Our advice is that all vessels and their crew transiting through this region should remain at a high state of alertness,” said Simon Barlow, the managing director of Unity SPS.
“During a pirate attack time is always critical, and crews that remain vigilant and well trained will be in a better position to identify a threat.”
Watch-keeping duties should be formulated to counter existing threats, coupled with regular crew training, monitoring updated intelligence reports and reporting suspicious behaviour to the UK Maritime Trade Organisation)and the IMB, he said.
rtalwar@thenational.ae
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
Racecard
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UAE's final round of matches
- Sep 1, 2016 Beat Japan 2-1 (away)
- Sep 6, 2016 Lost to Australia 1-0 (home)
- Oct 6, 2016 Beat Thailand 3-1 (home)
- Oct 11, 2016 Lost to Saudi Arabia 3-0 (away)
- Nov 15, 2016 Beat Iraq 2-0 (home)
- Mar 23, 2017 Lost to Japan 2-0 (home)
- Mar 28, 2017 Lost to Australia 2-0 (away)
- June 13, 2017 Drew 1-1 with Thailand (away)
- Aug 29, 2017 v Saudi Arabia (home)
- Sep 5, 2017 v Iraq (away)
Company%20Profile
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Film: In Syria
Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
Verdict: Four stars
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Ordinary Virtues: Moral Order in a Divided World by Michael Ignatieff
Harvard University Press
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company%20Profile
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
Fight card
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) v Rey Nacionales (PHI)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROM) v Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR)
Catch 74kg
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) v Omar Hussein (JOR)
Strawweight (Female)
Weronika Zygmunt (POL) v Seo Ye-dam (KOR)
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) v Walid Laidi (ALG)
Lightweight
Leandro Martins (BRA) v Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW)
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) v Sofiane Benchohra (ALG)
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR)
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Glen Ranillo (PHI)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Aidan Aguilera (AUS)
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) Sasha Palatnikov (HKG)
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR)
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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MATCH INFO
Pakistan 106-8 (20 ovs)
Iftikhar 45, Richardson 3-18
Australia 109-0 (11.5 ovs)
Warner 48 no, Finch 52 no
Australia win series 2-0
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Managing the separation process
- Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
- Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
- Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
- If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
- The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
- Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
- Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
MATCH INFO
FA Cup final
Chelsea 1
Hazard (22' pen)
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The%20specs
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
