Report: CMA CGM vessel attacked by pirates

Six armed men boarded the 1,708-TEU containership Windhoek yesterday while it was at anchor in West Africa, stealing money and valuables before fleeing the scene, according to a report from maritime news outlet Splash 24/7.    A CMA CGM-operated vessel was attacked by pirates early yesterday morning, according to a report from maritime news outlet Splash 24/7.
   Six armed men boarded the 1,708-TEU containership Windhoek while it was at anchor in Conakry, Guinea, stealing money and valuables before fleeing the scene.
   The Guinean Navy arrived after the pirates had left, and reported that all crew were safe and accounted for.
   Splash 24/7 said the Windhoek is owned by Japan’s Toyo Kaiun and is currently on charter to Maersk Line, but ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting indicates the ship is operated by CMA CGM.
   The Windhoek serves on the French ocean carrier’s Mediterranean-West Africa Europe Afrique 3 loop, which operates with three vessels with an average capacity of 1,643 TEUs. The full rotation of the Europe Afrique 3 is Tangier, Algeciras, Freetown, Conakry, Monrovia and Tangier.
   According to the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence, the Gulf of Guinea is one of the most active regions in the world when it comes to maritime piracy.
   “The region at-large remains at-risk to piracy although this advisory is intended to put special emphasis for ships within 100 nautical miles of Tema, Ghana; Lome, Togo; and Contonou, Benin,” the agency said in a recent online advisory.