Blue Economy
Pirates Thwarted in Attempted Hijack of Chemical Tanker Off Togo Waters
EXCLUSIVE: Pirates Thwarted in Attempted Hijack of Chemical Tanker Off Togo Waters
WaterwaysNews.ng can exclusively report that a coordinated maritime security response successfully foiled a piracy attempt on a Maltese-flagged chemical tanker in Togolese waters, with all crew members confirmed safe.
The incident occurred on the evening of August 28, 2025, approximately 58 nautical miles south of Lomé, Togo, when seven armed assailants attempted to board the vessel as it sailed toward the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In a display of international maritime cooperation, the attack was quickly neutralized through coordinated efforts between Nigerian and Togolese naval forces. The NIMASA special mission vessel DB Lagos, operated by the Nigerian Navy, was immediately alerted and deployed to the distressed vessel’s last reported position.
The tanker’s crew demonstrated textbook crisis management by retreating to the citadel, following international maritime security protocols. The Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) team of the Togo Navy boarded the vessel following reports of the attempted attack and found all crew members unharmed.
Maritime security experts note that AIS data suggested the ship experienced a sudden loss of speed and navigational control, consistent with piracy interception tactics, indicating the perpetrators employed sophisticated methods typically seen in Gulf of Guinea piracy operations.
The successful intervention highlights the effectiveness of regional maritime security frameworks, with the joint French–British monitoring operation Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) recording the event as being concluded.
This incident underscores persistent maritime security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea region. Shipping analysts warn that vessels with low freeboards and without armed security are particularly vulnerable, prompting advisories to reroute closer to territorial waters with naval presence.
The successful response demonstrates the value of Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project and regional security cooperation in protecting commercial shipping lanes vital to West Africa’s economy.
The vessel and all crew members are safe and continuing to their destination port under naval escort.
*This is an exclusive report by WaterwaysNews.ng covering maritime security developments in West African waters.*