There was a 20-member crew on the tanker, which has been working within the West African zone for the previous 60 days.

A Singapore-registered oil Tanker has been boarded by “unidentified individuals” about 300 nautical miles (555km) off Ivory Coast within the Gulf of Guinea, the city-state’s port authority stated.

The Gulf of Guinea was lengthy generally known as a hotspot for global piracy, with insurance coverage agency Beazley providing the “Gulf of Guinea Piracy Plus”, a bespoke insurance coverage plan for maritime Crew travelling via the realm. The maritime zone covers 11,000sq km (4,247sq miles) and stretches from Angola to Senegal.

However piracy incidents have dwindled since 2021 as nationwide authorities stepped up safety efforts, helped by overseas naval ships, the United Nations says.

The tanker Success 9 had 20 crew members of varied nationalities on board together with one Singaporean when it “was boarded by unidentified individuals” on Monday, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) stated.

In a press release on Tuesday, the MPA stated it was working intently with the ship proprietor, Monrovian maritime rescue officers and the city-state’s Changi command and management centre to watch the state of affairs and supply help.

It gave no additional particulars of the incident, such because the nationalities of the remainder of the crew.

Hai Quickly Group, a Singapore-registered firm that owns the tanker, declined instant remark, saying it awaited additional updates.

The tanker has been working within the West African Zone for the previous 60 days, Refinitiv ship-tracking information confirmed.

Its final transport fixture report confirmed it was carrying diesel, in keeping with Vortexa information.

A patrol boat despatched out to rescue the tanker had been unable to find it as its beacon had been turned off, an Ivorian safety supply concerned within the matter stated.

“We expect it’s an act of piracy as a result of the modus operandi is similar,” the supply, talking on situation of anonymity, advised Reuters information company, including, “We’ve sought exterior assist from Spain and from Europe.”

Pirates hijacked a Danish-owned ship off the Republic of Congo final month and kidnapped a few of the crew earlier than abandoning the vessel.