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Monrovia – In the wake of pirates’ attack on a cargo vessel, the bulk carrier BLISS, the Government of Liberia (GoL) has launched an investigation into circumstances surrounding such attack, a highly-placed government source has hinted Punch FM/TV online service.
Punch FM/TV online service reported Tuesday that the 2007 Japanese built BLISS, was attacked and robbed by pirates at Liberia’s main commercial seaport facility, the Freeport.
According to a report released by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS), BLISS came under attack by armed pirates on 29 July, while the cargo ship was at the Freport anchorage.
The armed pirates boarded BLISS at 3:30 a.m. local time, stole an unspecified number of properties aboard the ship and fled, according to the GISIS report.
The Freeport of Monrovia control tower was contacted, but there was no response, according to the report which indicates that BLISS crew is safe.
The GISIS’ report did not specify details of the armed pirates’ attack, whether BILSS crew members were robbed or not.
But our source, who begged to remain anonymous for this report, divulged that Liberian National Coast Guard is heading a government launched probe into the pirates’ attack and that findings are likely to be released by today.
Founded 1959, the Liberian National Coast Guard is the primary naval force of Liberia and is part of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL).
The Coast Guard which has a limited capacity of personnel and is heavily challenged logistic wise, has as its main duties law enforcement along the country’s coast and in its maritime area, and aiding those in distress.
Liberia is among several west African countries with largely ungoverned waters and the country is plagued on a daily basis with naval related violations such as big industrial vessels from wealthier nations that plunder hundreds of tonnes of fish, at the expense of local fisherman. A 2017 study estimates the cost of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) to just six west African countries including Liberia, at $2.3bn a year, a cost Liberia, a country with a dwindling economy and one of the world’s poorest nations cannot afford.
While the country is struggling to find needed funds to police its 370km of coastline, pirates’ attack has added to its woes being posed by massive illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in its territorial waters, which is hugely costly.
Among its scarce logistics in its armory, are just two USCG Defender class boats donated to the Coast Guard by the United States which turned over the boats to the GoL in February 2011.
Following the country’s bloody civil war and the restructuring of the AFL supported mostly by outside assistance from the United States, Nigeria and other African countries, the Coast Guard was reactivated on Liberia’s 53rd Armed Forces Day on February 11, 2010, with an initial strength of 40 personnel who had been trained in the United States, with a Coast Guard officer of the United States serving at the U.S. Embassy near Monrovia to support efforts to reestablish the Liberian National Coast Guard.
A detachment from SeaBee Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7, based at Naval Station Rota, in Spain, constructed a United States Africa command-funded boat ramp and concrete perimeter wall for the Coast Guard, which was handed over in December 2010.
