Guinea

Amels Launches 77m Luxury Expedition Yacht La Datcha

Damen's luxury yacht builder Amels has launched a new 77-meter expedition yacht La Datcha.La Datcha’s emergence from her building hall in the Netherlands this week marks the start of the final stages of her build process before she heads on a global charter itinerary which is set to include heli-skiing in Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands and dive adventures off Papua New Guinea. This a yacht built for adventure – custom designed to explore the world’s far-reaching destinations without compromising on luxury.

Global Piracy Up in 2018, Gulf of Guinea Leads

Piracy increased on the world’s seas in 2018, with a marked rise in attacks against ships and crews around West Africa, the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) latest annual piracy report reveals.Worldwide, the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) recorded 201 incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery in 2018, up from 180 in 2017.The Gulf of Guinea remains increasingly dangerous for seafarers. Reports of attacks in waters between the Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo more than doubled in 2018…

A Captain's Passion for Indonesia’s Raja Ampat

Indonesia and its vast expanse of 17,000 islands is a must-see world cruising destination that offers a spectacular and memorable cruise. It is one thing to have a pre-planned cruising itinerary but to ensure a highly memorable trip that meets the fine details required when voyaging through a fantastic area such as Raja Ampat, it is important to be aligned with a highly professional team and your contact be someone who knows the waters better than anyone else.In Indonesia, that’s Captain Jimmy.

NY Man Rows For Humanity - Cuba to Florida

Victor Mooney, an American citizen with Equatorial Guinea nationality, will pick up his oars one more time for humanity.   Next month, Mr. Mooney will leave from Castillo de San Servino in Matanzas, Cuba, a UNESCO landmark dedicated to the transatlantic slave trade. He will continue to Hemingway Marina before starting the 90 mile row to Key West, Florida.   "I hope the tide of humanity will rise between the USA and Cuba," said Victor Mooney in Havana.   Mr. Mooney successfully rowed across the Atlantic Ocean on his fourth attempt.

Sold: DAMEN SeaXplorer Expedition Yacht

Dutch shipbuilder DAMEN, in cooperation with its luxury yacht builder AMELS, has announced the sale of its second SeaXplorer – a highly customized 75-meter luxury expedition yacht with exceptional capability for heli-skiing, diving and other tropical and polar adventures. The SeaXplorer 75 stands out with not only a dive center and submersible hangar, but also a complete floating heliport for two aircraft. “Together with his guests, our client plans to visit some of the most beautiful and remote areas of the world,” comments Commercial Director Rose Damen.

Pirates Attack, Loot Container Ship

Pirates stormed a container ship off the coast of Guinea on Wednesday, making off with money and some of its cargo but leaving the crew unharmed, the government said. They fired guns and briefly held the crew hostage while they were looting the ship named Wendok, Guinea government spokesman Albert Camara said by telephone. He did not have details of the flag Wendok was flying under, the company running it, what its cargo was nor the nationalities of the crew. He said that Guinea's navy had been alerted but that the pirates had escaped before it could catch them.

Maritime Piracy: Attacks Down, SE Asia Remains Problematic

While the issue of maritime piracy has largely fallen from the public eye, with the rapid evolution of the 24/7/365 news cycle and a never-ending list of new and globally interesting headlines, such as Ebola, there remains concerns of piracy’s effects on the broader maritime market, particularly in SE Asia. According to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) latest piracy report, maritime pirate attacks globally are down for three years running, but there is a worrisome trend of small tanker hijacks by armed gangs escalating in Southeast Asia.

Ebola Fears Hit the Maritime Market

Brazil, Argentina and the United States have tightened port entry procedures for ships that have sailed from West Africa in a bid to control the potential spread of the deadly Ebola virus. Ebola has killed more than 3,400 people in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, and its spread has become a global concern -- with worries for trade, which could affect the airline and tourism industries together with seaborne activity. The virus is already threatening to disrupt logistics activity…

Piracy Offshore Africa: Securing a Continent

The late Nelson Mandela once said: “I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.” At the EU-Africa summit in Brussels last month, European leaders urged their African counterparts to facilitate that dream by shouldering more of the security burden in their countries, both onshore and offshore. The summit coincided with reports of renewed piracy activity in the Gulf of Aden; ongoing attacks on shipping in the Gulf of Guinea, and explosions and mass arrests in Kenya, all serving to underline the scale of that challenge.

Carnival Expands in Australia

Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) announced plans to expand in Australia, one of the fastest growing markets in the cruise industry. With Australian cruise passenger numbers having increased 130%in the past five years and projections of 800,000 cruise passengers in 2013 growing to one million by 2016, P&O Cruises (Australia), one of Carnival Corporation’s 10 brands, will add two ships to its fleet in 2015. With a total of five ships, P&O Cruises will establish…

Spirit of Malabo Nears Completion of Tests

The 24-foot Brazilian made ocean rowboat christened the Spirit of Malabo nears completion of tests before its maiden transatlantic journey from Gran Canaria, Canary Islands to New York with a resupply in the British Virgin Islands. The vessel is currently docked at Pasito Blanco La Punta Yacht Club. “The VHF, AIS, 24 hour tracking, radar, epirb, navigation lights, rowing seats and solar panels are working. The batteries are sustaining a charge. All emergency gear and dry bags is secured.