Container Shipping

Shots fired in failed pirate attack on containership in Gulf of Guinea

Baird Maritime

A containership successfully avoided being boarded by pirates while it was sailing through the Gulf of Guinea on Friday, March 27.

The incident occurred at around 17:00 UTC on Friday while the Liberian-flagged Lana was en route from Douala, Cameroon, to Tangier, Morocco.

The pirates, who numbered at least eight, approached Lana via speedboat and attempted to board the larger vessel when the latter's crew began performing anti-piracy manoeuvres, including sailing at full speed.

An exchange of gunfire then took place between the perpetrators and the containership's embarked security team though no injuries were later reported.

The pirates were unable to board the containership and soon afterward fled the area. Their speedboat was last sighted speeding eastward.

Lana's most recent AIS track shows the vessel resumed its journey to Tangier with an ETA of Friday, April 3.