Gunmen have killed the Nigerian captain and wounded another crew member on the Red One security vessel in the Niger Delta.
Gunmen have killed the Nigerian captain and wounded another crew member on the Red One security vessel in the Niger Delta.
The Red One was attacked by militants in two boats yesterday and Nigerian armed forces returned fire as they protected oil production facilities of Swiss-based operator Addax Petroleum.
The ship was operating in oil mining lease 123, near Nigeria"s Antan tanker loading terminal.
Addax has developed several fields in the Adanga area in OML 123 and exports oil through the Fred. Olsen Production-operated Knock Adoon FPSO.
Addax was unavailable for comment on the incident.
10 other similar attacks in the Niger Delta
There have been 10 other similar attacks in the Niger Delta offshore region already this year.
More attacks were expected after militant groups pulled out of a tentative ceasefire agreement earlier this month.
The Niger Delta has long been plagued by insecurity and violence has spread to offshore areas, forcing oil companies to increase security arrangements and rethink their investment strategies.
Nigerian armed forces are trying to protect offshore facilities such as production platforms and FPSOs but the attacks continue.
Industry executives said further piracy attacks in the Niger Delta could force smaller oil companies to withdraw from Nigeria and reduce future investment.
Addax Petroleum is one of the largest operators in the offshore Niger Delta and plans to develop more oil and gas fields in the area.
Turkey is considering naval escorts for its vessels
Meanwhile, Turkey is considering naval escorts for its vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden.
The government wants to deploy its navy off the Somalia coast for one year. Several Turkish ships have been hijacked off the coast of Somalia in recent months.
Two Turkish ships hijacked last year were released by Somalian pirates in January. The 82,849 dwt bulk carrier Yasa Neslihan, hijacked in October, was released after its owners reportedly paid a ransom.
The Yardimci-owned, 1987-built, 5,500 dwt chemtanker, Karagöl, taken by pirates in November, was also released.
Yardimci is now considering placing armed guards onboard its vessels transiting the Gulf of Aden.
Elsewhere, the Egyptian general cargoship Blue Star has been released by Somalian pirates.
Owner Abdel Rahman Awwa said the ship and its crew of 28 Egyptians were expected to be released ?within hours?, after a ransom payment was made.
Mr Awwa refused to say how much the ransom was, but company sources told the news agency that it was more than $3m.
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