The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has disrupted a potential piracy attack on the Malta flagged chemical tanker ENDO PONENTE by a swift response from the Nigeria’s maritime security forces.
According to a press release signed by the agency’s Head of Public Relations , Osagie Edward , the attempted boarding took place around 20:53hrs on August 28, 2025, near Togo’s Lome Port, when the vessel was targeted by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea , a region notorious for piracy and maritime crime.
According to the NIMASA, the vessel was at position 05°10’N, 001°23’E when an alert was received from the Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade (MDAT) Gulf of Guinea Watchkeepers.
Following the alert, NIMASA’s C4i Centre quickly triangulated the position of the ENDO PONENTE to 04°19’16”N, 01°35’59”E, placing the vessel within Ghana’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). In response, the agency immediately deployed the Special Mission Vessel DB Lagos, part of the Nigerian Navy’s Deep Blue Project, to intervene.
NIMASA also disclosed that the ship’s crew, following international security protocols, retreated to the Citadel a secure area on the vessel specifically designed to protect crew members during attempted piracy incidents.
Director General of NIMASA, Dayo Mobereola, emphasised the Agency’s ongoing commitment to strengthening maritime security cooperation in the region
“NIMASA remains committed to strengthening security collaboration across the Gulf of Guinea to safeguard seafarers, deter criminal activity, and ensure safer maritime trade, leveraging on the Deep Blue Project.”
The ENDO PONENTE a moderate-risk Maltese-flagged chemical tanker generally operates across West, Central, and Southern African regions. Its last port call was at Kalamu, Democratic Republic of Congo.
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