A Liberia-flag bulk carrier has reported an approach by a potential pirate vessel off Oman.
The suspicious incident took place on Wednesday morning 164 miles south of Salalah, within easy striking distance of vessels from Somalia and Yemen.
Ambrey Analytics said a small craft with seven people on board closed to within 0.3 miles of the unnamed ship.
Ladders were reported to be visible, but no weapons.
The bulker conducted evasive manoeuvres and increased speed, the security company added.
The alarm was sounded and the non-Ambrey private armed security team (PAST) stood to.
The skiff followed the bulker for about 20 minutes.
A warning shot was then fired by the armed guards on the bigger vessel and the boat pulled away.
The bulker had an estimated 9.9-metre freeboard at the time and was en route from Ust-Luga, Russia, to Dhamra in India.
Merchant vessels were advised to remain vigilant by Ambrey.
Resurgent piracy
Somali piracy has hit the headlines again in recent months.
Bangladesh’s KSRM Group has still received no contact from Somali gunmen who hijacked its 58,000-dwt Abdullah (built 2015) last Tuesday in the Indian Ocean.
The bulker has been taken towards the coast of Somalia, but no demands have been issued by the pirates.
There are 23 Bangladeshi seafarers on board.
Over the weekend, the Indian Navy scored a dramatic victory against the pirates, cornering a hijacked Navibulgar bulker and rescuing all 17 crew members, who had been held hostage for months.
A navy spokesperson said on X that in a 40-hour operation, the warship INS Kolkata cornered the 41,600-dwt Ruen (built 2016) and coerced all 35 pirates into surrendering.
