The IMB has issued an alert concerning the Greek-owned, Liberian-registered, MT Fair Artemis.
Owners lost contact with the vessel on June 4th, and its last known position was around 40nm S off Accra, Ghana. The Fair Artemis (IMO: 9464156) is an oil product tanker with a crew of 24 on board. Incidents off Ghana are uncommon, however, and Ghana’s navy has been bolstered by the recent acquisition of new vessels from China.
In April the SP Brussels was attacked by armed pirates and during an ensuing shoot out, one crew member sadly lost his life. The Gulf of Guinea continues to be a maritime crime hotspot for the shipping community, with ongoing crew kidnap for ransom which is rarely reported, as well as hijack for cargo theft. On the same day the Fair Artemis went missing, a fishing vessel was also hijacked and may have been used as a mother ship. This vessel was freed earlier today, and it is not known whether there is any connection between the two incidents at this time.
