Container ship Contship New’ (IMO 9373905), which was en route from Owendo to Lome, but with its AIS reportedly having been switched off to avoid detection, nevertheless came under pirate attack on April 23rd when the vessel was 220 miles southwest of Bonny in the Gulf of Guinea (IMN, April 26th).
It has transpired that the crew retreated to the citadel, which the pirates were unable to breach. None of the crew was abducted. However, the putative kidnappers severely damaged the bridge and accommodation before leaving the ship.
With the assistance of Italian frigate Luigi Rizzo the Contship New resumed its passage to Lome. The frigate operated further in an attempt to trace the pirates. On April 27th the vessel berthed at the Lome Container Terminal, where it remained as of April 29th.
2007-built, Cyprus-flagged, 9.957 gt Contship New is owned by Frankyl Maritime Co care of Contships Management Inc of Athens, Greece. It is entered with Skuld (Business unit Skuld Piraeus) on behalf of Contships Management Inc.