What Crew Members Say About Endo-Ponente

A distressing piracy incident unfolded in the Gulf of Guinea involving the chemical tanker 'Endo Ponente', which was making its way from Kalamo when the attack occurred off the coast of Togo. The vessel was targeted approximately 56 nautical miles south of Lomé on August 28, 2025. After departing from its anchorage near Lomé in the morning, the ship maintained a consistent speed until it unexpectedly slowed down and made a sharp turn later in the evening. Shortly after this maneuver, the last Automated Identification System (AIS) signal was transmitted. At around 8:53 p.m., the NIMASA C4i Centre in Lagos received an urgent alert from the Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade (MDAT) Gulf of Guinea Watchkeepers, indicating the presence of potential pirates attempting to board the tanker near the coordinates 05°10' N, 001°23' E, close to Lomé Port. In a swift response, the crew of the 'Endo Ponente' sought refuge in the citadel, which is designed for such emergencies. Subsequent tracking efforts located the vessel at 04°19'16" N, 01°35'59" E, indicating it had entered Ghana's Exclusive Economic Zone. Responding to the situation, the Special Mission Vessel 'DB Lagos', part of the Nigerian Navy's Deep Blue Project, was dispatched to the scene to assist the vulnerable tanker, which was approximately 60 nautical miles from shore. Upon sighting the naval warship, the suspected pirates abandoned their attempt and fled. Following the chase, the Togolese Navy's Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) team conducted a thorough search of the 'Endo Ponente' but found no evidence of pirates remaining onboard, and they successfully released the crew from the citadel. It remains unclear if the intruders managed to board the vessel during the attempted attack or if they were still in the process. The Togo Navy promptly communicated the incident to the Multinational Maritime Coordination Centre (MMCC) Zone E, part of the Yaoundé Architecture which oversees maritime security across the Gulf of Guinea, including Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Niger Republic. Consistent monitoring and information-sharing were facilitated by MMCC Zone F, based in Accra, Ghana, ensuring all pertinent stakeholders were kept informed throughout the situation.