Ships Anchor Off the Coast of Gabon Following a Coup That Disrupted State Institutions

Data and sources in the maritime transport sector reported on Wednesday that at least "30 commercial ships have anchored in waters near Gabon," after army officers stated they had "seized power in the Central African country." Tracking data from the analytics company "MarineTraffic" showed that the vessels, including commercial cargo ships and tankers, have stopped near the country's main ports, including the "Owendo" port near the capital Libreville and the "Port Gentil" port in the south. The British maritime security company "Ambrey" noted that "port operations in Libreville have ceased, and no ships have entered or exited the port since the announcement of the coup." Officers from the Gabonese army declared that they had taken power in the oil-producing nation and placed President Ali Bongo under house arrest after the electoral commission announced his victory for a third term. The borders were closed, and state institutions were dissolved.