American Vessel Attacked in Port-au-Prince

The MV National Glory is registered to the American company R&D Investments Inc.

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Armed individuals attacked a U.S.-flagged vessel in the Bay of Port-au-Prince during the night of October 10 to 11, 2026, AyiboPost has learned from the Haitian Coast Guard and two sources informed about the incident.

The vessel, the MV National Glory, identified by IMO number 8302246, is registered to the American company R&D Investments Inc., according to the maritime database MagicPort.

The attack occurred at around 10 p.m. while the vessel was anchored in the Port-au-Prince Bay anchorage area, according to Jean Pedro Mars, head of Haiti’s Coast Guard Directorate, who was contacted by AyiboPost.

Armed men arriving aboard a small boat attempted to board the vessel, the official explained. Those on board then took refuge in a secure area before the captain contacted the Coast Guard.

“When the Coast Guard officers arrived, the bandits opened fire, but they were nevertheless driven back,” Jean Pedro Mars told AyiboPost. The vessel remained under protection until it returned to the dock the following day.

Contacted by AyiboPost, Wilfrid Fleursaint, coordinator of Haiti’s Maritime and Navigation Service (SEMANAH), said he received details of the attack from an inspector who was present at the scene.

“About twenty crew members came through unharmed. The vessel was able to dock, unload its cargo and then depart,” explained the SEMANAH coordinator, who said he is awaiting a report on the incident.

Although the attackers have not been identified, Jean Pedro Mars indicated that the area where the incident occurred is controlled by gang members operating from Mariani.

AyiboPost contacted R&D Investments Inc., the vessel’s owner. The company had not responded by the time of publication.

Gang attacks in the Bay of Port-au-Prince have increased in recent years.

In May 2026, armed men stormed a cargo ship anchored in the Bay of Port-au-Prince and kidnapped crew members of Turkish and Russian nationality, according to a source familiar with the matter. The kidnappers allegedly demanded a ransom of US$500,000 in exchange for their release.

A source from the port sector, aware of the latest incident and describing it as “serious,” said they are concerned about the potential repercussions for maritime traffic in Haiti.

The source specifically fears additional restrictions by the U.S. Coast Guard on Haiti and the possibility that some shipping companies may decide to stop serving the country.

On June 5, 2026, the U.S. Coast Guard announced new conditions of entry into the United States for commercial vessels that have called at a Haitian port. The measure took effect on June 22, 2026. It is based on the U.S. assessment that Haitian ports lack sufficient anti-terrorism security measures.

According to the source close to the port sector, the MV National Glory’s call in Haiti was organized by Enmarcolda, a local maritime agency. AyiboPost contacted a representative of the agency, Mike Lemke. He had not responded by the time of publication. AyiboPost also contacted the National Port Authority (APN), headed by Jean Evens Charles, but the institution had not responded.

Haiti depends heavily on imports for its supply of goods.

The Port-au-Prince port therefore plays a central role in the entry of merchandise and in the state’s customs revenues. During the second quarter of fiscal year 2025-2026, its customs office collected more than 28.27 billion gourdes, representing 82 percent of customs revenues recorded during that period.

This attack comes as the government, in March 2025, enlisted the private military company Vectus Global, led by U.S. Army veteran Eric Prince, to combat gangs. The organization has still not reopened a major route controlled by gangs or enabled the arrest of a senior gang leader.

The Anti-Gang Task Force (FRG), which has also been deployed in the field for a year (replacing a Kenyan led mission), continues to struggle to contain violence in several regions of the country.

In 2023, an AyiboPost investigation documented attacks by the “5 Segond” gang against small vessels off the coast of Port-au-Prince.

These bandits, led by gang leader Johnson “Izo” André, targeted coastal trading sailboats, held passengers captive and stole their belongings. Using motorized fishing boats, they carried out repeated attacks in the Minoterie area against vessels traveling to Carrefour and Arcahaie.

AyiboPost sought comments from Michel-Ange Louis-Jeune, spokesperson for the Haitian National Police (PNH), the spokesperson for the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), and Vectus Global. This article will be updated if they respond.