The Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) has prevented a potential disruption to shipping in the Malacca Strait near the Riau Islands after detecting a Vietnamese-flagged bulk carrier anchored in Indonesian waters, reports Antara News.
Malacca Strait disruption stopped
Bakamla Public Relations Officer Major Yuhanes Antara confirmed in Batam on Wednesday that Bakamla personnel discovered a foreign vessel flying the Vietnamese flag and anchored in Indonesian territory.
“The bulk carrier was detected by Bakamla’s Command and Control Center while engaging in suspicious activities, including drifting and anchoring 19 nautical miles from Tanjung Tamiang, Riau Islands,” Yuhanes said.
He explained that the incident occurred on September 16 and posed a potential risk to other vessels transiting the busy Malacca Strait.
The Vietnamese-flagged ship, with IMO registration number 9630511 and call sign XVJU2, carried a captain and 17 Vietnamese crew members but no cargo.
Bakamla officers contacted the captain, who reported an engine failure that forced the vessel to anchor in Indonesian waters. After an inspection, authorities found no violations or illegal goods on board.
The Bakamla team oversaw the engine repair, and the vessel departed Indonesian waters later that afternoon once the work was completed.
“We waited until the ship was ready to sail and informed passing vessels via radio channel 16 (international frequency) to avoid the area,” Yuhanes said, adding that ensuring smooth traffic in the Malacca Strait—a major international shipping lane—was the priority.
Separately, Lieutenant Colonel Umar Dhani noted that his fleet was patrolling the area during the incident.
“All inspection steps were carried out according to procedure. The presence of foreign vessels in Indonesian waters will always be monitored to prevent legal violations and maintain maritime safety,” Dhani said.
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Source: Antara News
