In its weekly report for 6-12 April 2021, ReCAAP ISC informed of three incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia. All three incidents occurred to ships while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait (SS).
Issue of incident alert
Of the three incidents, two incidents occurred on 8 Apr and one incident on 11 Apr; and in close proximity to each other (northwest of Tanjung Pergam, Pulau Bintan, Indonesia). In one of the incidents on 8 April, the perpetrator hit the engine room crew on his head when the crew attempted to shout for assistance.
With these three incidents, a total of 10 incidents were reported in the Singapore Strait during January-April 2021, comprising 9 incidents in the eastbound lane of the TSS and 1 incident in the westbound lane. In 2020, a total of 34 incidents were reported in the Singapore Strait. In this respect, the ReCAAP ISC issued a relevant Incident Alert to shipping on Monday.
List of incidents
Incident #1
The first incident involves the Portuguese-flagged bulk carrier, Trina Oldendorff, while underway at about 6.8 nm northwest of Tanjung Pergam, Pulau Bintan, Indonesia, on 8 Apr at about 0147 hrs, when four unauthorized persons armed with knives were sighted in the engine room.
The perpetrator confronted the engine room crew and hit him on his head when he attempted to shout for assistance. Thereafter, the perpetrators escaped from the ship. The alarm was raised and crew mustered.
A search on board the ship was conducted with no further sighting of the perpetrators. The master declared nothing was stolen, the crew was safe and accounted for. He did not report the incident immediately to the nearest coastal State and continued with the voyage.
The master reported the incident to Singapore Port Operation Control Centre (POCC) only on 9 Apr. A safety navigational broadcast was initiated. The Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN) Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF) and Singapore Police Coast Guard were informed, and the Malaysian and Indonesian authorities were notified.
Incident #2
On 8 Apr at about 0550 hrs, when a petroleum/chemical tanker, Harrisburg was underway at about 6.3 nm northwest of Tanjung Pergam, Pulau Bintan, Indonesia, two unauthorized persons boarded the ship.
The alarm was raised and crew mustered. A search on board the ship was conducted with no further sighting of the perpetrators. Nothing was stolen and the crew was safe.
Incident #3
On 11 Apr at about 0115 hrs, when a bulk carrier, Pantazis L was underway at about 7.6 nm northwest of Tanjung Pergam, Pulau Bintan, Indonesia, four unauthorized persons were sighted in the engine room. The alarm was raised and crew mustered. A search on board the ship was conducted.
At 0255 hrs, the master updated Singapore Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS) that the search on board was completed with no further sighting of the perpetrators. The master reported that some engine spares were stolen.
All crew was safe and accounted for. No assistance was required and the ship continued with her voyage. A safety navigational broadcast was initiated. The RSN’s MSTF and Singapore Police Coast Guard were informed, and the Malaysian and Indonesian authorities were notified.
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Source: ReCAAP ISC
