Three incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia in February 2021, reports ReCAAP ISC.
Incidents reduced
There were three incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia in February 2021, according to ReCAAP ISC’s monthly report. No piracy incident was reported.
The number of incidents reported during January-February 2021 has decreased compared to January-February 2020, due to the decrease of incidents in several locations in Asia.
Incidents in the Singapore Strait
The ReCAAP ISC is concerned with the continued occurrence of incidents on board ships while underway in the Singapore Strait.
In February 2021, two incidents were reported in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait.
Collective efforts & shared responsibility
The ReCAAP ISC commends the Indonesian authorities for the arrest of the perpetrators in February 2021, and urges the littoral States to increase patrol and enforcement in their respective waters in order to make more arrests.
Collective efforts and shared responsibility of the littoral States and shipping industry are indispensable in order to curb the continued occurrence of incidents in the Singapore Strait,
…the report reads.
Key figures – February 2021
- In February 2021, three incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia. All incidents were actual incidents. No attempted incident was reported.
- Of the three incidents reported in February 2021, two incidents occurred on board ships while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait, and one incident occurred on board a ship while berthed at Jakarta Port, Indonesia.
- All three incidents reported in February 2021 were CAT 4 incidents (where the perpetrators were not armed and crew not harmed).
Key figures – January to February 2021
-During January-February 2021, a total of 10 actual incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia. No piracy incident was reported.
-Compared to January-February 2020, the total number of incidents reported during January-February 2021 decreased by 55%. A total of 22 actual incidents were reported during January-February 2020.
-The decrease of incidents during January-February 2021 occurred in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore Strait and the Sulu-Celebes Seas.
- In Bangladesh, no incident was reported during January-February 2021 compared to one incident during January-February 2020.
- In India, one incident was reported during January-February 2021 compared to five incidents during the same period in 2020.
- In Indonesia, three incidents were reported during January-February 2021 compared to five incidents during January-February 2020.
- In the Philippines, one incident was reported du ring January-February 2021 compared to two incidents during the same period in 2020.
- In the Singapore Strait, five incidents were reported during January-February 2021 compared to eight incidents during January-February 2020.
- In the Sulu-Celebes Seas, no incident was reported during January-February 2021 compared to one incident during the same period in 2020.
-Of the 10 actual incidents reported during January-February 2021, four were CAT 3 incidents and six were CAT 4 incidents.
Singapore Strait
In February 2021, two incidents (all actual incidents) occurred on board barges towed by tug boats while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait. In both incidents, the perpetrators boarded the barges, and stole items from the barges. The barges were not manned. There was no confrontation between the perpetrators and the crew in the tug boats.
Incidents during January-February 2021
With the two incidents reported in February 2021, a total of five incidents (all actual incidents) were reported in the Singapore Strait during January-February 2021. This accounts for 50% of the total number of incidents reported in Asia during this period (10 incidents).
Recommendations
The ReCAAP ISC strongly urges the littoral States to increase patrols and enforcement in their respective waters, respond promptly to incidents, strengthen coordination among them and promote information sharing on incidents and criminal groups involved in order to make more arrests.
Due to the continued occurrence of incidents in the Singapore Strait, ship master and crew are strongly advised to heighten vigilance and proactively adopt the following measures:
- Maximise alertness of lookouts for suspicious small boats and increase watch keeping on board ships; particularly daylight time for barges and during night time for bigger ships;
- Maintain communication with their shipping company by providing periodic updates and establish daily communication checks;
- Report all incidents, suspicious activities and presence of suspicious small boats in the vicinity to the nearest coastal State and flag State;
- Sound alarm when suspicious boats are sighted loitering in the vicinity of the ship or barge or suspicious individuals on board the ship or barge; and
- Keep abreast of the latest situation (at www.recaap.org) and tune-in to advisories and navigational broadcasts announced by the authorities.
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Source : ReCAAP ISC
