8 armed robberies against ships in Asia in November

A total of eight incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia in November 2019, according to ReCAAP ISC monthly piracy report. The total number of incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships reported during January-November 2019 has decreased by 4%, but the number of actual incidents has increased by 3% compared to January-November 2018.

On one hand, there was a decrease of incidents during January-November 2019 at ports and anchorages in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Philippines.

On the other hand, the number of incidents in the Singapore Strait continued to increase in November 2019. Notably, a total of 23 incidents were reported in the Singapore Strait during January-November 2019 compared to eight incidents during the same period in 2018.

No piracy incident was reported in November 2019. There was also no report of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah reported in November 2019.

However, the abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah remains a serious concern.

Key figures -November 2019

A total of eight incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia in November 2019.
Of the eight incidents, six were actual incidents and two were attempted incidents.
Of the eight incidents reported in November 2019, five incidents (comprising four actual incidents and one attempted incident) occurred in the Singapore Strait.
Two incidents occurred onboard ships anchored at Batangas anchorage, Philippines and one incident onboard ship berthed at Belawan port, Indonesia.
Of the six actual incidents reported in November 2019, three were CAT 3 incidents and three were CAT 4 incidents. All three CAT 3 incidents occurred on board bulk carriers while underway in the Singapore Strait.

Key figures January-November 2019

A total of 70 incidents (comprising 61 actual incidents and nine attempted incidents) were reported in Asia.
Of the 70 incidents, 68 were incidents of armed robbery against ships and two were piracy incidents.
The piracy incidents occurred in the South China Sea and in the Pacific Ocean.
Compared to January-November 2018, there was a 4% decrease in the total number of incidents reported during January-November 2019.
However, the number of actual incidents increased by 3% during January-November 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. A total of 73 incidents (comprising 59 actual incidents and 14 attempted incidents) were reported during January-November 2018.

The main reason for the decrease in the total number of incidents during January-November 2019 was due to the decrease in the number of attempted incidents. A total of 14 attempted incidents were reported during January-November 2018 compared to nine incidents during the same period in 2019.

During January-November 2019, there was also a decrease of the number of incidents at ports and anchorages in Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines. No incident was reported in Bangladesh during January-November 2019 compared to 11 incidents at its ports and anchorages during the same period in 2018.
In Indonesia, the number of incidents decreased to 21 incidents during January-November 2019 from 27 incidents during the same period in 2018.
In the Philippines, the number of incidents decreased to five incidents during January-November 2019 compared to nine incidents during the same period in 2018.
A total of 23 incidents were reported in the Singapore Strait during January-November 2019 compared to eight incidents during the same period in 2018.

Key trends January-November 2019

Type of ships: Perpetrators mostly boarded barges towed by tug boats while they were underway in the westbound lane of the TSS; and bigger ships while underway in the eastbound lane of the TSS.

Number of perpetrators: In seven of the 15 incidents in the westbound lane of the TSS there was no information on the number of perpetrators involved. This was because the crew of tug boats were not able to see the boarding by perpetrators on the unmanned barges towed by the tug boats. For incidents in the eastbound lane of the TSS, majority of the incidents involved 4-5 perpetrators.

Type of weapons carried: All 14 incidents that occurred on board barges towed by tug boats in the westbound lane of the TSS had no information if the perpetrators carried any weapons. For incidents in the eastbound lane of the TSS, four of the eight incidents reported that the perpetrators carried knives. In the incident involving bulk carrier, Nord Steel on 19 Oct 19, the perpetrators carried a gun and jungle knife.

Treatment of crew: Majority of the incidents in the westbound lane and eastbound lane of the TSS reported that the crew did not suffer any injuries. However, in comparison, the perpetrators of incidents in the eastbound lane were more violent, as evidenced in the two incidents where perpetrators threatened the crew.

Items stolen: Majority of the incidents in the westbound lane of the TSS reported that scrap metal was stolen from the barges towed by tug boats. For incidents in the eastbound lane, nothing was stolen in six of the eight incidents. In the two incidents with losses, engine spares, twist locks and ropes were stolen.

Time of incident: Of the 15 incidents in the westbound lane of the TSS, eight incidents occurred during hours of darkness (between 1900 hrs and 0530 hrs) and seven occurred during daylight hours (between 0700 hrs and 1700 hrs). All the eight incidents in the eastbound lane occurred during hours of darkness (between 2300 hrs and 0530 hrs).

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On the incidents on board barges towed by tug boats in the westbound lane of the TSS, ReCAAP ISC had issued an Incident Alert 01/2019 on 25 Apr 19 and a Special Report on 22 Aug 19. Regarding the incidents on board ships while underway in the eastbound lane of the TSS, the ReCAAP ISC had issued two Incident Alerts – the first Incident Alert on 23 Oct 19 and second Incident Alert on 29 Nov 19.

The ReCAAP ISC advises the shipping industry and ships to exercise enhanced vigilance, look out for suspicious small boats, adopt extra precautionary measures and report all incidents to the nearest coastal State immediately.

The ReCAAP ISC strongly urges the littoral States to strengthen joint coordinated patrols, increase enforcement in their respective waters and promote information sharing on the latest situation and the criminal groups involved in order to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.

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