Krishnaswamy Natarajan, Executive Director of ReCAAP ISC, unveiled the latest statistics on maritime piracy and armed robbery in Asia, emphasizing that while there are no specific hotspots in the region, the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) remain areas of concern. In light of this, he urges ship masters and crews to adhere strictly to best management practices and promptly report any incidents.
Natarajan stressed the importance of maritime stakeholders referring to the latest ReCAAP ISC report to stay informed about the piracy and sea robbery situation in Asia. He added that effective communication, collaboration, and commitment among all stakeholders are essential to ensure the safety and security of the seas.
SAFETYSEA: According to ReCAAP ISC 1Q2024 statistics, which are the maritime piracy hot spots in Asia today and the key findings with respect to maritime security in the area?
Krishnaswamy Natarajan: There are no hotspots in the Asian region as no incidents of piracy on high seas have taken place in recent years. The Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) continue to be an Area of Concern as robbery incidents continue to occur, although the number of incidents has declined compared to same period last year. This can be attributed due to the littoral States increasing their patrols and surveillance in the SOMS, being more responsive to incidents, and efforts by the shipping industry in adopting best management practices in ship security. According to ReCAAP ISC 1Q2024 report, there were 26 incidents of Armed Robbery Against Ships reported in Asia from Jan – Mar 2024, compared to 27 incidents reported in the same period last year. Of the 26 incidents, 21 were actual incidents and five were attempted incidents. The Centre has noted in the 1Q2024 report that there has been an increase in incidents occurring at ports and anchorages. Thus, we call on the port authorities to institute appropriate ISPS measures.
S4S: Are there any notable trends or patterns observed in the incidents reported by ReCAAP ISC? What is your advice to ship operators transiting in Asia?
Kr. N.: In recent years, the incidents in Asia are mostly robbery/petty theft against ships occurring in territorial seas, archipelagic waters, as well as ports and anchorages which are under coastal States’ jurisdiction. These incidents are generally of low severity, with criminals targeting unsecured items such as ship stores, scrap metal or machinery spares. The perpetrators are generally non-confrontational. Based on data collected and analysed over the past 17 years (2007 – 2023), the Centre has observed that during different periods, certain types of organised crimes by syndicates were prevalent.
- 2007 to 2009 – sea robberies (opportunistic petty theft)
- 2010 to 2012 – sea robberies and hijacking of tugs and barges
- 2013 to 2015 – sea robberies and theft of oil cargo
- 2016 to 2020 – abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas
- 2021 to 2023 – sea robberies (opportunistic petty theft)
When ships transit Areas of Concern in Asia, the ship crew are reminded to step up their vigilance, maintain lookout, and to report all incidents by referring to the contact details of MRCC of coastal States, ReCAAP Focal Point/Contact Point, and law enforcement agencies of the littoral States. Members of the shipping industry can also report incidents and share information using ReCAAP ISC’s enhanced mobile app.
S4S: Why is it important for the maritime community to have access to detailed information about incidents such as locations and modus operandi?
Kr. N.: The enhanced ReCAAP ISC mobile app and our interactive dashboard, Re-VAMP, makes the latest data and details on piracy and sea robbery incidents in Asia highly accessible to the shipping community. With easy access to information such as the location and timing of incidents, and the modus operandi of perpetrators, ship masters will be able to make informed risk assessments prior to a voyage, and institute suitable preventive measures before entering the Areas of Concern. Preventive actions can deter unauthorised boardings, prevent the loss of cargo/items on the ships, and protect crew from hostile perpetrators.
S4S: Could you describe the significance of ReCAAP ISC in information sharing? In what ways do stakeholders in the maritime industry utilize the information provided in ReCAAP ISC’s periodic reports?
Kr. N.: ReCAAP ISC issues a variety of incident reports and alerts to keep the shipping and maritime community, as well as law enforcement agencies, abreast of the latest piracy and sea robbery incidents which have taken place in Asia. These include weekly, quarterly, half yearly and full year reports. Details provided in our reports include the location of incidents, the number of perpetrators involved, whether any weapons were used, the ship boarded, whether any items were stolen, and whether the crew was injured. The incident numbers and data included in our reports are all verified by ReCAAP Focal Points to ensure accuracy. Stakeholders can refer to the reports to find out the location and severity of incidents, the modus operandi of perpetrators, and the time periods which vessels are vulnerable to boarding/attacks. The information helps law enforcement agencies deploy limited resources in a more judicious/optimal manner, and aids shipmasters in deciding what precautionary/mitigation measures to take. The data is useful for shipping companies when planning the vessel’s voyage. It can also be used by the media, analysts and academics to derive insights when reporting on/writing academic papers on piracy, sea robbery and maritime security in Asia. Besides the periodic reports, the Centre also issues warnings, incident alerts, or special reports when a high number of incidents have occurred in a particular location within a short time frame, or when specific types of vessels are being targeted. These ad-hoc reports provide timely alerts and recommendations/guidance to the shipping industry.
S4S: What is your key message to industry stakeholders with respect to maritime security?
Kr. N.: I would like to urge ship masters and crew to adhere to the best management practices and to report incidents in a timely manner. I would also like to call on the law enforcement agencies to be vigilant, and assist shipmasters in a timely manner when they call for assistance. Maritime stakeholders should refer to the latest ReCAAP ISC report to keep up to date with the latest piracy and sea robbery situation in Asia. Lastly, I would like to reiterate that the fight against piracy and armed robbery against ships and other maritime threats is a shared responsibility, and all stakeholders need to communicate, collaborate, cooperate, coordinate and be committed to achieve the desired outcome in ensuring safe and secure seas for unhindered movement of maritime trade.
Top priorities on the ReCAAP ISC agenda for the next five years
Continuing our discussion, Krishnaswamy Natarajan referred to ReCAAP ISC’s three key priorities in the short term
- First, the Centre is building up internal resources and capabilities to enhance the quality of our analysis using data analytics software. In addition, by tapping on the insights of external data, the Center is focusing on analyzing the correlations between maritime crimes and Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships.
- Second, the Centre will step up engagements with shipping companies and maritime stakeholders, to encourage timely reporting of incidents by ship master and crew, information sharing by ReCAAP Contracting Parties and regional authorities, and the adoption of best management practices by the shipping industry to detect, deter, deny and delay attacks and unauthorised boarding by perpetrators.
- Third, given that piracy and sea robbery tend to be transnational maritime crimes, the Centre will continue to encourage shared responsibility, collective and coordinated action by the land and maritime stakeholders to prevent occurrence of incidents at sea. We will continue to organize conferences/forums to share the latest situation and best practices with the shipping industry, and facilitate cooperation and engagement between shipping companies and law enforcement agencies through dialogue sessions. The Centre will also utilise the dialogue sessions to seek the shipping industry’s feedback on how to better serve them and improve our products.
As explained, over the past year, ReCAAP ISC has launched several products to make it easier for the shipping industry to report piracy and sea robbery incidents, and to make informed risk assessments when planning voyages through Areas of Concern in Asia.
The new products include:
i) The ReCAAP Data Visualisation Map and Panel or Re-VAMP, an online dashboard which enables shipmasters to correlate different data sets of past and current incidents of piracy and sea robbery in Asia, derive key insights, institute preventive measures, and make informed risk assessments prior to a voyage.
ii) Poster with updated contact details of Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) in Asia, and poster containing updated contact details of law enforcement agencies in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS). These posters make it easier for shipmasters to render timely and accurate reporting of incident to local authorities to facilitate swift response by the law enforcement agencies.
iii) An enhanced mobile app which enables the simultaneous reporting of incidents to the MRCC of coastal States, ReCAAP ISC and ReCAAP Focal Points/Contact Point to enable speedy assistance from authorities
iv) Version 2 of Guide Book on Identification of Fishing Boats in Asian Waters. Shipmasters can refer to the guide to describe the perpetrator’s vessel when making incident reports. A detailed description of the perpetrator’s vessel helps law enforcement agencies in the investigation and arrest of criminals
The views presented are only those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
