During 17-23 August 2021, four incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia were reported to the ReCAAP ISC.
Of these, two were CAT 2 incidents and two were CAT 3 incidents. In fat, the two CAT 2 incidents occurred to ships while anchored at Tanjung Priok Anchorage, Indonesia, and at South Harbour Anchorage Area of Manila, the Philippines, respectively.
In both incidents, the perpetrators were armed with gun or knives and they tied up the crew. Engine spares were stolen in the incident at Tanjung Priok Anchorage, while buckets of paint were stolen in the incident at South Harbour Anchorage Area of Manila.
As explained, the two CAT 3 incidents occurred to ships while underway in the Singapore Strait. One incident occurred in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) and the other in the westbound lane of the TSS. In both incidents, the perpetrators were armed with knives and were sighted in the engine room of the ships. Engine spares were stolen in both incidents.
With these two incidents, a total of 24 incidents had occurred in the Singapore Strait (SS) since January 2021.
The ReCAAP ISC urges ship master and crew to report all incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships to the nearest coastal State and flag State, exercise vigilance and adopt relevant preventive measures taking reference from the Regional Guide to Counter Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia.
