In its weekly report for 17-23 April, ReCAAP ISC noted one incident of armed robbery against the Cyprus-flagged bulk carrier ‘Katerina’, while underway, approximately 4.7 nm northeast of Nongsa Point, Batam Island, Indonesia, in Singapore Straits, in the morning hours of 22 April.
While underway, the duty officer sighted four perpetrators in the engine room. The master raised the alarm and mustered the crew. Realising that the crew had been alerted, the perpetrators escaped immediately. A search was conducted and there was no further sighting of the perpetrators and no item was reported lost. The crew was not injured and no item was stolen.
The ReCAAP ISC urges ship masters and crews:
- to report all incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships to the nearest coastal State and flag State,
- to adopt relevant preventive measures taking reference from the Regional Guide to Counter Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia,
- to exercise extra vigilance while transiting the Sulu-Celebes Sea and eastern Sabah region.
In its piracy report for the first quarter of 2018, IMB highlighted that Indonesia recorded nine low level attacks against anchored vessels.
However, in its recent quarterly report, ReCAAP ISC noted a significant drop in piracy and armed robbery incidents against ships in Asia, with a total 14 incidents in January-March period, compared to 27 incidents that were reported during the same period in 2017.
