ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre held a dialogue with the shipping sector in efforts to strengthen maritime situation awareness and deepen cooperation to tackle piracy and sea robbery in Asia.
ReCAAP presented its Half-Yearly Report 2020, January to June, during which a total of 51 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships (comprising 50 actual incidents and one attempted incident) were reported in Asia.
After the presentation, the participants discussed two topics; the increase of incidents in the Singapore Strait and the threat of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and off Eastern Sabah.
Moreover, during the discussion the participants expressed their views on how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the industry, particularly safety measures against piracy and sea robbery incidents.
Mr. Masafumi Kuroki, Executive Director of ReCAAP ISC, concluded that
With regard to COVID-19, what we are hearing during the dialogue is that the pandemic has posed severe challenges to the shipping industry, particularly on the well-being of the seafarers. Despite these challenges, we ask the shipping industry to continue to uphold vigilance and the enforcement agencies to enhance patrol and law enforcement particularly in the areas of concern.