ReCAAP ISC issued its monthly piracy report, informing of seven incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia in May 2019, which is an increase compared to the past six preceding months (November 2018 – April 2019). During January-May 2019, a total of 21 incidents were reported, which are the lowest among the 13-year period of January-May of 2007-2019. Majority of the 19 actual incidents reported in this period were CAT 4 incidents (least severe).
Key figures May 2019
- In May 2019, six actual incidents of armed robbery against ships and one attempted incident of piracy were reported.
- Of the seven incidents, three incidents occurred on board ships at anchor/berth (at Kandla in India; and Dumai and Cigading in Indonesia) and four incidents onboard ships while underway (off Pulau Mapur, Indonesia; off Mindanao, Philippines in the Pacific Ocean; and off Tanjung Piai, Malaysia in the Singapore Strait).
- Of the six actual incidents reported in May 2019, one was a CAT 2 incident and five were CAT 4 incidents.
- There was no report of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah; and no hijacking of ships for theft of oil cargo reported in May 2019.
- Compared to May 2018, there was a 22% decrease in the number of incidents reported in May 2019. A total of nine incidents were reported in May 2018 compared to seven incidents in May 2019.
- Compared to the past six preceding months (November 2018 – April 2019), the number of incidents reported in May 2019 has increased. Between November 2018 and April 2019, a total of three incidents to four incidents were reported each month.
Key figures January-May 2019
- During January-May 2019, a total of 21 incidents (19 actual incidents and two attempted incidents) were reported in Asia.
- Of these, 20 were incidents of armed robbery against ships and one was an incident of piracy.
- Compared to January-May 2018, there was a 48% decrease in the total number of incidents reported during January-May 2019.
- The number of actual incidents has also decreased by 32%.
- A total of 40 incidents (28 actual incidents and 12 attempted incidents) were reported during January-May 2018.
- There was an improvement at the ports and anchorages in Indonesia during January-May 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. A total of seven incidents were reported during January-May 2019 compared to 20 incidents reported during January-May 2018.
- Both the total number of incidents and the number of actual incidents reported during January-May 2019 are the lowest among the 13-year period of January-May of 2007-2019.
- Of the 19 actual incidents reported during January-May 2019, one was a CAT 2 incident, one was a CAT 3 incident and 17 were CAT 4 incidents.
- No CAT 1 incidents were reported during January-May of 2018 and 2019.
Additionally, in May 2019, two incidents of armed robbery against ships occurred in close proximity to each other in the western sector of the Singapore Strait.
Both incidents involved tug boats towing barges and were boarded while they were underway in the westbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait.
With six incidents occurred in close proximity to each other within a period of four months (Feburary – May 2019), the ReCAAP ISC urges the relevant littoral States to step up surveillance, increase patrols and respond promptly to all reports of incidents. Ships transiting in the Singapore Strait, particularly tug boats towing barges, should exercise enhanced vigilance, adopt extra precautionary measures and report all incidents to the nearest coastal State.
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