ReCAAP ISC: Three incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia

During 17-23 May 22, three incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia were reported to the ReCAAP ISC.

The incidents occurred to a container ship while anchored at Jakarta Anchorage, Indonesia; to a barge towed by a tug boat while underway in the Singapore Strait (SS) and to a bulk carrier while underway in the Karimata Strait, Indonesia.

The crew members were safe in all three incidents. Some scrap metals were reported stolen in one incident. Nothing stolen in the other two incidents. The details of the incidents are as follows:

On 17 May, the duty officer on board the container ship noticed a small unlit boat near the stern. At the same time, the alarm on the door of the steering gear room was triggered. The ship alarm was raised and crew mustered. Realising that the crew was alerted, the perpetrators escaped. A search was conducted but nothing was stolen. The crew was not injured. The incident was reported to Jakarta Vessel Traffic System (VTS) and port control.
On 19 May, the master of a tug boat towing a barge reported to Singapore Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS) West that four perpetrators were sighted
on board the barge while the ships were underway in the westbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait (SS). The perpetrators
stole some scrap metals and left the barge. The crew was not injured. With this ncident, a total of 23 incidents were reported in the Singapore Strait since January 2022.
On 21 May, four perpetrators armed with knife/machete broke into the bulk carrier navigational bridge via the bridge wing door. The perpetrators threatened the duty officer and demanded to bring them to the master’s cabin. The perpetrators tried to enter the master’s cabin, but to no avail. The general alarm was sounded and announcement made to instruct all crew to remain in their cabins. A search was conducted and the crew mustered. There was no further sighting of the perpetrators. The master reported that nothing was stolen.

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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.

In its April report, ReCAAP ISC informed that10 incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia. No piracy incident on high seas was reported. Of the 10 incidents, six incidents occurred on board ships while anchored/berthed at anchorages in Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines, three incidents occurred on board ships while underway in the Singapore Strait (SS) and one incident on board a ship while underway in the Gulf of Khambhat, India.