ReCAAP ISC has issued its monthly report on piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia for October 2016. A total of five incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported during this period. Throughout the past one-year period , the number of incidents has fluctuated.
In October 2016, five incidents were reported in Asia. Of these, one was an incident of piracy in South China Sea and the other incidents were armed robbery against ships occurred in Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam.Chart 1 below shows the number of incidents reported between October 2015 and October 2016.
Between January and October 2016, a total of 64 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia; and this represents a 65% decrease in total number of incidents compared to the same period in 2015 when 184 incidents were reported. The number of incidents reported during January-October 2016 is also the lowest among the five-year reporting period of January-October of 2012-2016. However, of concern was the occurrence of an incident of abduction of crew from a general cargo ship in waters off eastern Sabah and southwestern Philippines; and the hijacking of a tug boat towing a barge for theft of the oil cargo on board off Bintulu, Sarawak, East Malaysia.
Conclusion
There has been an improvement in the total number of incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia in October 2016; with a 65% decrease compared to the same period in 2015. However, there is serious concern with the occurrence of eight incidents of abduction of crew in waters off eastern Sabah and southwestern Philippines. There is also concern with the occurrence of two incidents of oil cargo theft in waters off Sarawak to ships belonging to the same owner.
More needs to be done by the littoral States and shipping industry to collectively address the situation. In particular, we advise the shipping industry to be more vigilant in areas where similar incidents had occurred in the past.
Furthers details may be found by reading the report herebelow
Source & Image credit: ReCAAP
