In its weekly report for 10-16 September, ReCAAP ISC informed of one piracy incident against the Isle of Man-flagged LNG tanker ‘British Contributor’ on 8 September, while the ship was anchored at approximately 15 nm east of Johor, Malaysia in the South China Sea.
The North P&I Club informed that the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) has issued a maritime security advisory for the Red Sea. This comes after a maritime threat has been reported in the Red Sea near Yemen. Vessels are suggested to exercise caution when sailing through this area.
In order to protect ships from piracy attacks at Douala anchorage, Cameroon decided to supply armed guards, free of charge, that will stay on board a vessel for the duration of its stay at the anchorage. The new arrangement will limit the administrative delays that arise when completing an application for government armed guards on board.
In collaboration with the Kontinentalist, Stable Seas have released ‘Troubled waters: piracy and maritime security in Southeast Asia’. This is an interactive experience on how piracy and armed robbery affect the safety of waterways.
During 13 – 19 August 2019, four CAT 41 incidents of armed robbery against ship were reported to the ReCAAP ISC. The four incidents took place on 31 July 19 at Belawan Anchorage, Indonesia; 9 August 19 northeast of Pulau Bintan, Indonesia; 12 August 19 at Phuoc Long Mooring Buoy No 3, Vietnam; and 15 August 19 southeast of Tanjung Piai, Johor, Malaysia.
As MC-Schiffahrt informed, its vessel MarMalaita was attacked by pirates on 14th of August between 23.00h and 24.00h local time on the anchorage of Douala / Cameroon. A group of pirates boarded the ship and abducted 8 of the 12 crewmembers.
A total of six incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia in July 2019, according to ReCAAP ISC’s annual report. The total number of incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships reported during January-July 2019 has decreased by 32% compared to January-July 2018.
In its weekly report for 23-29 July, ReCAAP ISC informed of two CAT 4 incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia. Both incidents occurred to tug boats towing barges while underway in the westbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait, a key area of concern in recent months.
The Turkish ship owner Kadıoğlu Maritime has managed to establish communication with a group of pirates who kidnapped 10 Turkish seafarers from the general cargo ship ‘Paksoy 1’ off Nigeria, in the night hours of Saturday, 13 July, while sailing from Cameroon to the Ivory Coast.
ReCAAP ISC issued a security warning to urge vigilance for ships sailing in the South China Sea, after seven perpetrators armed with guns and knives boarded the Korean-registered bulk carrier ‘C.K. Bluebell’ off Indonesia in the early morning hours of Tuesday.
