During 21 – 27 Dec 2021, three incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia were reported to the ReCAAP ISC. All were CAT 4 incidents. Two incidents occurred on ships while underway in the Singapore Strait and one incident on a ship berthed at Kabil Terminal, Batam Island.
The two incidents in the Singapore Strait occurred off Nongsa, Batam Island (Indonesia) on 23 and 26 Dec. Nothing was stolen in both incidents.
With these incidents, a total of 48 incidents were reported in the Singapore Strait since January 2021, including 25 incidents occurred off Tanjung Pergam, Bintan Island (Indonesia), and 12 incidents off Nongsa, Batam Island (Indonesia).
The incident at Kabil Terminal, Batam Island (Indonesia) occurred on 19 Dec. The theft was discovered on 23 Dec when the crew carried out a routine safety round on deck. Four pieces of fire nozzles and four pieces of fire hoses were reported missing.
There is no incident of abduction of crew reported since the last incident in January 2020 up to today, and no crew is currently being held in captivity by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
On 23 Apr 21, the Philippine Armed Forces conducted a military operation against members of the ASG during which one of the ASG leaders responsible for the abduction of crew in the area of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi had managed to escape. The threat of the abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah remains high particularly in the areas of Sulu and nearby waters off Tawi-Tawi.
The ReCAAP ISC reiterates its advisory issued via ReCAAP ISC Incident Alert dated 21 Nov 16 to all ships to reroute from the area, where possible. Otherwise, ship masters and crew are strongly urged to exercise extra vigilance while transiting the area, and report all incidents immediately to the Operation Centres of the Philippines and Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) of Malaysia.
