In its weekly report for 6-12 October, ReCAAP ISC informs of two armed robberies against ships in Asia. One incident occurred onboard an offshore supply vessel while anchored at Kakinada OPL Anchorage, India, and the other onboard a bulk carrier while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait.
Both were classified as CAT 4 incidents, which means the perpetrators were not armed and the crew was not harmed.
Incident #1
The first incident involves the Iranian-flagged bulk carrier ‘Ganj’ in the early morning hours of 11 October, approximately 7.2 nm north west of Tanjung Tondang, Pulau Bintan, Indonesia in the eastbound lane of the TSS in the Singapore Strait
While underway and en route to Fang Cheng, China, the crew sighted three perpetrators at the stern of the ship.
The master raised the alarm and the perpetrators escaped upon being sighted. There was no confrontation between the perpetrators and crew.
A search on board the ship showed no sighting of the perpetrators. There were no missing things.
The master reported the incident to Singapore Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS) and continued voyage with no assistance required. A safety navigational broadcast was initiated. The crew notified the Republic of Singapore Navy’s (RSN) Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF), Singapore Police Coast Guard and the Indonesian authorities.
Incident #2
The second incident involves a Singaporean offshore supply vessel, the name of which is not available.
While at anchor at Kakinada OPL Anchorage, India, the duty officer saw a perpetrator standing at port forward. The duty officer sounded the ship horn and made an announcement on the PA system. The perpetrator then jumped off the ship into the water.
The crew saw the perpetrator, together with two other perpetrators, retrieving a mooring rope and then escaping in a small unlit boat.
A search on board the ship revealed one mooring rope was missing. There was no injury to crew. An Indian Coast Guard ship investigated the incident.
