In its latest weekly report, the ReCAAP ISC informed of two recent incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia. Both attacks were reported at Samarinda Anchorage, Muara Berau, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. ReCAAP ISC has earlier in the month informed of similar incidents against ships in this location.
The first involves the bulk carrier ‘African Lunde’, on 5 April. While at anchor at Samarinda Anchorage, Indonesia, a perpetrator on board a small boat climbed the ship via the port anchor chain through the hawse pipe. The perpetrator removed the razor wires and hawse pipe cover. Two mooring ropes stored in the Bosun store were reported missing. The officer-on-watch raised the alarm. Realising that the crew had been alerted, the perpetrator escaped back to the boat and fled. On the aftermath, the ship enhanced its antipiracy watch with one crew on standby on forward of the ship.
The second involves the general cargo ship ‘Apollo Troth’, on 28 April. While at anchor at Samarinda Anchorage, Indonesia, four perpetrators armed with knives onboard two boats boarded the ship through the hawse pipe. When on deck, two of the perpetrators threatened the duty AB who was on routine rounds. The duty AB after rescued by another crew, immediately switched on the hydraulic pump, and the perpetrators fled.
In its piracy report for the first quarter of 2018, IMB highlighted that Indonesia recorded nine low level attacks against anchored vessels. Despite this, in its recent quarterly report, ReCAAP ISC noted a significant drop in piracy and armed robbery incidents against ships in Asia, with a total 14 incidents in January-March period, compared to 27 incidents that were reported during the same period in 2017.
The report also includes two incidents of armed robbery that occurred outside Asia, both in Takoradi Anchorage, Ghana, on 29 April and 3 May, respectively:
While the bulk carrier ‘North Colorado’ was anchored, one perpetrator boarded the poop deck of the ship from a small boat. The master raised the alarm, and the perpetrator jumped overboard towards a small boat located near the starboard side of the poop deck. After the incident, the master informed the flag State and increased the number of lookouts.
A few days later, while at anchor, two perpetrators were spotted by the Duty Watchkeeper at the main deck, starboard side, of the tug vessel ‘Name Withheld’. Upon being discovered, both perpetrators eventually jumped overboard and swam towards a canoe where a third person was waiting onboard. There was also no reported injury to crew. The padlock to the paint locker was broken. There was no item reported stolen.
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.
Furthermore, a report from IMO GISIS stated that while transiting the Sibutu passage, Philippines, two high speed crafts were sighted approaching the bulk carrier ‘Berge K2’. As the boats closed to the ship, the crew saw a blue boat with two persons wearing face masks and a white boat with one person wearing a face mask. Two Philippine Naval patrol vessels contacted Berge K2 via VHF channel 16. The high-speed boats closed to three cables from the ship, noticed the hardening of the ship, crossed the ship’s stern and moved away.
Accordingly, the ship had received cautionary advice from the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard Coast Watch as they were transiting the Sibutu passage. The incident was reported to Philippines Coast Guard, Philippines Navy, MMEA Putrajaya, FOC RMN, Marine Police Malaysia & ESSCOM.
However, the Philippine Focal Point reported to the ReCAAP ISC that this incident ‘did not occurred‘ and therefore is not considered an incident of piracy or armed robbery against ships.
