ReCAAP ISC Reports 52 Percent Decrease in Incidents of Piracy/Armed Robbery Against Ships In Asia During January-March 2019
ReCAAP ISC reports a total of 10 incidents of armed robbery against ships (comprising nine actual incidents and one attempted incident) were reported in Asia during January-March 2019 compared to 21 incidents (comprising 15 actual incidents and six attempted incidents) during January-March 2018.
This accounts for a 52% decrease in the total number of incidents reported during January-March 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. The number of actual incidents has also decreased by 40% during January-March 2019 compared to January-March 2018. Both the total number of incidents and number of actual incidents reported during January-March 2019 are the lowest among the period of January-March of 13-year (2007-2019).
The nine actual incidents reported during January-March 2019 were less severe incidents with one CAT 3 incident and eight CAT 4 (petty theft) incidents. There were no severe incidents such as CAT 1 and CAT 2.
All incidents reported during January-March 2019 were armed robbery against ships. No piracy incident was reported. There were improvements at some ports and anchorages during January-March 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. The improvement was most apparent at the ports and anchorages in Indonesia; with three incidents reported in Indonesia during January-March 2019 compared to nine incidents during the
same period in 2018. There were also improvements at the ports and anchorages in Bangladesh, India and Vietnam. No incidents were reported at these ports/anchorages during January-March 2019 compared to three incidents reported in Bangladesh and two incidents each in India and Vietnam during January-March 2018.
There was no incident of abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah during January- March 2019. Despite the improvement of the situation in the Sulu-Celebes Seas, the abduction of crew for ransom remains a serious threat in the area. Shipping companies are advised to follow the ReCAAP ISC’s Incident Alert dated 21 Nov 16 and maintain close communication with the contact centres of the national reporting centres.
Of concern was the increase in the number of incidents at some anchorages in China and incidents of theft of scrap metal from barges while underway in the Singapore Strait during January-March 2019.
The ReCAAP ISC reiterates the need for enforcement agencies to enhance surveillance, increase patrols and respond promptly to the reports of incidents. Ship masters and crew are strongly advised to exercise vigilance, maintain all round lookouts, report all incidents to the nearest coastal State and flag State immediately and implement preventive measures recommended in the Regional Guide to Counter Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia.
SIGNIFICANCE LEVEL OF INCIDENTS
Of the nine actual incidents reported during January-March 2019, one was a CAT 3 incident and eight were CAT 4 incidents. There were no CAT 1 and CAT 2 incidents.
The incidents reported during January-March 2019 were relatively less severe compared to incidents reported during the same period of 2018. Of the 15 actual incidents reported during January-March 2018, four were CAT 3 and 11 were CAT 4. Chart 2 shows the significance level of incidents reported during January-March of 2007-2019.
STATUS OF SHIPS
Of the 10 incidents reported during January-March 2019, eight incidents (80%) occurred on board ships while at anchor/berth and two incidents (20%) on board ships while underway. This conforms to the past trend where majority of the incidents in Asia occurred on board ships at anchor/berth.
DETAILS OF ANALYSIS
Number of perpetrators. During January-March 2019, six of 10 incidents involved 1-3 men, one incident involved more than 9 men and three incidents with no information available. The majority of the incidents during January-March 2019 involved 1-3 men (60%) compared with the past 12-year trend of January-March of 2007-2018 where most incidents involved 4-6 men (29%).
Type of weapons. Of the 10 incidents reported during January-March 2019, eight incidents (80%) had no information on the weapons carried by the perpetrators, one incident reported perpetrators armed with knives/machetes and one incident reported perpetrators were not armed. For the past 12-year trend of January-March of 2007-2018, 48% of incidents had no information on the weapons carried by the perpetrators, and 32% involved perpetrators who were armed with knives/machetes.
Treatment of crew. Nine of the 10 incidents occurred during January-March 2019 reported that the crew was not injured (90%). This is consistent with past 12-year trend where majority of incidents (49%) reported that the crew was not injured.
Type of Losses. During January-March 2019, four incidents (40%) reported the losses of ship stores, two incidents reported loss of unsecured items from ships (20%), one incident reported loss of engine spares (10%) and three incidents reported nothing was stolen (30%). For the past 12-year trend of January-March of 2007-2018, majority of the incidents reported the loss of stores (39%) or nothing was stolen (34%).
Type of ships. Among the 10 incidents reported during January-March 2019, four incidents occurred on board bulk carriers (40%), two on board tankers (20%), two on board tug boats towing barges (20%), one on board a container ship (10%) and one on board a general cargo ship (10%). In the past 12-year trend of incidents during January-March of 2007-2018, 33% of the incidents occurred on board tankers, and 30% on board bulk carriers.
MODUS OPERANDI OF THEFT OF SCRAP METAL FROM BARGES IN SINGAPORE STRAIT SITUATION UPDATE PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS IN ASIA
During January-March 2019, two incidents of theft of scrap iron from barges were reported in Singapore Strait (SS). The incidents occurred in close proximity to each other and during daylight hours. Map 3 below shows the approximate location of the two incidents.
PAST INCIDENTS
Number of incidents. A total of 18 incidents involving the theft of scrap metal from barges were reported in Singapore Strait between 2011 and 2019 (up to March 2019). Graph 2 shows the number of incidents reported during 2011-2019. The highest number of incidents was reported in 2012 and no incident was reported in 2016 and 2017.
Location of incidents. Of the 18 incidents, 14 incidents occurred on board barges towed by tug boats while underway in the westbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of Singapore Strait; and four incidents occurred in the eastbound lane of the TSS.
Of the 14 incidents in the westbound lane of the TSS, 12 incidents occurred in the western sector of Singapore Strait; and two occurred in the eastern sector. As for the four incidents in the eastbound lane of the TSS of Singapore Strait, all occurred in the eastern sector of the strait. Map 4 shows the location of the 18 incidents in the westbound lane and eastbound lane of TSS of Singapore Strait.
Time of incidents. Of the 18 incidents reported during 2011-March 2019, 13 occurred during daylight hours (blue icons) and five occurred during hours of darkness (purple icons). There is a deviation from the usual trend observed in incidents reported in Asia, where majority of the incidents occurred during hours of darkness.
MODUS OPERANDI OF PERPETRATORS
In most of the 18 incidents, the perpetrators came alongside the barge in several small boats. They climbed up the barge and transferred the scrap metal from the barge into the small boats.
The barge is usually loaded with a huge heap of the scrap metal and towed by a tug boat with a long towline (see photograph on right). Due to the heavy load on the barge, the tug boat and barge were moving at slow speed.
As the barge was not manned, the perpetrators were rather bold in carrying out the theft during daylight hours.
RECOMMENDATION
The ReCAAP ISC advises masters of tug boats towing barges loaded with scrap metal to exercise enhanced vigilance, maintain all round lookout for suspicious boats in the vicinity and report all incidents immediately to the coastal State and flag State. The ReCAAP ISC urges the relevant authorities of the littoral States to step up surveillance, increase patrols and respond promptly to reports of incidents.
CONCLUSION
The total number of incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships reported during January-March 2019 decreased by 52% compared to January-March 2018. The actual number of incidents decreased by 40%. Both total number and actual number of incidents during January-March 2019 are the lowest among the 13-year period of January-March of 2007- 2019. The ReCAAP ISC commends the vigilance of the shipping industry and the efforts of the law enforcement agencies which contribute towards the improvement of the situation during January-March 2019.
The improvement was most apparent at the ports and anchorages in Indonesia during January-March 2019 compared to January-March 2018. No incidents were reported at the ports and anchorages in Bangladesh, India and Vietnam during January-March 2019. However, the situation at certain anchorages in China and the theft of scrap metal from barges while underway in the Singapore Strait require further improvement.
Source: ReCAAP ISC [Click for Full Report]
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