ReCAAP ISC Piracy and Sea Robbery 3rd Quarter 2019 Report
THE situation of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia continued to improve during January-September 2019. Both the total number of incidents and the number of actual incidents reported during January-September 2019 are the lowest among the 13-year period of January-September of 2007-2019.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
A total of 54 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships (comprising 49 actual incidents and five attempted incidents) were reported in Asia during January-September 2019 compared to 64 incidents (comprising 50 actual incidents and 14 attempted incidents) during January-September 2018. This accounts for a 16% decrease in the total number of incidents reported during January- September 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. However, in terms of actual incidents, there was only one incident less during January-September 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. Of the 54 incidents reported during January-September 2019, two were incidents of piracy, and 52 were incidents of armed robbery against ships.
There was improvement at some ports and anchorages in Asia during January-September 2019 compared to January-September 2018. The improvement occurred in Bangladesh and Indonesia. In Bangladesh, no incident was reported at the ports and anchorages during January-September 2019 compared to 11 incidents reported during the same period in 2018. In Indonesia, the number of incidents at its ports and anchorages had decreased to 17 incidents during January-September 2019 from 26 incidents during the same period in 2018.
Of concern was the occurrence of two incidents of abduction of crew for ransom on 18 Jun and 23 Sep in the waters off Eastern Sabah, Malaysia. The risk of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah remains high as demonstrated by the two abduction incidents. The coastal States concerned are requested to enhance surveillance, patrols and maintain contacts with ships transiting the area. Shipping companies are advised to follow the ReCAAP ISC’s advisory issued via the ReCAAP ISC Incident Alert dated 21 Nov 16 to all ships to reroute from the area where possible, otherwise to exercise extra vigilance when transiting the area and report immediately to the operation centres of the Philippines and Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) of Malaysia. In July 2019, the ReCAAP ISC produced the ‘Guidance on Abduction of Crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and Waters off Eastern Sabah’ to shipping companies and ships to enhance their situation awareness and take appropriate countermeasures to avoid such incidents.
Also of concern was the increase of incidents on board ships while underway in the Singapore Strait during January-September 2019. A total of 15 incidents were reported during January-September 2019 compared to seven incidents during the same period
in 2018. There was also an increase of incidents on ships anchored off Bandar Penawar, Johor, Malaysia. Five incidents were reported during January-September 2019, while no such incident was reported during the same period in 2018.
It was a 16% decrease in the total number of incidents and 2% decrease in the number
of actual incidents during January-September 2019, compared to the same period in 2018. Particularly, the number of attempted incidents has decreased during January-September 2019. A total of five attempted incidents were reported during January-September 2019 compared to 14 attempted incidents during the same period in 2018.
STATUS OF SHIPS
Of the 54 incidents reported during January-September 2019, 33 incidents (61%) occurred to ships while at anchor/berth and 21 incidents (39%) to ships while underway. This conforms to the general trend in Asia where more incidents occurred to ships at anchor/berth than ships while underway. Chart 3 and Chart 4 show the location of the incidents occurred to ships at anchor/berth and to ships while underway respectively.
All the incidents reported in China, India, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam occurred on board ships at anchor/berth; while all incidents in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) and the Sulu-Celebes Seas occurred on board ships while underway.
SITUATION ON ABDUCTION OF CREW FROM SHIPS IN THE SULU-CELEBES SEAS AND WATERS OFF EASTERN SABAH
SITUATION UPDATE
Two incidents of abduction of crew occurred on 18 Jun and 23 Sep during January-September 2019.
INCIDENT ON 18 JUN 19
At about 0245 hrs on 18 Jun 19, nine crew on board two Malaysian fishing boats (with markings SA/2325/F and SA/5699/C) were abducted by 10 perpetrators believed to be members of the Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the vicinity waters of Lahad Datu, Sabah. The ReCAAP ISC issued a Warning, followed by an Incident Alert on the same day of the incident upon verification by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). On 21 Jun 19, all nine abducted crew were released by the abductors after they realised that the crew could not pay ransom.
INCIDENT ON 23 SEP 19
On 23 Sep 19 at about 1155 hrs two Malaysian fishing boats (with markings SSK00520F and SN338/4/F) were in the vicinity waters of Tambisan Island, Lahad Datu, Sabah when seven perpetrators wearing mask and military camouflage uniform boarded the fishing boats. They were armed with AK 47, M16 (with grenade launcher) and pistols, and believed to be members of the Kidnap for Ransom Group (KFRG) of Sulu-based Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
The perpetrators boarded the first fishing boat SSK00520K from two speed boats painted in green and blue with red stripes. They gathered the crew and took their mobile phones, cash and personal documents; and left the boat. At around 1300 hrs, the perpetrators boarded the second fishing boat SN338/4/F which was approximately 300 meters away from SSK00520K and abducted three Indonesian crew from the fishing boat and then fled towards the waters of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines.
At about 1530 hrs, the Malaysian authorities recovered the second fishing boat SN338/4/F at Gem Water Reef, Lahad Datu without the crew on board and the engine was still running. The Philippine Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao intensified seaborne and coastal security patrol in coordination with Malaysian authorities. See Map 2 (below) for the location of the incident.
The ReCAAP ISC issued a Warning about the incident on 23 Sep 19 and an Incident Alert on 26 Sep 19 after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) verified the incident and provided additional information.
STATUS OF ABDUCTED CREW
As of September 2019, a total of three crew are still being held in captivity. The status of the abducted crew is as follows:
|
NO. OF CREW ABDUCTED
|
NO. OF CREW RELEASED/RESCUED
|
NO. OF CREW KILLED/DIED
|
STILL IN CAPTIVITY
|
| 78 |
65 |
10 |
3 |
The Philippine and Malaysia authorities continue to step up patrol efforts, conduct pursuit operations and intensify military operations to rescue the crew in captivity and neutralize the militant group.
INCIDENTS DURING JANUARY-SEPTEMBER 2019
Map 4 below shows the location of the 15 incidents in the Singapore Strait during January- September 2019.
Of the 15 incidents, 14 occurred to barges towed by tug boats in the westbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait and one incident occurred to a bulk carrier while underway in the eastbound lane of the TSS. All incidents of tug boats towing barges were CAT 4 in nature involving perpetrators who were not armed and the crew were not harmed. The incident involving a bulk carrier is CAT 3 in nature. The crew sighted five perpetrators armed with knives on the deck of the bulk carrier. The alarm was raised and a search for the perpetrators was conducted. The crew was not injured and nothing was stolen from the ship. This is the first time in 2019 when an incident involving a bigger ship was reported in the Singapore Strait. In 2018, a total of three incidents involving bigger ships were reported in the Singapore Strait (bulk carrier was boarded on 21 Apr 18, tanker on 19 May 18 and LPG tanker on 19 Sep 18).
The ReCAAP ISC notes that all the 14 incidents involving barges towed by tug boats occurred in the western sector of the Singapore Strait, and closer to shore than the bulk carrier.
CONCLUSION
There was a decrease of 16% in the total number of incidents during January-September 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. However, in terms of actual incidents there was only one incident less during January-September 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. The improvement during January- September 2019 was largely due to the decrease in the number of attempted incidents reported. There was a 64% decrease in the number of attempted incidents during January-September 2019 (five incidents) compared to the same period in 2018 (14 incidents).
Improvement was observed at the ports and anchorages in Bangladesh and Indonesia during January-September 2019. However, there was an increase in the number of incidents (mostly petty theft) in the Singapore Strait and off Bandar Penawar, Johor, Malaysia.
In the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah, the risk of abduction of crew for ransom remains, with the occurrence of two incidents of abduction of crew during January-September 2019. The ReCAAP ISC advises the shipping industry to refer to the ‘Guidance on the Abduction of Crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and Waters off Eastern Sabah’ for safe navigation in the concerned area and precautionary measures to take to avoid the incident. ReCAAP ISC also reiterates its advisory issued on 21 Nov 16 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 immediately
to the Operation Centres of Philippines and Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) of Malaysia.
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