Asia Piracy & Armed Robbery Against Ships - August 2013
Source: ReCAAP ISC 
ReCAAP ISC reports a total of 12 incidents of robbery against ships in August 2013. No piracy incident was reported. All were actual incidents. The number of incidents reported in August over the past three years (2011-2013) has been fairly consistent.
Of the 12 actual incidents reported in August 2013, four were Category 2 (moderately significant) incidents, one was a Category 3 (less significant) incident and seven were petty theft (minimum significant) incidents. The incidents reported in the past two years (August of 2012 and 2013) had been less severe compared to August of 2010 and 2011. In August 2010, no Category 1 incident was reported, but close to 50% of the total incidents were Category 2 incidents. The situation was worse in August 2011 with reports of one Category 1 incident and seven Category 2 incidents. Notably, the level of severity of incidents decreased in August 2012 and 2013 with an average of about one-third of the total number of incidents were Category 2.
The 12 incidents reported in August 2013 occurred in Indonesia (5), Bangladesh (4), Malaysia (1), the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (1) and Vietnam (1).
Compared to August 2012, the number of incidents reported in August 2013 has increased. However, the incidents in August 2013 were relatively less severe compared to August of 2010-2012. Of the 12 incidents reported in August, 10 involved vessels when at anchor. It has been observed that several vessels had been negligent and did not enforce security measures when the vessels were at ports and anchorages. The situation at the ports and anchorages in Indonesia remains a concern, with five out of 10 incidents occurred there although majority were petty theft incidents.
Attempted Hijack
On 17 Aug 13 at or about 2045hrs, the Honduras-registered oil product tanker, Moresby 9 (above) was anchored at approximately 1.83 nm southeast of Tanjung Ramunia, Malaysia when 10 masked robbers armed with long knives boarded the vessel from two speed boats. The Chief Officer spotted the speed boats and activated the SSAS. One of the crew managed to alert other vessels anchored nearby via the vessel’s radio. The robbers threatened, gathered and tied the crew, including the master, in the mess room.
The robbers then ordered the master to go up to the bridge to steer the vessel to Tompok Utara. After a few minutes of sailing, eight of the robbers went to the main deck and left the product tanker. The remaining two robbers then commanded the master to sail to Pulau Lima instead. After less than seven minutes, the two robbers upon seeing a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) patrol vessel approaching Moresby 9, escaped via the port side of the bridge with cash and the crew’s personal belongings such as mobile phones, laptops and watch. In their escape, the robbers left behind their knives. The MMEA personnel boarded the vessel, ordered the crew to assemble at the bow of the ship and dropped anchor. The timely arrival of the MMEA patrol vessel had foiled the plan of the robbers to hijack the tanker.
Conclusion
The ReCAAP ISC commends MMEA’s prompt and immediate assistance to Moresby 9 which was assessed had influenced the robbers’ decision to abandon the original plan to hijack the tanker. Worth mentioning was the alertness of the crew in activating the SSAS and timely reporting to nearby vessels anchored in the area; as well as the immediate reporting made by the ship agent to the ReCAAP ISC and the well-established ReCAAP ISC’s network for information sharing and operational level coordination with the MMEA, ReCAAP Focal Points and relevant enforcement agencies. All had in one way or another, contributed towards the successful outcome of foiling the robbers’ plan.
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