ReCAAP ISC Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia - July 2016 Report
ACCORDING to ReCAAP ISC, a total of four incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia in July 2016. Two were incidents of abduction of crew from ships in waters off eastern Sabah and southern Philippines; one was an incident of robbery at a wharf in Lanang Davao City, Philippines and another was a robbery at Taboneo anchorage, Indonesia.
Between January and July 2016, a total of 47 incidents were reported, and this represents a 63% decrease in total number of incidents compared to January-July 2015 when 126 incidents were reported. The number of incidents reported during January-July 2016 is the lowest among the five-year reporting period of January-July of 2012-2016. The improvement was most apparent in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS). Incidents involving the hijacking of ships for theft of oil cargo has also decreased. Of concern was the six cases of abduction of crew off eastern Sabah and southern Philippines, which occurred between March and July 2016.
SIGNIFICANCE LEVEL OF INCIDENTS (JULY 2016)
Of the four incidents reported in July 2016, two were Category 1 incidents, one was Category 2 and one was Category 4. Both Category 1 incidents occurred off Lahad Datu, Sabah, East Malaysia, involving the abduction of crew allegedly by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). The Category 2 incident occurred at a wharf in Lanang Davao City, Philippines, involving perpetrators armed with guns and knives, boarded a tanker, stole the ship stores and escaped after the crew was alerted. The Category 4 incident occurred at Taboneo anchorage, Indonesia where perpetrators boarded a bulk carrier, broke the forepeak store padlock and stole two mooring ropes.
IMPROVEMENTS
Straits of Malacca and Singapore. The improvement in the situation in July 2016 was most apparent in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS). No incident was reported in the SOMS in July 2016. During January-July 2016, one incident was reported there compared to 64 incidents during the same period in 2015.
Hijacking of ship for theft of oil cargo. The number of incidents involving hijacking of ships for theft of oil cargo has also decreased during January- July 2016. Two incidents were reported during January-July 2016 compared to 12 incidents during the same period in 2015. In one of the incidents reported in 2016, the perpetrators were arrested and cargo remained intact as a result of timely reporting by the crew, effective information sharing among the littoral States and quick response by the authorities.
INCIDENTS INVOLVING THE ABDUCTION OF CREW
Two incidents involving the abduction of crew from ships while underway east of Lahad Datu, Sabah were reported in July 2016. On 9 Jul 16, five armed men boarded a fishing trawler, abducted three Indonesian fishermen and ed in their white speed boat. On 18 Jul 16, five Malaysian crew were abducted from their tug boat Serudong 3 which was subsequently found abandoned, with its engine still running, by a ship passing by. With the latest two incidents, a total of six incidents of abduction of crew had occurred in 2016 within a period of five months (March-July).
CONCLUSION
Overall, there has been improvement in the situation of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia in July 2016 with no incident reported in the SOMS and no incident involving hijacking of ships for theft of oil cargo. However, the occurrence of two incidents of abduction of crew from ships off eastern Sabah and southern Philippines in July 2016 continued to be of concern.
Download the Full Report HERE [pdf]
Source: ReCAAP ISC
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