Two incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia were reported to the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC).
One incident occurred on June 25 onboard a heavy transport vessel while anchored at Kabil Anchorage, Indonesia.
The other incident occurred on July 8 onboard a bulk carrier while underway in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS). No injuries were reported for the heavy transport vessel and bulk carrier.
In a dialogue session with the shipping industry, including the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Information Fusion Centre (IFC) and industry associations, ReCAAP revealed that there had been a total of 51 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia (ARAS) in the first half of 2024, a 16% decrease compared to 61 incidents in the same period last year.
It said that the Straits of Malacca and Singapore has witnessed about 50% reduction in incidents of sea robbery. “This is owing to enhanced surveillance and the arrests made by the littoral States of SOMS.”
ReCAAP ISC Executive Director, Krishnaswamy Natarajan, said: “Overall, the piracy and sea robbery situation in the Asian region, including the SOMS, has improved in the first half of 2024, compared to the same period last year.
“This can be attributed to concerted efforts by maritime stakeholders, stricter monitoring and enforcement by the law enforcement agencies of coastal States, and proactive reporting of incidents by shipmasters and shipping companies.”
Despite the lower number of incidents in Asia, ReCAAP ISC notes that there has been a higher number of incidences of petty theft reported at some ports and anchorages from January to June 2024, compared to the first half of 2023.
As it is reported, this has to be dealt with by the port authorities and law enforcement agencies of coastal States.
