A total of eight incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia in November 2019, according to a monthly report released on Wednesday by the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in Asia (ReCAAP).
ReCAAP said of the eight incidents reported in November 2019, five incidents, comprising four actual incidents and one attempted incident, occurred in the Singapore Strait.
“A total of eight incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia in November 2019.
“No piracy incident was reported in November 2019. There was also no report of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters o Eastern Sabah reported in November 2019.
“However, the abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah remains a serious concern.
“The ReCAAP ISC is also concerned about the continued occurrence of incidents on board ships while underway in the Singapore Strait,” ReCAAP said in its November 2019 report shared with SHIPS & PORTS.
The report stated that of the six actual incidents reported in November 2019, three were CAT 3 incidents and three were CAT 4 incidents.
All three CAT 3 incidents occurred on board bulk carriers while underway in the Singapore Strait.
Of the three CAT 4 incidents, one occurred on board a barge towed by a tug boat in the Singapore Strait, one occurred on board a product tanker berthed at Belawan Port, Indonesia and one occurred on board a tanker anchored at Batangas anchorage, Philippines.