A number of robbers boarded an anchored Indian-registered bulk carrier, Vishva Nidhi, unnoticed and escaped with the ship’s properties on Sunday, according to data from the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Centre (IMBPRC).
At the time of the incident, the 57,144 dwt bulker was anchored in the Indonesian Taboneo Anchorage, where it arrived a week earlier, according to Marine Traffic’s AIS data.
The theft was discovered by the duty crew while performing routine rounds.
The boarding is the latest incident related to anchorages in Indonesia.
IMBPRC reported that two unauthorised persons attempted to board an anchored tanker in the country’s Balikpapan Anchorage in June.
Alert duty crew noticed the persons and informed the bridge officer, upon which an alarm was raised and crew mustered. Upon hearing the alarm and seeing the crew alertness, the unauthorised persons aborted the boarding.
The second incident occurred in the Dumai Inner Anchorage, when three robbers armed with knives boarded an anchored bulk carrier.
Two robbers managed to enter the engine room, threaten the duty oiler and order him not to raise the alarm.
The robbers then stole engine spares and escaped.
According to infographics released by the Asian piracy watchdog ReCAAP ISC, during the first half of the year a total of 30 incidents, mainly opportunistic theft, occurred at ports and anchorages, 75 percent of which were related to Indonesia and India.
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