THERE were a total of three incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia in February 2019, a 50 per cent decrease compared to the same month last year, according to data from Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCP).
Of the three incidents reported in January, two of them occurred on board ships anchored; one at Caofeidian anchorage in China and one at Belawan anchorage in Indonesia. The other robbery took place on board a vessel travelling along the Singapore Strait. All three incidents reported during the moth were CAT 4.
There was no hijacking of ships for theft of oil cargo reported during February nor was there any report of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah.
Howeve, ReCAPP warns 'the abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah remains a serious concern.'
As the threat of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off eastern Sabah remains, ReCP ISC maintains its advisory issued via the ReCP ISC Incident Alert dated November 21, 2016 to all ships to reroute from the area, where possible.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been a total of six incidents of armed robbery against ships and there was no incident of piracy reported
Compared to January-February 2018, there was a 65 per cent decrease in the total number of incidents reported during the first two months of 2019.
'The improvement was most apparent at ports/anchorages in Bangladesh, India, Philippines and Vietnam with no incident reported in these areas during January- February 2019 compared to the same period in 2018.
'Both the total number of incidents and the number of actual incidents reported during January-February 2019 are the lowest among the 13-year period of January-February of 2007-2019,' ReCP said.
Of the six actual incidents reported during January-February 2019, one was a CAT 3 incident and five were CAT 4 incidents.
WORLD SHIPPING
Of the three incidents reported in January, two of them occurred on board ships anchored; one at Caofeidian anchorage in China and one at Belawan anchorage in Indonesia. The other robbery took place on board a vessel travelling along the Singapore Strait. All three incidents reported during the moth were CAT 4.
There was no hijacking of ships for theft of oil cargo reported during February nor was there any report of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah.
Howeve, ReCAPP warns 'the abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah remains a serious concern.'
As the threat of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off eastern Sabah remains, ReCP ISC maintains its advisory issued via the ReCP ISC Incident Alert dated November 21, 2016 to all ships to reroute from the area, where possible.
Since the beginning of the year, there have been a total of six incidents of armed robbery against ships and there was no incident of piracy reported
Compared to January-February 2018, there was a 65 per cent decrease in the total number of incidents reported during the first two months of 2019.
'The improvement was most apparent at ports/anchorages in Bangladesh, India, Philippines and Vietnam with no incident reported in these areas during January- February 2019 compared to the same period in 2018.
'Both the total number of incidents and the number of actual incidents reported during January-February 2019 are the lowest among the 13-year period of January-February of 2007-2019,' ReCP said.
Of the six actual incidents reported during January-February 2019, one was a CAT 3 incident and five were CAT 4 incidents.
WORLD SHIPPING