The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) recently published its 2024 annual report on Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia.
From January to December 2024, there was a higher number of unsuccessful boarding attempts by perpetrators on ships in Asian waters.
A total of 107 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships from January to December 2024, were reported to ReCAAP ISC, six per cent higher than the 101 incidents reported in 2023.
Of these 107 incidents, two were piracy incidents that occurred on the high seas, while 105 incidents were armed robbery against ships (in internal waters, territorial seas, and archipelagic waters under coastal states jurisdiction).
Of these 107 incidents, 96 were actual while 11 were attempted incidents. In 2023, there were 100 actual incidents and one attempted incident.
The higher number of unsuccessful boarding attempts in 2024 is due to the heightened vigilance of ship crew when transiting in Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.
There has also been a decrease in the number of incidents in ports and anchorages in India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam compared to 2023. Whereas a higher number of incidents were reported in ports and anchorages in Bangladesh and Indonesia.
ReCAAP said there has also been an increase in the number of incidents involving armed perpetrators.
There were more incidents involving perpetrators carrying knives and gun-like objects, not used to harm crew, but to threaten them into submission.
For the first time since 2020, two CAT 1 incidents were reported, where armed perpetrators took hostage of the crew.
There were more incidents involving larger groups of four to nine perpetrators each.
Engines spares are the most commonly stolen items.
There has also been no incident of abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas reported during January to December 2024. The last reported crew abduction occurred in January 2020.
However, the threat of abduction of crew for ransom remains due to the remnants of the armed Abu Sayyaf Group in the Sulu and Tawi-Tawi areas in the Southern Philippines.
The Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) continues to be an area of concern. About 58 per cent of the incidents in Asia (62 out of 107 incidents) occurred in the SOMS.
In the majority (86 per cent) of incidents that occurred in the SOMS, the crew were not injured. The incidents were mostly opportunistic, committed by perpetrators adopting a "hit-and-run" approach.
In most incidents, the criminals boarded ships that were ill-prepared with low freeboard, and manoeuvred at slow speeds in the restricted areas of the SOMS. The most commonly stolen items are ship stores, scrap metal, and engine spares.
Majority of the incidents (89 per cent) occurred on bigger ships, namely, bulk carriers and tankers (55 incidents). The other seven incidents occurred on tugs towing barges (six incidents) and a general cargo ship (one incident).
Of the 62 incidents in the SOMS, 52 (84 per cent) occurred during the hours of darkness between 2300 and 05:59. The other 10 incidents occurred during daylight hours.