January-August piracy incidents in Asia reach 13-year low

A total of eight incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia in August 2019, the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against ships in Asia (ReCAAP) stated in its latest report.

Of the eight incidents, two were piracy incidents and six were incidents of armed robbery against ships.

There was no report of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah, and no hijacking of ships for theft of oil cargo reported in August 2019. However, the threat of abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah remains high.

The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) has also noted the increase in the number of incidents on board tugs towing barges while underway in the Singapore Strait. Three such incidents occurred in August 2019, all in the westbound lane of the strait’s traffic separation scheme.

Compared to August 2018, there was a 11 per cent decrease in the number of incidents reported in August 2019. A total of nine incidents were reported in August 2018 compared to eight incidents in August 2019.

Of the eight incidents reported in August 2019, three incidents occurred on board ships while underway (in the Singapore Strait) and five incidents on board ships at anchor/berth (in Indonesia, South China Sea, and Vietnam).

The incidents in August 2019 brings to 44 the total of ReCAAP-reported incidents in Asia for the period January to August 2019.

Of the 44 incidents, 39 were incidents of armed robbery against ships and five were piracy incidents. Four of the five piracy incidents occurred in the South China Sea, and one incident occurred in the Pacific Ocean.

Compared to January-August 2018, there was a 25 per cent decrease in the total number of incidents reported during January-August 2019. The number of actual incidents has also decreased by 11 per cent.

A total of 59 incidents (comprising 45 actual incidents and 14 attempted incidents) were reported during January-August 2018.

Both the total number of incidents and the number of actual incidents reported during January-August 2019 are the lowest among the 13-year period of January-August of 2007-2019.

The improvement of the situation during January-August 2019 can be attributed to the decrease in the number of incidents in Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Malaysia. No incident was reported in Bangladesh during January-August 2019 compared to 11 incidents at Bangladesh’s ports and anchorages during January-August 2018.

The number of incidents in Indonesia has decreased to 14 incidents during January-August 2019 compared to 24 incidents during January-August 2018. The number of incidents in Malaysia has also decreased to one incident during January-August 2019 compared to four incidents during January-August 2018.

However, there was an increase in the number of incidents on board ships while underway in the Singapore Strait during January-August 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. A total of 14 actual incidents were reported in the Singapore Strait during January-August 2019 compared to six incidents (comprising five actual incidents and one attempted incident) during the same period in 2018.