Asia/Pacific News
ReCAAP Releases Latest Report, Asia Piracy and Armed Robbery Incidents at 4 year Low
The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ReCAPP), which covers incidents of piracy and armed robbery in Asian waters, has released its latest report showing that year-to-date the number of incidents has fallen to a four year low.
The report, for May 2016, says that while the hijacking of product tanker Hai Soon 12 is the only such incident that occurred during the month, the event marked the end of a period of nine months without a hijacking for the purpose of theft of oil cargo.
As Ship & Bunker reported last month, the Indonesian Navy thwarted a planned oil theft, arrested nine suspects, and recovered the MV Hai Soon 12 after it had been hijacked off Borneo while carrying an estimated 50,000 gallons of oil,
ReCAPP notes there were no reported incidents that occurred in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore during the month of May.
Overall, ReCAAP says eight incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships occurred in Asian water during the month May, a 65 percent year on year decrease.
Seven of those eight incidents are said to have been armed robbery against ships, while the other was an incident of piracy that occurred in the South China Sea.
Further, four of the eight incidents are noted to have occurred on board ships at anchor in Indonesia, while one was in Vietnam, and another took place in India.
The final two incidents are said to have occurred on board ships that were underway in the South China Sea approaching Pulau Subi Besar and Java Sea, Indonesia.
ReCAAP states that, for the period of January to May 2016, a total of 38 incidents were reported, which the organisation notes is the lowest number of incidents during that period for the past four years.
In April, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said that, while global piracy and armed robbery against ships continues to fall, violence against vessels off the coast of West Africa is growing, with 44 seafarers kidnapped so far this year.
