World News
Piracy in Asia Hits New High
The number of piracies and armed robbery cases against ships in Asia is at its highest level in almost eight years, reports Platts.
Anti-piracy group Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia said in a report that 129 cases had been reported between January and September this year.
The figure is the highest number since the organisation was established in 2006.
The report said that compared to previous quarters in the same period, there had been a general upwards trend in the amount of incidents.
Northeast Pulau Bintan in the South China Sea has thus far seen the most cases.
The group said that most worrying was still reports of ships being siphoned of fuel and oil, though the number of incidents has been falling recently as maritime enforcement agencies and the shipping industry stepped up its efforts to curtail robbers.
A rise of pirate attacks on ships in Southeast Asia was also predicted earlier this year as the region sees a rise in oil and cargo moving through the area.