-
There were a total of 82 incidents of armed robbery against ships reported in Asia in 2021, comprising 77 actual incidents and five attempts, a decline of 15% year-on-year
-
Of the 82 incidents, 53 incidents (65%) occurred to ships while underway and 29 incidents (35%) to ships while at anchor/berth
-
The pandemic may have contributed to the rise in cases in the Singapore Strait
-
The designation of Manila South Harbor as anchorage area for crew change of ships has raised the possibility of increases in illegal boarding by criminal groups
Incidents of armed robbery were up in the Singapore Strait and in Manila anchorage areas in 2021 even as overall incidents in Asia declined 15% compared to 2020, according to a new report.
A total of 82 incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia in 2021, comprising 77 actual incidents and five attempts, a decline of 15% year-on-year, according to the annual report of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC).
Of the 82 incidents, 53 incidents (65%) occurred to ships while underway and 29 incidents (35%) to ships while at anchor/berth.
There was no piracy incident in 2021, ReCAAP ISC data shows.
The decrease in incidents was noted across many countries and locations, namely, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, South China Sea, and Sulu-Celebes Seas.
There was zero incident in Bangladesh, South China Sea as well as the Sulu-Celebes Seas. However, there was an increase of 15 incidents in the Singapore Strait.
In terms of the severity of incidents, except for Category 2 incidents which increased from six incidents in 2020 to eight incidents in 2021, there was an overall decrease in the number of incidents for the other categories. In particular, there was no incident of Category 1 (most serious incident), which is the first time in the last 15 years.
There were three areas of concern in 2021.
One is an increase of number of incidents in the Singapore Strait from 34 incidents in 2020 to 49 incidents in 2021, although the level of severity was not high. As the perpetrators have not been arrested, there is a possibility that such incidents will continue to occur, said ReCAAP ISC.
The center’s executive director Masafumi Kuroki said the pandemic may have contributed to the rise in cases in the Singapore Strait.
“Covid-19 has deteriorated economic conditions in many regions and that could have led to more people (in coastal communities) resorting to sea robberies,” he said, as quoted by The Straits Times.
Also concerning is an increase of violence level towards crew at the Manila anchorages, said ReCAAP ISC.
Nine incidents of armed robbery against ships occurred to ships while anchored at South Harbor anchorage areas in Manila in 2021. Out of these incidents, four involved perpetrators armed with gun/knife who threatened and tied up the crew.
These incidents are linked to the designation of anchorage areas by the Philippine authorities for crew change of ships due to COVID-19. With more ships anchored in the area, the possibility of illegal boarding by criminal groups also increases, the report said.
The third area of concern is the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah. While no abduction of crew incident has been reported since January 2020, the leaders of the Abu Sayyaf group are still at large, which means the threat of the abduction of crew incidents remains high.
ReCAAP is the first regional government-to-government agreement to promote and enhance cooperation against piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia and it established the ReCAAP ISC in Singapore in 2006.
Image by erwin nowak from Pixabay
