SouthEast Asia Reports 19% Rise In Ship Robberies In 2023

A Singapore-based maritime organisation reported a 19% rise in ship robberies in Southeast Asian waterways in 2023. Out of 100 cases, there was one attempt at an armed robbery. Krishnaswamy Natarajan, the executive director of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery (ReCAAP), highlighted that they were small-scale thefts involving the theft of goods such as scraps, nominal value wires, brass ship products, and engine spares.

While Bangladesh and Malaysia each reported one incidence, indicating a decrease from 2022, India reported five incidents, similar to the previous year. As Natarajan noted, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) were leading countries where occurrences were rising.

The number of events in SOMS increased to 63 from 55 in 2022, which was particularly concerning. Despite these challenges, coordinated efforts by Malaysian and Philippine officials prevented any reported crew kidnappings for ransom by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the Sulu-Celebes Seas. In 2023, the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) proactively addressed the changing needs of the maritime sector.

The ReCAAP Data Visualization Map and Panel (Re-VAMP), an interactive dashboard for monitoring and evaluating armed robbery and piracy episodes in Asia, was one of the initiatives that was introduced. The centre also created a poster that included updated contact information and rules for law enforcement organisations in the coastal states of SOMS.

The shipping sector raised awareness and facilitated prompt incident reporting to coastal states through various gatherings, including conferences, seminars, and dialogue sessions.

Reference: Business Standard

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