Indonesian troops storm a hijacked vessel during a military simulation, off the Batam Island in Indonesia, in 2012. Finally, four days after the attack, the Orapin 4 pulled into its home port of Sri Racha, Thailand the town, as it happens, where the namesake hot sauce was first brewed. As the perpetrators have not been arrested, there is a possibility that such incidents continue to occur. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The perpetrators did not harm the crew aboard ships in the majority of the incidents, apart from two reported case of crew members being assaulted.

2020 was a challenging year for maritime security actors in Southeast Asia.

Some provisions within UNCLOS exclude many of these new types of attacks.

Economic contraction is leading to high levels of unemployment, thus forcing people in coastal communities to turn to crime as a means to provide for themselves and their families.

Alliances have preferential services for blank sailings, MABUX: Bunker Weekly Outlook, Week 29, 2022, Containership demolition sales drop to zero in first-half 2022, MABUX: Bunker Weekly Outlook, Week 28, 2022, Top 10 carriers: four winners and four losers in H1, MABUX: Bunker Weekly Outlook, Week 27, 2022, MABUX: Bunker Weekly Outlook, Week 26, 2022. When you siphon liquids, a ships engineer has to know what theyre doing, Michael Frodl, a maritime security expert whose company, C-LEVEL Maritime Risks, advises insurers, shipowners, governments and piracy-reporting organizations in the region. Aside from these drivers of increased criminal activity, there was a parallel surge in piracy enabling factors. 2020 GlobalMaritimeHub | All Rights Reserved. Article 101 creates a situation in which pirate acts committed in the exclusive economic zones or territorial seas of any other state do not fall within the ambit of this provision. The most perilous seas, as the U.N. declared last month, are those of Southeast Asia and for criminals they offer sumptuously rich pickings.

They also outlined current efforts to tackle the issue, which includeconducting joint exercises with Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand to better deal with maritime incidents, patrolling Singapore waters and sending regular alerts to remind vessels to exercise vigilance. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

This is an encouraging development.

Between 70% and 80% of all the oil imported by China and Japan transits the straits.

In addition to these definitional limitations, the implementation process is often flawed.

According to its Port Authority, Singapore is the largest and most important bunkering port in the world., The modus operandi [in Southeast Asia] is a general move away from pure robberies in transit and towards more elaborate hijackings for product theft targeting both product tankers and crude palm oil barges, von Hoesslin wrote in Risk Intelligences 2013 year-end report.

It was a familiar script: after all, it was the 10th such attack in the region since April. Sengprasert was unable to confirm whether the chief engineer was still working for the company. Photograph by Edgar SuReuters.

One positive development in 2021 was the decrease in piracy and armed robbery cases against ships across many countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Further, as state budgets are adjusted to compensate for the health crisis, non-state actors are escalating violence on land which is spilling over into the maritime domain. This represents a decrease of 15% compared to 2020. Another issue that limits implementation is the poorly financed law enforcement agencies.

Southeast Asia is prone to piracy due to a number of factors ranging from the wide income gap among its coastal states to its busy, narrow shipping lanes, all of which makes ships travelling through the region a target for attack. We believe that there is some insider information, Teo told TIME, citing the circumstances surrounding these specific attacks. You can Unsubscribe anytimeby clicking theUnsubscribelink at the bottom of each email we send. Bursting onto the bridge, the attackers locked the ships crew below deck and disabled the communications system.

In January 2014, the Indonesian government announced a list of 10 hot spots of pirate activity. Please update your browser at http://update.microsoft.com. Experts say that employment by short-term contract ensures the fluid movement and steady supply of personnel in the industry but can make it difficult to trace shipping companies, captains and their crews. around theworld. international events from experts at the Lowy Institute and The laws set by the United Nations 40 years ago no longer suit the fight against modern-day crime on the high seas.

To the coastal States, we recommend increased patrols and effective law enforcement as well as close cooperation between littoral states.

Despite the fact that the majority of media coverage tends to focus on piracy off the coast of Somalia, Southeast Asia remains one of the most perilous waters in particular, the Singapore Strait, the Strait of Malacca and the Indonesian waters. Here, the territory is vast, law enforcements resources are stretched, and the potential profits are immense.

expert commentary on the latest international A former commander in the Republic of Singapore Navy, Teo is now deputy director of the Information Sharing Center (ISC) of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia (or, as its mercifully abbreviated, ReCAAP).

Indeed, also the current EU-ASEANPlan of Action reaffirms the importance of strengthened cooperation on maritime security issues, such as in combatting sea piracy, armed robbery against ships, as well as encouraging cooperation to comprehensively address maritime-related issues. The gift link for this subscriber-only article has expired. There are 34 provincial offices in the sprawling archipelago, each with its own Regional Representative Council, overseeing, among other things, the management of natural resources and other economic assets powers that can be exploited by local players.

These (sea robberies) largely comprise cases of petty theft and most are opportunistic and non-confrontational in nature..

The responsibility for putting policemen in the right place falls to people like Commander Benyamin Sapta, who commands 174 marine police officers based on Indonesias Batam Island. Today, the system is much different.

South Korea has effectively been an island since the division of Korea, but Moon Jae-in has grand hopes for a change. Whilethe Peoples Action Party was assured of holding power once more, the results didnt all flow its way. Most of the cases were carried out after dark by three to five perpetrators in small boats.

However, Sengprasert conceded that particular details regarding the May 2014 attack many collected by ReCAAP had created cause for concern, prompting the companys formal investigation.

These relationships often result in insufficient auditing of captains and sailors, and can increase the likelihood of theft and corruption. No such incident has been reported there since the Philippine authorities arrested the leader and members of a criminal group between September and November 2021.

Pictured above: Vessels anchor off the east coast of Singapore on Aug. 15, 2014. It was just one of hundreds of skiffs amid hundreds of ships gleaming in the sun of the Singapore Strait, which is now so crowded with vessels that pirates can hide in plain sight.

9 Jun 2022 10:30, Thailand seeking to profit from a global food crisis, Indias inconsistent adherence to the Women, Peace and Security agenda, Moons Eurasia: opening up North Korea, serving Seouls interests. Stay up to date with the latest maritime news and stay informed with maritime compliance issues. It thinks of the 2013 Hollywood movie Captain Phillips, which tells the story of the hijacking of the Maersk Alabama in 2009 and the capture of its American captain. MCI (P) 031/10/2021, MCI (P) 032/10/2021. Malaysia and Indonesia may be willing to share, but they suspect ReCAAP and its Singaporean backers are unwilling to reciprocate information sharing, says von Hoesslin.

This year, 18 of the regions 47 pirate attacks occurred in the waters surrounding Batam, which lies a mere 45-minute sail from Singapores main harbor. The West Indian Ocean, which includes Somalia, accounted for just 28%, and the West African coast only 18%.

It could also mitigate the corruption associated with piracy by developing uniform anti-corruption laws across the region, topping up salaries for underpaid officials, and encouraging citizens to report corruption and police misconduct. His officers, for example, cannot chase suspected pirates from international waters into the territorial waters of neighboring countries (known as the right of hot pursuit) unless prior permission is given. This corridor is a potent example of the need to establish efficient international coordination mechanisms to combat transnational maritime security threats. As such,CRIMARIO IIis now expanding into Southeast Asia in the hopes of increasing cooperation and contributing to maritime stability in the region. Neither Malaysia nor Indonesia is a member of ReCAAP. "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.

According to one source, who preferred not to be identified because of their ongoing work in the region, Malaysia does not want to see ReCAAP become a rival of the Kuala Lumpurbased IMB, and Indonesia wanted to host ReCAAP in Jakarta but lost the bid to Singapore. Pirated oil is often mixed with legally obtained oil at sea in vessels referred to as mother ships, and it is difficult if not impossible to discern whether a given oil supply has been illegitimately obtained.

Published daily by the

They then scrubbed the first and last letter from the boats stern, leaving a new identifier, Rapi, in its place. events, published daily by the He should have sailed to the nearest port, said Sengprasert. As long as the number of pirate attacks in Southeast Asian waters remains high, governments in the region must put a higher priority on the issue and act with greater urgency. ReCAAP Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia, Annual report 2021, South Korea fines 23 shippers, with $81mil on price fixing, Maritime Safety: Shipping Industry Guidance on Pilot Transfer Arrangements, 3rd Edition, Maritime compliance: IACS Unified Requirements for cyber security mandatory from 1 Jan 2024, Maritime Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea - New Legislation in Nigeria, Maritime security: Drug Smuggling in Colombian Ports.

Indonesia has 95,000 km of coastline. The figures were released on Tuesday (Jan 18) in an annual report by the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (Recaap) Information Sharing Centre.

If pro-Houthi media claims are believed, the use of drones as weapons is increasingly strategic and more than tactical. The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), adopted by most Southeast Asian states, defines piracy in its Article 101. Todays pirates use advanced technology, such as radars and global positioning systems, to gain information and capture larger vessels.

The Orapin 4 is one of 11 vessels registered to the Bangkok-based Thai International Tankers.

The increasing interest of Europe in the region has encouraged the European Union to seek more active involvement in activities ensuring smooth trade and securitisation of the Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs). The broad range of these locations is emblematic of the regional scope of the problem. Since most of Southeast Asia consists of low- and middle-income countries, the regions budget is relatively limited. An increase of violence level towards crew at the Manila Anchorages. By clicking Accept, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. As highlighted by ReCAAP ISC Executive Director Masafumi Kuroki at the 12th Nautical Forum on 15 January 2021, there was a significant increase in actual incidents of piracy last year (+17% compared to 2019).

From 1995-2013, 41% of the world's pirate attacks happened in SE Asia. Pictured above: Vessels anchor off the east coast of Singapore on Aug. 15, 2014.

On the part of ships, they are reminded to report any incidents to the coastal States in a timely manner, said Mr. Masafumi Kuroki, Executive Director of ReCAAP ISC. Your browser is out of date. With access to this information, the syndicate was able to commandeer the ship, steal its cargo and mix it with a second, legally obtained supply, before selling the mixed batch to an unwitting European buyer, von Hoesslin says. For instance, while a shipping company may be able to vet the captain of a ship, the captain will chose his crew, and that crew may have no contact with, much less loyalty to, the parent shipping company.

Under most conditions, the brazen attack on the Orapin 4 would have been notable.

While the 14 members of the crew were safe, the pirates and $1.9 million in stolen fuel were long gone.

The improvement can be attributed to the decrease of incidents across many countries and locations, namely, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, South China Sea and Sulu-Celebes Seas. Of the nine incidents reported there in 2021, four involved perpetrators armed with guns or knives who threatened crew members and tied them up. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. In February 2021, three incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia. Copyright 2021 SPH Media Limited.

The 49 cases are the highest since the 99 incidents in 2015.

There was no report of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah in February 2021. Some other companies avoid shipping this cargo, he said.

But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. In April, the International Chamber of Commerce published a new report on piracy and armed robbery against ships. They mostly targeted bulk carriers and stole engine spares to resell in the region. Third is the UNCLOS definition of two ships, the involvement of which is necessary for any illegal acts of violence or detention, or any act of depredation to fall within the scope of piracy. The U.S. donated 19 patrol vessels to the Indonesian Marine Police in 2011, of which four were sent to Batam.

According to maritime experts, these varied arrangements create weak links between the myriad actors in the shipping industry.

However, this was not the case with the Orapin 4. The captain and crew have been cleared, Sudakorn Sengprasert, manager of Thai International Tankers, told TIME. The Interpreter features in-depth analysis & Out of 9 incidents, 4 incidents involved perpetrators armed with gun/knife and threatened the crew and tied them up. While conducting research in Pontianak, Indonesia, he heard of a chief engineer and captain selling information about an upcoming oil shipment, through a middleman, to a local criminal syndicate. As for the fourth, We cannot afford the parts to fix the engine, Tanjung says. This trend only started in the last three months, and we expect there will be more, Nicholas Teo told TIME in June. The UNCLOS definition limits the ability of Southeast Asian states to prosecute offenders in these circumstances.

No incident has been reported since September 2021. CMR Newsletter#4 October-December 2020: CRIMSON, CMR Newsletter #5 January-April 2021: CRIMARIO. This article is now fully available for you, Please verify your e-mail to read this subscriber-only article in full. Each year, more than 120,000 ships traverse these waterways, accounting for a third of the worlds marine commerce. Regional governments are being forced to spend vast amounts of money to tackle COVID-19, as funds that were already allocated to different sectors have been redirected to support distressed economies.

To combat the attacks, organizations such as the Singapore navys Information Fusion Centre, ReCAAPs ISC and the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), which monitors maritime security worldwide, have sought to improve information sharing, facilitate coordinated patrols and work with regional governments on more effective allocations of time and resources. (www.MaritimeCyprus.com) The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) is the first regional government-to-government agreement to promote and enhance cooperation against piracy and armed robbery in Asia.

These cookies do not store any personal information. Agencies do not have enough resources to hire and train members, which leads to inconsistency in decision making and law implementation. Given these shortcomings, what is the way forward?

When you dont have intelligence coordination at the national level, it is very difficult to have it at the regional level., There is also mistrust of Singapore.

Speaking hypothetically about oil thefts at sea, and not specifically about Orapin 4, he claims, In order to move that much fuel that quickly, the captain and likely the chief engineer are involved.. All rights reserved. Tackling graft must be another. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. They arent posting this on eBay or Craigslist, Frodl adds. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. A barrel-chested man with gelled and impeccably parted hair, Sapta affirms Jakartas commitment to fighting piracy but disagrees that attacks are on the rise.

All rights reserved. In the past 12 months, the company has fallen victim to four separate pirate attacks: the first in August 2013, two more attacks within days of each other in October 2013, and the latest, against Orapin 4, in late May 2014. These ships continue to grow more vulnerable as shipping companies cut down on crew numbers and reduce security measures; prolonged crew working hours on board ships, due to the current obstacles to crew rotation, causes fatigue and may reduce vigilance. According to a 2010 study by the One Earth Future Foundation, piracy drains between $7 billion and $12 billion dollars from the international economy each year. Stay informed with the latest commentary and analysis on However, as the leaders of the Abu Sayyaf Group are still at large, the threat of the abduction of crew incidents remains high. Seemingly petty regional politics are also hampering the fight against piracy. The Indo-Pacific: Where to increase maritime domain awareness?

Frcon conducted a series of interviews with local sources on Batam between 2009 and 2012, and learned that the islands pirate bosses (or godfathers, as he calls them) are enormously powerful.

Stretching from the westernmost corner of Malaysia to the tip of Indonesias Bintan Island, the Malacca and Singapore straits serve as global shipping superhighways. The digital e-newsletter will be delivered directly to your inbox. Lowy Institute. A boat of the Thai Marine Department lies next to the Thai registered oil tanker MT. Consequently, government law enforcement agencies such as navies and coast guards are operating on reduced funding, making it very difficult for them to undertake routine patrols of their ports and territorial waters, where most attacks occur.

The Asian share of that represents buccaneering on a lavish scale, and it is becoming more ambitious. Singapores election: Why arent the winners smiling.

Thats from America, Tanjung, a young marine police officer, tells TIME, his arm raised toward a boat in dry dock covered in a white tarpaulin.

Radio alerts were sent out, asking other vessels to keep an eye out for the ship but nobody had seen it. Ships began avoiding those areas and Sapta contends that, since then, small-scale pirate attacks have decreased. These require military coordination and meticulous planning.

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly.

It could be a Japanese-owned ship, sailing under a Panamanian flag, using an Indonesian captain with a Filipino crew.. No. The European Union supports the Critical Maritime Routes Programme, Rusi Europe implements the CRIMSON project that monitors, supports and evaluates the Critical Maritime Routes Programme.

Revising piracy law and strengthening implementation practices would be a good start. Besides law reform, there is also a need to improve domestic implementation of piracy law.

Despite efforts by Southeast Asian governments, piracy is still rampant in their waters, mainly due to the limitations of piracy laws and implementation practices. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. When the world thinks of piracy, it thinks of Somalia and red-eyed young brigands peering over the barrels of their Kalashnikovs. The policeman has to be in the right place at the right time.. What people are concerned about is that if no one is trying to stop it, it is likely to continue. For clarity, perhaps he should have said that people are trying to stop it, but piracy rampant, industrial-scale organized piracy is happening anyway.