Rising Piracy Activity in Southeast Asia Prompts Warnings from Monitoring Agencies

Monitoring agencies are issuing warnings about increased piracy activity, specifically incidents where perpetrators board vessels, tie up crewmembers, and steal stores. ReCAAP, a regional information sharing operation, is highlighting areas around the Singapore and Malacca straits, as well as issuing a special report on the rise in incidents near Chattogram Anchorage and Kutubdia island in Bangladesh.

Recent incidents near Singapore have raised concerns, with ReCAAP noting a total of 18 reports since January 2024 in the region. While low-level boarding and theft incidents have been reported in the Singapore Strait in recent years, perpetrators usually flee when discovered.

In a recent incident on June 11, the bulker Santa Regina was boarded by six armed perpetrators who tied up two crewmembers and stole engine spares. Another incident involved a chemical tanker off Batam being approached by a small boat on June 15. The tanker took evasive maneuvers and notified authorities, prompting the boat to abort its approach. ReCAAP also reports a rise in similar incidents near Bangladesh this year, with nine reported incidents between January and May, compared to just one in the entire year of 2023. Despite ongoing threats in certain areas, successful efforts by the Philippine Coast Guard have led to a reduction in the threat level for crew abductions in the Sulu-Celebes Sea and near Eastern Sabah, with the threat level now classified as Moderate Low due to military operations dismantling support bases and neutralizing piracy groups in the Sulu archipelago.

Source .