The Singapore Strait has seen a spike in the number of incidents of robbers boarding vessels, says a top security consultancy.
The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) recorded 14 incidents in the period January to mid-August 2019.
“That was the highest number in any eight-month period since ReCAAP began collecting data in 2011,” said UK-based security consultancy Gray Page.
In the most recent incident five armed intruders boarded a kamsarmax owned by Greece’s Alpha Bulkers as it approached the Singapore Strait.
The men, who were reported to be carrying knives, were spotted on the aft deck of the 81,247-dwt Transpacific (built 2012) shortly before midnight.
The Malta-flagged vessel had entered the eastbound lane of the Singapore Strait Traffic Separation Scheme and was off the Indonesia island of Pulau Cula.
“As soon as the intruders were spotted the crew activated the ship’s security alert system (SSAS). The intruders fled before being able to steal anything,” said Gray Page.
The authorities were alerted and a Singapore coastguard vessel is reported to have escorted the bulker into Singapore.
In almost all the 2019 cases, intruders had boarded barges undertow to steal scrap metal, according to Gray Page.
But four-days before the bulk carrier Transpacific was boarded, thieves targeted an unnamed tanker and the 33,191-dwt general cargo ship TSL Rosemary (built 2012).
The two ships were reported to be anchored in Malaysian waters, close to the eastern end of the Singapore Strait.
The Hong Kong-flagged TSL Rosemary was 17.7 nm east of Bandar Penawar, Johor, Malaysia in the South China Sea when the incident took place.
“While at anchor, three perpetrators boarded the ship via the anchor chain from a small wooden boat,” said ReCAAP in its latest weekly report.
“They broke the forepeak store lock and stole a new mooring rope, but the crew was alerted, mustered; and they proceeded towards the forecastle.
“Upon realising that the crew had been alerted, the perpetrators jumped overboard and escaped immediately.”
Gray Page said ships in and around the Singapore Strait should maintain strict watches and be alert for the approach of small craft.
