A Berge Bulk newcastlemax newbuilding has become the latest vessel to be targeted by opportunist robbers in waters off Singapore.
The 211,599-dwt Berge Mauna Loa (built 2024) was boarded by three unarmed men in the early on 29 July about 3.2 nautical miles (5.9 km) north-west of Pulau Cula, Indonesia.
The Isle of Man-flagged vessel was delivered from Japan’s Imabari Shipbuilding in April — one of a series of four sister ships being built at the shipyard.
The attack was one of three incidents between the 23 and 29 July aboard vessels while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS).
The Singapore-based Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) confirmed details of the incident in its latest weekly report.
“While underway, three perpetrators were sighted in the ship’s steering room. They escaped upon the activation of the ship’s general alarm,” ReCAAP said.
“A search was conducted with no further sighting of the perpetrators. Nothing was stolen and all crew members were safe.
“The master reported the incident to Singapore Vessel Traffic Information Systems and a safe navigational broadcast was initiated,” the piracy watchdog added.
Barely three hours after the Berge Mauna Loa was targeted, a Greek-owned bulker, the 75,000-dwt Thisseas (built 2012) was boarded by five perpetrators armed with knives also off Pulau Cula.
The suspects are reported to have escaped when the ship’s general alarm was sounded. Nothing was stolen and all crew members were safe.
The two incidents come just days after another Greek-owned bulker, the 81,700-dwt Corinna (built 2013), was boarded by five intruders armed with knives in the same area on 23 July.
In all three cases, the Singapore Police Coast Guard boarded the vessels on their arrival at the anchorage and conducted searches, but no perpetrators were found.
ReCAAP described the incidents involving the Thisseas and the Corrina as Category 3 incidents, which is said to be “less significant” in nature while the incident involving the Berge Bulk vessel was described as a Category 4 which is deemed to be “least significant” in nature.
With these three incidents in the SOMS, there have now been 27 attacks on shipping in the area since the beginning of this year.
ReCAAP said it was advising ships to exercise “enhanced vigilance” when transiting SOMS and called on littoral states to increase patrols and enforcement in these areas.
Despite these latest incidents, attacks on shipping in Asia’s most important strategic waterway have almost halved in the first six months of this year, according to ReCAAP data.
Twenty-one incidents were reported in the SOMS between January and June, a 49% decline from the corresponding period last year.
Most of the reported incidents, 81%, occurred on board bulkers. The remaining incidents targeted tugs towing barges, offshore structures or chemical tankers.
ReCAAP said most incidents were opportunistic theft committed by perpetrators who were “non-confrontational” and adopted a “hit-and-run” approach.
However, a report by the International Maritime Bureau said violence against seafarers was increasing despite the overall drop in piracy cases.
