Asian waters saw only three reported incidents of piracy or robbery last month, latest industry figures show.
February’s trio of incidents, which all took place in Indian waters, was the lowest monthly level seen over the past twelve months.
Details of the incidents come from the Singapore-based the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre.
ReCAAP said all three incidents were category 4, indicating that they were “opportunitistic in nature” involving perpetrators who were not armed.
“Of the three incidents, one reported loss of stores and in the other two incidents, nothing was stolen,” it added.
Two of the attacks took place while the ships were at anchor, one in Tuna Buoy anchorage, Kandla and the other in the Haldia Dock Complex, Kolkata.
ReCAAP said the third incident occurred while the ship was underway in the Gulf of Khambat off Gadhula, on India’s west coast.
Nine of the twelve incidents in the year-to-date have taken place off India prompting the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) to intensify its patrol activities especially during the hours of darkness.
“The apprehension of a suspected boat on 22 February 16 along with all eight suspects demonstrates the determination and commitment of the ICG in clamping down such illegal maritime activities in the region,” said ReCAAP.
“Ship masters and crew are advised to enhance vigilance, increase security watch shifts and sound the alarm when suspicious boats are sighted in the vicinity or unauthorised boardings took place.
“Raising alarm and mustering of crew are effective in compelling the perpetrators to escape immediately as evidenced in one of the three incidents reported in February 2016.”
ReCAAP says the ICG recommends that ship masters and crew to keep a listening watch on NAVTEX on frequency 518 KHz for updates on the situation.
