Shipowners have been instructed by the Indonesian Navy to avoid sailing around the southern Philippines due to the latest spree of piracy incidents.
The intensity of patrols up to the exclusive economic zone border with the Philippines and Malaysia has been increased, an Indonesian military spokesman told Reuters.
Indonesian top executives have expressed fears that the country could become a “new Somalia”.
A total of 18 seafarers have been kidnapped in three separate attacks on tugboats in Philippine waters.
All of them were conducted by groups suspected of ties to the Abu Sayyaf network, though to be related to terrorism.
Analysts estimate that the busy shipping route along Indonesia’s maritime border with the Philippines carries cargo worth $40bn each year.
Besides fully laden tankers and bulkers crossing this route, this part of Asia is also quite popular for vessel cold stacking.
