Singapore-headquartered Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) has again issued a warning calling for extra vigilance while transiting the Sulu-Celebes Sea and eastern Sabah region as well as when at anchor off ports in the region.
The warning came as ReCAAP revealed details of a robbery made on board Chemikalien Seetransport’s 40,000-dwt products tanker MS Sophie (built 2004) while it was anchored off the Filipino port of Batangas on 30 June.
While at anchor, the ship’s watch-keepers discovered that an additional wooden cover over the anchor hawsepipe had been removed and the rope securing it cut. The padlock of bosun’s store was also broken. The ship items that were found missing included the forecastle bell, fire nozzles and fire hydrant covers.
“It was believed that the perpetrators were either of small size or very thin to be able to remove the wooden cover which is approximately 30x20 cm,” the report noted.
No members of the ship’s crew were injured. They reported the incident to the Philippines Coast Guard.
ReCAAP data indicates that robberies are common anchored in Southeast Asian ports, especially in the Philippines and Indonesia.
“The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre urges ship master and crew to report all incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships to the nearest coastal State and flag State, exercise vigilance and adopt relevant preventive measures taking reference from the Regional Guide to Counter Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia. Furthermore, while in port and in anchorage, ship master and crew are advised to exercise vigilance especially during hours of darkness, increase number of crew on night watch and secure ship’s stores,” the organization said.
The organization also reiterated its warning for all ships to re-route from the Sulu-Celebes Sea and eastern Sabah region or, at the very least, exercise extra vigilance while transiting the area.
