ReCAAP ISC Incident Alert on Incidents involving ships while underway in the eastbound lane of Singapore Strait

ReCAAP ISC had issued three Incident Alerts on incidents occurred to ships while underway in the eastbound lane of Singapore Strait (IA 05/2019 on 23 October 2019[1], IA 06/2019 on 29 November 2019[2] and IA 07/2019 on 21 December 2019[3]).

On 23 December 2019, another two incidents were reported in the eastbound lane of the Singapore Strait on the same day. Of the two ships that were boarded, one was a bulk carrier and one was a tanker. In both incidents, the crew was tied up by the perpetrators. The perpetrators escaped empty-handed after the crew activated the ship alarm. Due to the close proximity and short time interval between the two incidents (less than two hours), the possibility that the same group of perpetrators responsible for the incidents on 23 December 2019 cannot be ruled out.

With the two incidents that occurred on 23 December 2019, a total of 29 incidents have been reported in the Singapore Strait in 2019. Of these, 15 occurred to ships while underway in the westbound lane of the Singapore Strait and 14 incidents in the eastbound lane of the Strait.

ReCAAP ISC advises all ships to exercise enhanced vigilance, adopt extra precautionary measures and report all incidents immediately to the nearest coastal State. The ReCAAP ISC recommends to the law enforcement agencies of the littoral States to step up surveillance, increase patrols and enhance cooperation and coordination among them in order to respond promptly to incidents.

Detail of Incidents

On 23 December 2019, the ReCAAP Focal Point (Singapore) reported to ReCAAP ISC the occurrence of two incidents in locations of close proximity to each other in the Singapore Strait on 23 December 2019. Both incidents occurred to ships while underway in the eastbound lane of the eastern sector of the Singapore Strait. Refer to the map on the approximate location of the two incidents.

Map – Approximate location of the two incidents occurred on 23 December 2019

The details of the two incidents are described as follows:

a. On 23 Dec 19 at about 0012 hrs, tanker, Bamzi was underway in the Singapore Strait and en route from Nipa anchorage, Indonesia to Qing Dao, China when the chief engineer and duty engineer sighted three perpetrators in the engine room. One of the perpetrators was armed with a knife. The alarm was raised and the three perpetrators escaped immediately. Two motormen were later found tied up by the perpetrators. A search on board the ship was conducted, with no further sighting of the perpetrators. The crew was safe, nothing was stolen and the ship resumed her voyage. The master reported the incident to Singapore Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS), who initiated a safety navigational broadcast. The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), Singapore Police Coast Guard and Indonesian authority were notified.

b. On 23 Dec 19 at about 0154 hrs, bulk carrier, Trust Star was underway in the Singapore Strait when the crew spotted six perpetrators on board the ship and raised the alarm. Upon hearing the alarm, the six perpetrators escaped immediately. The perpetrators had confronted and tied up two crew in the engine room, who later managed to untie themselves. The master reported the incident to Singapore VTIS, who initiated a safety navigational broadcast. The RSN, Singapore Police Coast Guard and Indonesian authority were notified. The master deviated from her voyage and sailed to the port of Singapore as he was not certain on the actual number of perpetrators on board. The RSN and Singapore Police Coast Guard subsequently escorted the ship to the port of Singapore. Upon the ship’s arrival in port of Singapore, the Singapore Police Coast Guard boarded the ship and conducted a search on board. There was no further sighting of any perpetrator, the crew was safe and nothing was stolen.

Source: ReCAAP, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS