Piracy dormant, armed robbery at sea falls 39pc in first quarter

SHIPBOARD armed robbery at sea has fallen 39 per cent in the first quarter year on year, according to the Singapore-based Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC).

More good news comes with the release of four abducted crewmen who had been held in captivity by the Muslim Abu Sayyaf terrorists since January 2020 after they were rescued by the Philippines authorities on March 18.

However, the threat of the abduction of crew in the Philippines Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah still remains high.

“A total of 17 incidents of armed robbery against ships (comprising 16 actual incidents and one attempted incident) were reported in Asia during January-March 2021,” said ReCAAP ISC, reported the American Journal of Transportation.

“All the incidents reported during January-March 2021 were armed robbery against ships; no piracy incident was reported,” said the ReCAAP ISC report.

“The decrease of incidents during January-March 2021 occurred in Bangladesh, India, the Philippines, Singapore Strait and Sulu-Celebes Seas.

No incident was reported in Bangladesh against two incidents the year before. One incident was reported in India against six incidents year on year. In the Philippines, two incidents this year against four incidents last year. But two incidents were reported in Vietnam during this year against none last year.

“Of concern was the continued occurrence of incidents on board ships while underway in the Singapore Strait. Seven incidents were reported in the Singapore Strait this year against nine incidents last year.