Maritime
UN meeting on maritime
crime in the Sulu and
Celebes Sea
Figures from the International
Maritime Bureau (IMB) Piracy
Reporting Centre (PRC) indicate that
there has been a growth in piracy
and armed robbery in the waters
between Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines.
Credits : http://un.trendolizer.com/
T
he United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
organised a recent meeting in Manila to discuss piracy
and maritime crime in the Sulu and Celebes Sea. It
was attended by government officials from Indonesia,
Malaysia, the Philippines and elsewhere, as well as
representatives from international organisations and a
number of consulates.
Figures from the International Maritime Bureau
(IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) indicate that there
has been a growth in piracy and armed robbery in the
waters between Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines.
One of the speakers at the event was Chirag Bahri, from ISWAN (Interna-
tional Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network), who spoke on the per-
spective of seafarers and the dangers they faced in high-risk environments.
ISWAN’s piracy programme provides humanitarian support to seafarers
and their families affected by piracy. He advised that seafarers should be
trained in piracy awareness before joining a vessel, and that ships should
follow best management practices when transiting through piracy-affect-
ed waters.
Recent incidents worldwide reported to the IMB 24-hour PRC include
the following.
*Three people in a small skiff, two with handguns, were spotted at-
tempting to board a containership off Guayaquil, Ecuador on 28 August.
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The ship’s horn was sounded continuously and the robbers abandoned
their attempt and moved away.
*Four robbers attempted to board a tanker berthed at Insular oil termi-
nal, Davao, Philippines on 27 August. The alarm was raised and the robbers
abandoned their attempt.
*Duty crew spotted two robbers attempting to board a bulk carrier an-
chored at Muara Berau, Samarinda, Indonesia on 27 August. The alarm was
sounded and the crew mustered. The robbers abandoned their attempt
and escaped.
*Two people in a small skiff were spotted alongside a containership off
Guayaquil, Ecuador on 20 August. The onboard security guards raised the
alarm and switched on all deck lighting. The robbers abandoned their
attempt and moved away.
*Ten robbers boarded a barge under tow by a tug in the Singapore
Straits on 3 July. The crew contacted the authorities and a police boat
was dispatched. When the robbers saw the police boat approaching they
escaped from the barge, but re-embarked once it had left and stole the
cargo.
https://www.itfseafarers.org/
All attacks and suspicious sightings should be reported to the
IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, tel: +603 2031 0014 (24 hours), email:
[email protected]