In recent maritime security incidents, criminals have primarily targeted ships vulnerable due to poor preparation, particularly those with low freeboard and operating at slow speeds in congested areas of the South of Malaysia Sea (SOMS). The thieves typically stole items such as ship stores, scrap metal, and engine spares.
Analysis of the reported cases reveals that a significant majority—89 percent—of the incidents involved larger vessels, specifically bulk carriers and tankers, with 55 reported thefts. The remaining seven incidents occurred on smaller vessels: six involved tugs towing barges and one involved a general cargo ship.
A striking pattern emerges regarding the timing of these incidents. Out of 62 reported thefts in the SOMS, a considerable 52 incidents, representing 84 percent, occurred during the hours of darkness, specifically between 11 PM and 6 AM. This highlights the heightened risk during nighttime when visibility is low, and ship operations may be less monitored. The remaining 10 incidents took place during daylight hours, suggesting that while daytime thefts are less common, they still pose a threat.
Overall, the data indicates a pressing need for improved vessel preparedness and strategic security measures, especially for larger cargo ships that are more frequently targeted, to mitigate the risk of such incidents occurring in the future.
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