Experts warn that economic uncertainties worldwide are expected to increase piracy attacks in Asian waters, driven by global crises such as the Ukraine war, regional geopolitical tensions, and high inflation. Admiral Artemio M. Abu, chairman of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (Recaap ISC), emphasized that the shipping industry must enhance practices like information reporting and collaboration with maritime authorities to safeguard crew and cargo.
At an anti-piracy conference held at Marina Bay Sands and organized by Recaap ISC, with support from Bimco, Intertanko, and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, experts discussed the rising trends of piracy and measures to combat it. Admiral Abu highlighted a concerning statistic: there were 25 incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia from January to March, marking a 9% increase from the previous year. Within the Singapore Strait, a critical global shipping lane, 18 piracy incidents were reported during the same timeframe, consistent with figures from the prior year. The overall number of attacks in this bustling shipping corridor soared to a seven-year high of 55 in 2022, impacting various vessel types, including bulk carriers, tankers, and barges.
During the conference, Commander Augustine Lim of the Singapore navy’s Maritime Security Task Force noted that piracy attacks tend to peak during festive seasons and monsoon periods. He mentioned that slower vessels like bulk carriers and tankers are often targeted, with perpetrators blending in among fishing boats for concealment.
Panelist Mr. Elfian Harun from Intertanko underscored the importance of utilizing data from Recaap ISC to inform coordination of patrols and heighten vigilance regarding potential piracy targets. Additionally, Mr. Ashok Srinivasan from Bimco pointed out that pirates often revisit the same locations because of the easier logistics involved.
Recaap ISC’s assistant director, Lee Yin Mui, added that the arrest of a piracy group tends to correlate with a reduction in local attacks. Moreover, maritime firm BW LPG’s general manager, Geoffrey Pearson, emphasized the importance of safeguarding crew members’ lives during piracy incidents, advocating for thorough vetting of security firms providing armed guards on vessels.
Rear-Admiral Gregorious Agung of Indonesia’s maritime security agency Bakamla stressed the need for regional partnerships in ensuring maritime security, mentioning an upcoming Asean Coast Guard Forum set for June in Jakarta.
Concluding the discussions, Recaap ISC executive director Krishnaswamy Natarajan stated that combating piracy is a collective responsibility of all maritime stakeholders, as it constitutes a transnational crime. He urged for fostering trust and cooperation among all parties to facilitate collaboration and information sharing, which are crucial for reducing piracy incidents in Asia.
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