THE ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre has launched a dashboard for analysis of piracy and sea robbery incidents.
The centre, formed under the the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia, was this week in dialogue with shipping industry representatives to discuss security concerns for vessels in the straits of Malacca and Singapore.
The dialogue follows a 37% increase in incidents of armed robbery against ships in the straits from July to September 2023 compared with the same period last year.
According to ReCAAP ISC, 91 incidents of armed robbery against ships were reported between January and October this year, which was a 34% increase compared with 68 incidents reported in the same period last year.
Sixty-two of the 91 incidents globally occurred in the straits of Malacca and Singapore, representing a 41% increase compared with the 44 incidents in the straits between January and October last year.
ReCAAP ISC launched its interactive dashboard to view and analyse past and current incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia.
The dashboard, called the ReCAAP Data Visualisation Map and Panel (Re-VAMP) shows correlations between different data sets of incidents.
It was designed to allow users to derive insights to make informed risk assessments, implement preventative measures and plan safe voyages.
ReCAAP also launched a poster containing contact details for law enforcement agencies of the littoral states of the straits of Malacca and Singapore.
The poster outlines preventative measures for ship masters entering the straits, and actions to be taken if the ship is boarded by perpetrators.
“I would like to urge the shipping companies to report all incidents, even those which are low severity in nature, immediately to the RCC of the littoral state, whose contact details are provided in the poster, so that prompt response can be made by the authorities,” ReCAAP ISC executive director Krishnaswamy Natarajan said.
“At the same time, the law enforcement agencies of the littoral states need to increase patrols and enforcement in the areas of concern to deter the potential perpetrators.”
The latest dialogue session is the second ReCAAP ISC has organised with the shipping industry this year.
The centre said the shipping industry discussed issues in implementing ship security measures and the need to engage the littoral states to reduce sea robbery incidents.
Representatives from the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore and the Singapore Police Coast Guard also shared efforts taken by the Singapore authorities to reduce armed robbery against ships in the straits of Malacca and Singapore.
MPA’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre responded to an alleged case of sea robbery last month in the Strait of Malacca. The Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier was en route to Singapore.
