Piracy incidents hit multi-year highs in Singapore Strait in 2022
Incidents of piracy and armed robbery in the Singapore Strait have increased steadily and hit multi-year highs in 2022, according to annual data released by the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).
PHOTO: Singapore cargo terminal, one of the busiest in the world. Getty Images
A total of 55 incidents were reported in the Singapore Strait in 2022, up from 49 in 2021, 34 in 2020 and 31 in 2019. Although most involved petty theft and perpetrators fled upon sighting, ReCAAP is concerned about increasing incidents.
Incidents in the Singapore Strait accounted for 65% of the total incidents in Asia (55 of 84). Most of the 55 incidents targeted bulk carriers and tankers (41 incidents), compared to tug boats and supply vessels (14 incidents).
While the crew was not harmed in most incidents (53), a couple of incidents saw violence being perpetrated. Over half of the incidents involved groups of 1-3 people (29), while the rest involved larger groups.
Most of these incidents were carried out in hours of darkness (47) and involved the theft of unsecured items and engine spares.
ReCAAP’s executive director Krishnaswamy Natarajan observed that “the incidents reported in the Singapore Strait are invariably the armed robbery/petty theft which are of opportunistic nature.”
Meanwhile, the total number of incidents shot up by 2% in Asia in 2022.
To alleviate the situation, ReCAAP has recommended that the authorities of the littoral states of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore increase surveillance and promptly respond to incidents. It has also advised shipmasters and crews to be vigilant and report all incidents to their respective authorities.
Natarajan called for “the need for collaborative and cooperative approach to deal with the piracy and armed robbery against ships which is a transboundary maritime crime as no single agency or nation can alone deal with.”
By Tuhin Roy
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