Southeast Asia Turns into a Piracy Hot Spot

 

Indonesia suffered 54 attacks, the highest tally since 2003, continuing a trend that has seen acts of piracy more than triple since 2010. There was also a pick-up in activity in the Strait of Malacca between Malaysia and Indonesia, a channel plagued by piracy for centuries.

 

Malaysia itself and the Philippines also saw a rise in attacks, while Vietnam (13) and Bangladesh (11) suffered their worst January to June periods since at least 2010.

 

However, not a single incident of piracy was reported off the coast of Somalia, or in the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea or Arabian Sea, waters plagued by Somalian pirates in previous years.

 

Overall, the IMB reported 134 pirate attacks in the first six months of 2015, up from 116 in the same period last year although still well below the 266 recorded in the first half of 2011.

 

According to the report, five small tankers were hijacked in South East Asian waters in the second quarter of 2015 alone, bringing the total number of vessels hijacked globally in 2015 to 13.

 

However, the sector analysts say that though it may be true in absolute numbers of reported attacks, but before making broad statements about piracy in the region and the counter-measures required, it’s necessary to look more closely at the figures.

 

Realistic assessments of the piracy threat require analysis of the reported attacks in terms of their seriousness, the types and sizes of vessels attacked, and whether ships were proceeding slowly or stopped at anchor or in port at the time of the attack. Any ship at all may be attacked while stopped or proceeding slowly if appropriate precautions are not taken and vigilance exercised.

 

A report from the Interpreter say that Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) is a private sector organisation funded by shipping interests, particularly the insurance sector. 

 

Its reports suffer from the major drawback that they deal only in absolute numbers, counting an incident of petty theft from a ship at anchor as equivalent to a major incident of ship hijacking. Since the greater majority of incidents in the region are relatively minor, the PRC’s reports can exaggerate the threat.

 

Pottengal Mukundan, Director of IMB said: “Information sharing and coordinated action between concerned coastal states is crucial in responding to this threat. We commend the effort that caught one gang and also the hefty custodial sentences imposed on another which will help deter further incidents.”