IFC - Information Fusion Centre - MARSEC Monthly Report - JULY

1. PIRACY / ROBBERY/ MARITIME TERRORISM Generalities: In July 2020, the IFC recorded 6 incidents: 3 sea thefts and 3 attempted robberies (statistics slightly down from those of July 2019 (9) and July 2018 (8)). 64 events have been recorded by IFC between January 1st and July 31th. The number of incidents in the Singapore Strait is at the highest level for the same period since 2015.  It is primarily steaming tankers, bulk carriers and barges that have been exposed. Shift in sea theft and attempted action incidents in the Singapore Strait has been observed since the end of June (see « Singapore Strait Spot Commentary » attached). This involved two bulk carriers and one refrigerator cargo vessel transiting in the east-bound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS). The area of concern has shifted easterly from East Karimun and North Batam to Northwest of Bintan, and all incidents occurred on low freeboards vessels (between 4.5 to 6.5 m) at slow speeds (between 7 to 10 knots) and during the night. The perpetrators operate in one or two sampan-boats and usually armed with knives, machettes or occasionally guns but usually avoid contact with the crew on boarded vessels. Statistics:

• 4 of the 6 events were on ship underway - 2 were on vessels anchored or berthed;

• 4 of the 6 events occurred during Period of Darkness;

• Location of incidents (see map below):

  • Three incidents (two sea thefts and one attempted robbery) were recorded in the Singapore Strait, bringing the total number of incidents occurred in Singapore Strait to 22 in 2020. The number of incidents in the Singapore Strait is at the highest level for the same period since 2015;

  • A Sea Theft incident occurred onboard an anchored container ship in Manila Anchorage, Philippines. This is the 7th incident in this area this year;

  • An Attempted Action occurred onboard an offshore support vessel while berthed at Kakinada Port. This is the 4th incidents in this area this year and there wasn't any incident recorded in the same period in 2019 and 2018;

  • An Attempted Action occurred off Natuna Island, Indonesia on an underway tanker during daylight. It has been the first incident off Natuna Island, Indonesia since 2016. 

Assessment in Singapore Strait:

• During the next months, it is highly possible that perpetrators originating from Karimun and Batam islands intend to continue to board towed barges in the Singapore Strait primarily during day-hours; 

• They will also probably board anchored merchant vessels at Batam and Karimun anchorages in the Singapore Strait primarily during dark-hours, or merchant vessels with low freeboard in the Singapore Strait primarily during dark-hours.
  

2. ILLEGAL FISHING ACTIVITIES

• 67 IUU fishing incidents reported in Jul 20, which is 103% (34) and 26% (14) higher than in the same period respectively in 2018 (33) and 2019 (53), result of the intensive maritime border control operations during COVID-19 pandemic;

• The number of poaching incidentsrecorded in Jul 2020 (23) has increased compared to the figures recorded in Jul 2019 (15) and Jul 2018 (8) respectively;

• 91% of the reported poaching incidents were by Vietnamese fishing vessels and 70% of the reported poaching incidents occurred in Malaysian waters.

3. CONTRABAND

• The number of incidents (31) reported this month is higher than those reported during the same period in 2019 (26) and 2018 (25);

• The notorious fact this month is still, as in June, the considerable increase - compared to July 2019 and 2018 - in cases relating to drug trafficking with 12 events (meth and cannabis especially). These drug traffics occurred mainly in Malacca strait and between Sri-Lanka and India. 

4. ILLEGAL HUMAN MIGRATION

• IHM incidents for July 2020 have increased threefold from July 2019 (4) and July 2018 (8);

• 66 of the illegal migrants in July 2020 were Indonesians, 27 were Rohingya and 1 was Myanmar (« only » one incident involving Rohingya illegal migrants was recorded this month).  Download the monthly map Here