IFC - Information Fusion Centre - MARSEC Weekly Report

- PIRACY/ROBBERY

• One event reported: An attempted action has been late reported on a Panama flagged tanker "GLOBAL PHENIX" while underway Off Natuna Island, Indonesia on 8 Jul 20. 2 boats sighted, carrying four to six persons onboard, in which one of the boats attempted to board the vessel while underway. Seeing the approaching boat, the vessel made evasive maneuvers and directed the Aldis lights towards the boat resulting in the persons aborting and moving away;

• Total events in 2020 : 64 incidents since the beginning of the year in IFC area of responsibility (compared to 46 at the same date in 2019) ;

• Areas of interest:

  • Singapore Strait: 21 incidents in 2017, 20 in 2018, 45 in 2019, 21 in 2020 (16 events at this date in 2019) ;

  • Sulu Sea: The threat level has now been downgraded back to normal. Area remains risky. It is advisable to stay away from this area as much as possible or to write/call me before any transit if you absolutely have to transit there ;

  • Following anchorage areas:

    • Bangladesh: Chittagong;

    • India: Kakinada, Alang;

    • Indonesia: Anyer, Batam, Begawan, Belawan, Dumai, Merak, Panjang, Sandakan, Samarinda, Taboneo and Tanjung Uban;

    • Philippines: Manila, Batangas, General Santos Harbour;

    • Vietnam: Campha,  Ho Chi Minh, Vung Tau.
      

- CONTRABAND

• June 21: Three crew members were arrested by Indonesian Customs officers. They allegedly smuggled 119 kilograms of methamphetamine from Malaysia;
  

- MARITIME INCIDENTS

• July 31: A tanker was in collision with a Capesize bulk carrier in the Shanghai North Channel approaches;

• August 4: 

  • A Bulk Carrier moored to mooring buoys in Kaohsiung Harbor (Taïwan) in front of container terminal broke off her moorings when a strong storm hit Kaohsiung, colliding into a Container ship and a gentry crane;

  • A fishing boat, carrying 13 fishermen, capsized around 10 nautical miles from Gorai coast, Mumbai, India. Though 11 fishermen were rescued by another boat, two persons are still missing;

  • Seven fishermen from Tamil Nadu, India, are missing while over 4,000 others aborted fishing and safely returned to the shores early Tuesday following rough sea conditions.  Download the Full Report Here