Naval piracy on the rise in Asia
In its annual report the ReCaap information sharing centre (ISC) has confirmed a rise of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia in 2024. Incidents rose by 6% compared to the previous year. Eleven of the 107 incidents in 2024 remained attempts. In 2023 only one attempt was unsuccessful.
The rise in failed attempts occurred due to “heightened vigilance of ship crews when transiting through Bangladeshi, Indonesian and Singaporean waters and the Straits of Malacca,” ReCaap ISC said.
While piracy and armed robbery in ports and anchorages have risen in Bangladesh and Indonesia, they decreased in India, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The straits of Malacca and Singapore remain areas of concern; 58% of incidents occurred in these regions.
Furthermore, the ReCaap ISC has reported an increase in severity, such as the use of knives and gun-like objects to force crews into submission. (js)