Incident alert issued for ships in Indonesian waters

ON 17 April, two incidents occurred to ships while underway off Tanjung Pergam, Bintan Island, Indonesia. The two incidents occurred within an interval of four hours and in close proximity to each other in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme in the Singapore Strait.

In one of the incidents on 17 April, the duty engineer spotted one perpetrator trying to open the steering gear entrance door from poop deck of a petroleum/chemical tanker. The perpetrator escaped knowing that his presence was discovered. Nothing was stolen.

Within an interval of four hours, another incident occurred onboard a bulk carrier while underway in the same vicinity. Four perpetrators were sighted in the engine room of the ship. One of the perpetrators hit a crew using an adjustable wrench. The crew sustained a mild contusion on his forehead. Some engine spares were stolen.

The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre is concerned with the continued occurrence of incidents in the Singapore Strait, particularly off Tanjung Pergam, Bintan Island, Indonesia.

Of the 12 incidents reported in the Singapore Strait during January-April 2021 so far, nine incidents occurred off Tanjung Pergam (with three incidents occurred in January, one incident in March and five incidents in April).

The ReCAAP ISC urges the littoral states to increase patrols and enforcement in their respective waters, particularly in the waters off Tanjung Pergam; as well as strengthen co-ordination among the littoral states, including information sharing on the latest situation, and the criminal groups involved, in order to make arrests of the perpetrators.

“As the perpetrators of these incidents are not arrested, there is a possibility of further incidents in the Singapore Strait, ReCAAP ISC said in a statement.

“All ships are advised to exercise enhanced vigilance, adopt extra precautionary measures and report all incidents immediately to the nearest coastal state.

“Ship masters and crew are advised to keep abreast of the latest situation and tune-in to advisories and navigational broadcasts announced by the littoral states.”