Pirates strike 6 tankers in SE Asia

Seven pirate attacks were reported from various Southeast Asian ports in less than two weeks, with six of them coming from Indonesia close to the key Strait of Malacca shipping lane, according to the International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) piracy reporting center website Monday.

Pirates strike 6 tankers in Southeast Asia waters in less than 2 weeks: IMB

Seven pirate attacks were reported from various Southeast Asian ports in less than two weeks, with six of them coming from Indonesia close to the key Strait of Malacca shipping lane, according to the International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) piracy reporting center website Monday.

The incidents involved pirates boarding five tankers and a dry bulk carrier berthed or anchored at various Indonesian ports between December 10 and 19, the website said.

Also, an attempted attack was reported from Malaysian waters off Teluk Ramunia on Thursday, when a speed boat approached and came alongside an anchored chemical tanker. The boat sped away when the tanker crew sounded the alarm.

The Malacca Strait is a key choke point in Asia, with some 15.2 million b/d oil shipped through this channel. According to the US Energy Information Administration, over 60,000 vessels transit through this lane annually. Recently, two tanker hijackings occurred off Malaysian waters, one on October 10 and another on November 7.

Figures from piracy watchdogs IMB and ReCAAP showed a drop in waterborne piracy this year, but new hot spots in West Africa and Indonesia.

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Source: platts.com