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South-East Asia worst area for ship piracy, says report

Raja Simhan T.E.

CHENNAI, Nov. 7

THE South-East Asia continues to be the worst area for piracy in ships, according to a report released by the anti-maritime crime agency, International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

The latest IMB report, for January-September 2000, says that 294 actual and attempted attacks have been reported worldwide, up 63 per cent over the same period last year, and only six short of the total for the whole of 1999.

Of the total reported incidents, 90 took place in and around the Indonesian waters while 32 were reported in the Malacca Strait, and 13 in the Malaysian waters, according to the report.

The report said ships calling at Indonesian ports of Belawan, Dumai, Jakarta, Merak, Samarinda and Tanjong Priok had reported number of pirate attacks largely at berth. ``Indonesia remains the worst piracy-prone country in the world,'' the report says.

According to the report, seven areas _ Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malacca Straits, India, Malaysia, Red Sea and Ecuador _ have shared over two thirds of the total number of incidents, 208 from a total of 294 reported attacks for the period.

Of the 294 reported attacks in the said period, 202 (141) were ship boarded, 78 (22) were attempted boarding and 8 (6) were attempted/fired upon. Also, six hijacks took place during the period, the report said.

While South-East Asia was the worst area for pirate attacks, IMB is also calling for urgent action to be taken against pirates who have been attacking ships in Bangladeshi waters. Ships calling at the Bangladesh ports have been regularly subjected to th eft of zinc anodes welded to ship's sides and the stern, the report says.

Somalian waters continue to be a risk-prone area for hijackings. Ships should keep at least 50 nautical miles, and if possible 100 nautical miles from the Somali coast. Armed pirates in speedboats and gunboats open fire on ships/yachts and rob or hijack them, the report says.

The IMB had extra cautioned ships calling at all ports in Indonesia, Straits of Gelasa, Bangka, Berhala, Sunda, Malacca and Singapore, Phillip Channel, Chittagong Roads, Mongla Anchorage, Colombo, Chennai and Kochi anchorages, Kandla, Southern Red Sea, G ulf of Aden, Somali coast, Conkary and the Nigerian ports.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Marine Police have plans to intensify patrols around the Malacca Straits (which is shared by Indonesia and Malaysia) to curb piracy.