During 8 – 9 November 2020, three incidents of armed robbery against ships occurred on board ships while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait. The incidents occurred within the interval of six hours and in close proximity to each other. In all three incidents, there was no confrontation between the perpetrators and the crew. Ship equipment and a lifebuoy were stolen in two of the incidents; and nothing was stolen in the other incident.
With the three incidents during 8-9 November, a total of 31 incidents have been reported in the Singapore Strait since January 2020. Of these, 27 incidents occurred in the eastbound lane of the TSS, one incident in the westbound lane of the TSS, two incidents in the precautionary area, and one incident just outside (south) of the TSS.
The ReCAAP ISC is concerned with the continued occurrence of incidents in the Singapore Strait. As the perpetrators of these incidents are not arrested, there is a possibility of further incidents in the Singapore Strait. All ships are advised to exercise utmost vigilance, adopt extra precautionary measures and report all incidents immediately to the nearest coastal State. Ship master and crew are advised to keep abreast of the latest situation (at https://www.recaap.org) and tune-in to advisories and navigational broadcasts announced by the littoral States. The ReCAAP ISC urges the littoral States to increase patrols and enforcement in their respective waters, strengthen coordination among them and promote information sharing on the latest situation, and the criminal groups involved in order to make arrests of the perpetrators.
