In 2014, eight cases of tanker siphoning have been reported in the South China Sea. The figure equals the total number of such operations in the region during the three previous years. In deed, 3 attacks were reported in 2013, 4 attacks in 2012 and 1 in 2011, the year during which the phenomenon appeared.
The latest attack happened on Thursday August 28th when a 1074 GT lube oil carrying vessel enroute from Singapore to Bangkok was boarded at 20:40 (local time) 30 nm from Pulau Tioman Island (Malaysia) by armed pirates. The latter, after sequestrating the vessel’s crew, proceeded to the siphoning of the shipment, carrying the loot away on two small tankers. Once the operation ended, the pirates destroyed the vessel’s communication systems.
According to the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre July 2014 Report, the successive siphoning attacks follow a modus operandi. They target -5000 GT low free-board ships at night. Pirate teams do not exceed 16 members. They are armed with revolvers and machetes. No harm is made to the crew they sequestrate during they operations. No hostages are made during the attack.
The ReCAAP Report stresses another specificity in the attacks: pirates could have accomplices amongst the crew of the ships they board. Since 2011, 6 attacks out of 17 (successful and unsuccessful attempts) have targeted the Singaporean Company Canter Marine. Two of the company’s ships, the Ai Maru and the Moresby 9, have both been attacked twice. As well, three members of the Naniwa Maru No. 1 crew have fled with the pirates, taking with them their personal belongings.
In order to realize such a technical operation, pirates need to realize quickly specific technical procedures. The fact such know-hows have been repeatedly put into practice supports the hypothesis of complicity on board.
Tanker-siphoning attacks will certainly develop in the coming years. Due to the fact: firstly, the looted shipments cannot be efficiently tracked once on ground, but also a lack of regional integration and cooperation still keeps serious countermeasures from taking shape. The ReCAAP has nevertheless recommended the ship-owners to pay particular attention to their crew’s history.
Source:
ReCAAP ISC July 2014 Report and ReCAAP incident report 08/2014 (available on: www.recaap.org)
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