Piracy Incident Report: Phillipines

 

A detailed report from Allmode Security, with regular updates on piracy activity in the region of Indonesia this year. Incidents include multiple hijacks, boardings and attempted boardings. Despite the increased patrolling and extra monitoring of this particular region, pirates are still managing to board slow moving vessels whilst underway. Allmode advise continued enhanced vigilance in this piracy hotspot. 

 

Piracy Incident Report: 512

Incident Type:Boarded
Area: JG Summit Petrochemical Group Jetty No.1 Batangas, Philippines.
Position: 13°40’N - 121°03’E
Date of Incident: 18.09.15
Time of Incident: 0600
Information Source: IMB

Piracy Incident Report: 499

Incident Type:Boarded
Area:New Davao Oil Mill, Davao Port, Philippines
Position: 07°02’N - 125°39’E
Date of Incident: 20/08/15
Time of Incident: 1050
Information Source: IMB

Piracy Incident Report: 472

Incident Type:Boarded
Area: Batangas Anchorage, Phillipines.
Position: 13°44’N - 121°1’E
Date of Incident: 27/06/2015
Time of Incident: 0010
Information Source: IMB

Phillipines Piracy Incident Report: 376

Incident Type:Suspicious Approach
Area: Around 27nm WNW of Pearl Bank, Philippines.
Position: 06°00’N - 119°13’E
Date of Incident: 20/03/2015
Time of Incident: 1155
Information Source: IMB

A pirate action group (PAG) in four speed boats approached a Bulk Carrier underway, The Master raised the alarm and called the Malaysian navy via VHF channel. He then increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres, mustered the crew and activated the anti-piracy preventive measures. The boats chased the ship for around 20 minutes and then moved away.

Allmode Comment: Vessels with a low freeboard and a slower transit speed are at increased risk in this region, as the PAG use speed boats to approach vessels in transit. A similar incident took place earlier this month not far from this location indicating that it could be the same PAG in operation (see piracy update 365) The pirates in this region are usually armed and can be dangerous and unpredictable. All vessels; should remain vigilant and adhere to stringent antipiracy procedures to mitigate the risk of attack

 

 

Phillipines Piracy incident Report: 365

Incident Type:Suspicious Approach
Area: Around 18nm NNW of Laparan Island, Phillipines
Position: 06°13’N - 119°50’E
Date of Incident: 07/03/2015
Time of Incident:0930
Information Source: IMB

A suspected mother vessel, disguised as a fishing vessel, deployed six high speed skiffs which chased a Bulk Carrier underway.

The persons on-board the skiffs were wearing camouflage clothing. They circled around the Bulk Carrier and attempted to board the ship. The Master raised the alarm, activated the water spray system and increased speed.

Further evasive manoeuvres were taken and security messages were broadcast continuously via VHF channel 16 and the Master contacted the Philippines navy for assistance. Upon hearing the Philippines navy’s reply on the VHF channel, the skiffs aborted the attempted attack and moved away.

 Allmode Comment:

There has been recent reports of violent attacks against fishing vessels within this region and as this incident shows, it would appear that the purpose of those attacks is to utilise the vessels as ‘motherships’ to launch an attack on other vessels transiting this region. The pirates involved are commonly armed and are not adverse to using violence against crew. Allmode would advise all vessels transiting this region to increase their vigilance. If a mother ship is in the area, attacks and boardings are possible far out to sea, with little scope of detection. Ships will need to follow all advice on vessel hardening and keep a round the clock lookout to ensure early detection of any suspicious activity.