The Straits Times
11 May 2015
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- Piracy in Asia on the Rise
Piracy in Asia on the Rise
THEY come armed with guns, sometimes machetes and even swords, holding ship crews hostage while stealing valuable fuel.
Reported incidents of pirate attacks in the waters surrounding Singapore have been on the rise since the middle of last year, according to the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).
ReCAAP, which has 20 government members and is headquartered in Singapore, compiles regional incident reports.
In its latest report on fuel and oil siphoning in Asian waters, the organisation noted that 15 incidents were reported aboard oil or product tankers in Asia last year, up from just three in 2013.
… There is “corruption and distortion in the fuel distribution system, particularly in Indonesia”, said Dr Sam Bateman, an adviser to the Maritime Security Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. “The relative difference in fuel prices between regional countries is another factor leading to a regional ‘black market’ in fuels.”
IDSS / Online / Print
Last updated on 18/11/2015
