| TRIO HIT OFF INDONESIA |
Three more ships have been subjected to robbery attempts in Indonesian waters latest intelligence reveals.
At Priok anchorage five armed robbers boarded the anchored vehicle carrier Barcelona (built 1994) and took one crew member hostage temporarily while they stole engine spares before escaping.
In the second incident six armed robbers boarded the VLGC G Commander (built 1995) about 5 nautical miles east of Karimun Kecil Island.
They took one crew member hostage temporarily in the engine room while they stole engine parts. They then escaped after the crew mustered and raised the alarm.
In the final incident two armed robbers in a wooden fishing boat boarded the 2,500-teu containership Hanjin Qingdao (built 2007).
However, they escaped empty handed after the alarm was raised and the fled the ship which was anchored around 15 nautical miles north east of Pulau Bintan.
All three reports took place last week according to the latest piracy report from UK-based security consultants AKE Maritime.
Instances of low level robberies at Indonesian anchorages continue to figure prominently in maritime reports.
“They underline the requirement to maintain an alert duty crew at all times, and ensure basic security measures are well-rehearsed and adhered to,” said AKE Maritime.
“Almost all attacks are opportunistic ‘smash and grab’ type robberies on vessels in port or at anchor.”
Last month Indonesian authorities reportedly said they would establish a series of safe anchorages within ports in an attempt to combat pirate gangs.
These designated areas will reportedly be “monitored and patrolled regularly” by the Indonesian Marine Police.
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