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Copyright © 2016 L. Joubert 1

PIRACY REPORT SEPTEMBER 2016

_____________________________________________________

Piracy and Acts of Armed Robbery of Ships

For Monthly Reports

Please contact

Lydelle Joubert

[email protected]

Piracy Report Independent Global

Incident Analysis

2

Analysis

The 2016 heat map indicates six areas with a high

concentration of piracy and robbery of vessels.

These areas are the coast of Bayelsa, Nigeria; the

Strait of Malacca; Kandla Port and Anchorages in

India; the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh; Pointe Noire

Anchorages, Congo; and the Sulu Sea between

Southern Sabah and the Philippines.

Incidents in the Strait of Malacca; Kandla Port and

Anchorages in India and Pointe Noire Anchorages,

Congo can mostly be classified as petty theft.

Two kidnapping for ransom incidents from fishing

trawlers were reported in the Sulu Sea off Eastern

Sabah, Malaysia in September 2016. Four

hostages were taken during the two incidents.

Three hostages have since been released. 39 crew

members were abducted from tug boats and fishing

vessels off the Philippines and Malaysia by Abu

Sayyaf (ASG) or associated groups in 2016.

Kjartan Sekkingstad the Norwegian hostage

kidnapped from the Samal Yacht Marina on 21

September 2015, was released by ASG on 17

September 2016 after a ransom was paid.

Five incidents were reported in the Gulf of Guinea

of which three were in anchorages. Four marine

police members were killed in Port Harcourt,

Nigeria in September 2016. Their gunboat was

attacked by gunmen while on patrol. The gunboat

remains missing.

Kidnapping of fishermen by gangs still continues in

the Sundarbans and Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh.

Eleven fishermen where kidnapped from their

trawler on 9 September 2016 in the Sandarbans,

Bangladesh.

The Bangladeshi Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) had

several successes against these kidnap gangs in

September 2016. Twenty firearms and

ammunitions were also confiscated.

Two people attempting to board a Bulk Carrier on

four different occasions in the Port of Casablanca,

Morocco in September 2016 and are most likely

potential stowaways, although attempted robbery

could not be excluded.

2015

Incidents

September 2016

Incidents

Copyright © 2016 L. Joubert

2016

Incidents

3 Copyright © 2016 L. Joubert

Incidents of Piracy and Robbery of Vessels: 2014 to 2016

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

SE Asia

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16


West Africa

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9


Indian Sub-Continent

2014

2015

2016

Linear (2014)

Linear (2015)

Linear (2016)


0

5

10

15

20

25

SEP2015

OCT2015

NOV2015

DEC2015

JAN2016

FEB2016

MAR2016

APR2016

MAY2016

JUN2016

JUL2016

AUG2016

SEP2016

Incidents by Region September 2015 to September 2016

EAST AFRICA AND ARADIAN GULF WEST AFRICA INDIAN SUB CONT SE ASIA SOUTH AMERICA

Incidents 2016: Type of Ship Attacked

5

Type Vessel Code

Barge

Bulk Carrier

Cargo ship

Coast Guard/

Patrol Boat

Container

Dhow

Ferry

Fishing Boat

Fishing Trawler

Offshore Supply

Vessel

Passenger Boat

Roll-on-Roll-off

Cargo Ship

Tanker

Tug

Yacht

B

BC

CS

PB

C

D

F

FB

FV

OSV

PMB

Ro-Ro

MT

TB

SY

62 9 32

64


23

B BC CS PB C D F FB FV OSV PMBRo-

RoMT TB SY Other

Americas 5 2 1 1 1 1 5 2 5

Indian Sub Continent 4 2 3 10 11 2

SE Asia 2 20 4 3 3 4 1 1 14 10 3

West Africa 4 3 2 4 3 4 2 1 27 4 9

East Africa/Arabian Gulf 2 5 1 1

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

6

Southeast Asia


Eleven incidents of piracy and robbery of vessels were reported in Southeast Asia in September 2016.

Except for the three incidents off Sabah, Malaysia all other incidents were at anchorages and jetties.

Engine spares are the common target in these robberies. In several cases crew are threatened and tied

up. Three robberies were reported at Dumai, Indonesia. Four crew were kidnapped during two separate

incidents off Sabah, Malaysia .

27/09/2016. Fishing

Trawler. Robbed.

27/09/2016. Fishing

Trawler. Owner

kidnapped.

10/09/2016. Puteri. Fishing

Trawler. Three fishermen

kidnapped.


10 September 2016 – Seven men, armed with M-16s and a pistol, attacked the fishing vessel, Puteri

while it was anchored near the tourist resort island of Pom Pom in Semporna at 22:40LT. They

kidnapped three crew members. They were identified as skipper Masurin, Loloi bin Alpin and Sami.

They robbed crew of cell phones and valuables and assaulted one crew member. The hostages were

released on 18 September 2016 on Jolo Island, Sulu, the Philippines. The release was negotiated by

the Moro National Liberation Front.1

27 September 2016 – At 21:30LT six men armed with M-14’s and M-16’s approached a trawler off

Pulau Gaya, Semporna, in a speedboat . The trawler had 27 crew onboard. They kidnapped the owner,

Ruslan Sarapin and stole documents, cell phones and personal belongings.2

27 September 2016 – Half an hour later another trawler was attacked 5nm from the first attack in

Tungku waters of Lahad Datu. They robbed the crew of outboard engines, rice, cooking oil, clothing,

mobile phones and RM300 in cash. Both trawlers were fishing within the curfew area off Sabah at the

time and didn’t have exemption permits from their respective police chiefs .

Feedback : ASG Hijackings of Vessels and Kidnapping Incidents in the Philippines

Samal Kidnappings– The Norwegian hostage from the Samal kidnappings, Kjartan Sekkingstad, were

released by Abu Sayyaf on 17 September 2016 after a ransom was paid.4 According to a spokesperson

for ASG, US$ 638 000 ransom was paid. Four people were kidnapped from the Samal Yacht Marina on

21 September 2015. The two Canadian hostages were beheaded by ASG and the Filipino hostage has

since been released..

A consignment of firearms intended for ASG was confiscated from four suspects by the Criminal

Investigation and Detection Group in Barangay West, San Juan City on 24 September 2016. Grenade

launchers, M14 and M16 rifles, as well as ammunition were seized.5

Maritime Kidnappings: The Semporna - Lahad Datu Connection

Three attacks were reported on fishing trawlers off Semporna and Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia in

September 2016. During two of these attacks on LD110/5/F and Puteri (SA2627/5/F) crew were

kidnapped. A third trawler, SA848/5/F was robbed. The owner of the fishing trawler SA848/5/F, Chan Sai

Chuin was kidnapped on 16 June 2014 from his fish farm on Borneo, Malaysia. He was taken to Jolo and

released on payment of ransom on 9 December 2014.6 Two of the trawlers attacked in September 2016 is

registered under the Sabah small ships register under Semporna (SA prefix) and the other under Lahad

Datu (LD prefix)7

Semporna is the base for around 70 wooden hulled trawlers with crew ranging from ten to 30.8 They

regularly face pirate attacks, mostly from pirates operating cross border from Sulu in the Philippines. Abu

Sayyaf or groups associated with the group are responsible for these kidnappings. The Muktadil brothers

were involved with several of the ASG kidnappings. According to yet to be confirmed Philippine intelligence

sources, the last of the three brothers were killed during a military raid on Sulu end of September 2016.9

The Sultanate of Sulu in the Philippines has a history of piracy and attacks on settlements and towns in

Sabah even predating the Colonial period. Between 1915 and 1941 the Spanish, Dutch and British navies

disrupted large scale raiding of the Sulu pirates, but were never able to suppress small scale coastal

raiding.10 People kidnapped from Borneo frequently landed in the great slave market on Sulu. Between

1959 and 1962, 232 pirate attacks were recorded in North Borneo.11


According to the Malaysian Marine Police, nine attacks on fishing boats were reported in 2001, nine in

2002 and 12 in 2003.12 Outboard engines, valuables, equipment and communication equipment were

stolen. Fishing vessels were also hijacked for ransom.

Tugs and fishing vessels are the predominant target in this area. Sporadically hijackings of tug boats were

reported since 2004. The tugs were release on payment of ransom. There was a change in this trend in

2016 as crews were kidnapped for ransom. Prior land based kidnappings from resorts and towns for

ransom were the norm.

During these kidnappings crew are also robbed from valuables as before. Targeted vessels often ignored

the curfew times set by the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM). Speedboats with five to eight

men, often in camouflage fatigues and armed with M14s and M16s, attack fishing vessels and tugs.

Attackers of the Brahma 12 were allegedly in Philippine police uniforms. Boat documents, curfew order

permits and passports are often stolen. In some cases attackers spoke Malay in the Suluk dialect.

The Suluks still regard the eastern part of Sabah as part of the Sulu Sultanate in the Philippines.13 A

dramatic increase of illegal immigrants to Sabah was reported in the last few decades due to corruption in

the illegal issuance of identity cards.

In February 2013 the Royal Sulu Force (RSF), a 200 strong group from the Tawi-Tawi in the southern

Philippines, invaded a small Village in Lahad Datu, Sabah, Malaysia. The group was led by Raja Muda

Agbimuddin Kiram the brother of the self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu, Jamalul Kiram III. In the standoff with

security forces 68 people were killed including ten Malaysian security personnel.

9

This led to the establishment of ESSCOM, based in Lahad Datu, and the Eastern Sabah Security Zone

(ESSZONE). ESSCOM curfew hours are from 7pm to 5 am in a 3nm offshore zone.14 The State Security

Committee placed a temporary suspension on barter trade in all barter ports as well as transhipment in the

ESSZONE area to curtail unauthorized entry into Malaysian territorial waters as well as the use of pump

boats by foreigners.

Several factors contribute to security instability in this area such as the proximity to the Philippine border;

terrorist and organized crime groups involved in kidnap for ransom (KFR) of locals and tourists from

resorts and violent mass robberies in towns; water villages; barter trading ports; and the free movement of

illegal immigrants and sea gypsies.15

Sabah with their long coastal border and numerous offshore islands is a favourite transit point for terrorists

and weapon smugglers using vessels to the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. The centuries old custom

of barter trading facilitates a legal way to enter Sabah. Malaysia sees barter trading as an opportunity to

earn foreign exchange while the Philippines view it as smuggling. Cigarettes, liquor, rice, timber, and drugs

are smuggled into Sabah.

Many illegal immigrants live in the ESSZONE areas and some are likely involved with KFR groups and

smuggling. So are members of the security forces. Precise knowledge of victims of kidnappings of resorts

and fish farms make the possibility of insider knowledge likely. In January 2016 three junior police

members were detained for their alleged participation in a kidnapping in Lahad Datu.16 There were also

concerns in September 2016 that information on ESSCOM operations was leaking to kidnappers. In

addition ASG also conduct surveillance before some kidnappings.17

Seven of the 11 ASG associated kidnap incidents against crews of fishing vessels and tugs in 2016 were

located in the area between Semporna and Lahad Datu, Southern Sabah and the Philippines. As local

fishing vessels and tugs are targeted, it is not possible to re-route traffic in this case. Malaysia and the

Philippines will have to coordinate efforts to bring the situation under control. Joint and coordinated patrols,

surveillance and shared intelligence operations will be needed to stop further escalation.

Semporna (Source Google Earth)



West Africa

Five incidents of piracy and armed robbery of vessels were reported in September 2016 off the coast of

Guinea. Three incidents were reported while vessels were at anchor of which two were at Takoradi

Anchorage, Ghana.

5 September 2016 – A marine police gunboat on patrol was attacked by gunmen after leaving

Abonnema Wharf, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The bodies of the four officers were found but the gunboat

remains missing.18

17 September 2016 – The Chemical Tanker, Hanze Kochi was attacked in the early morning by armed

men approaching in a speedboat off Brass, Nigeria. The alarm was sounded, a distress call was sent to

the Nigerian Navy and the crew retreated to the citadel. The pirates stole crew’s possessions and fled

on approach of the Navy.19

21 September 2016 – The Container Vessel, Windhoek was approached by armed men at Conakry

Anchorage, Guinea at 0252LT. They boarded and fired on the crew. The crew activated the SSAS,

raised the alarm and locked the accommodation. The gunmen gained access by breaking the bridge

wing window. They took the crew hostage and stole crew’s belongings and ship’s cash.20

17/09/2016. Hanze

Kochi. Chemical

Tanker. Vessel

Attacked.

5/09/2016. Gunboat

attacked. Hijacked

and four officers killed.

21/09/2016. Windhoek.

Container Vessel. Fired

on Vessel. Crew taken

hostage and robbed.


Indian Sub-Continent

Three incidents were reported in Bangladesh in September 2016. Ship’s stores were stolen from a Bulk

Carrier carrying out cargo operations at Chittagong Bravo Anchorage and a cargo vessel was robbed on

the River Tetulia. Eleven fishermen were also abducted in the Sundarbans.

7 September 2016 – The Bangladeshi Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) launched a operation to flush out

gang members from their hideouts in the Suppara and Punerkhal areas of the Sundarbans. The gang

members kidnap fishermen, wood cutters and honey collectors in the Sundarbans, Fourteen members

of the kidnap gangs, Santo Bahini and Alam Bahini surrendered on the following day at Barisal city.

Twenty firearms and 1008 rounds of ammunitions were also confiscated.21

9 September 2016 – Ten to twelve robbers kidnapped 11 fishermen for ransom from trawlers in

Dhanshiddhir Char, Mongla Upazila in the Sunderbans. Valuables were also stolen. TK one lakh

(US$ 1300) were demanded for the release of each hostage.22

9 September 2016 – The Cargo Vessel, Bandhu Sardar on route to Meghnaghat from Payra port with

a cargo of clinker, was attacked by a group of eight to nine robbers on the River Tetulia. They

approached the vessel in a boat. Five crew members were injured during the attack. Robbers stole

cash and cell phones.23

26 September 2016 – The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Shahjahan Molla, a gang member in

connection with possession of three firearms and ammunition. The RAB returned fire after the gang

opened fire on them. The gang escaped. The RAB also released six fishermen held hostage by the

gang.24

9/09/2016. Fishing

trawlers. 11 fishermen

kidnapped.

9/09/2016. Bandhu

Sardar. Cargo Vessel.

5 crew injured during

robbery


Americas

Two robberies at anchorages were reported in Haiti and Venezuela in September 2016. During one of

these robberies at Port Au Prince Anchorage in Haiti crew were threatened with long knives and stones.


East Africa

On 6 September 2016 at 03:50LT the crew of a Crude Oil Tanker noticed robbers stealing ship’s property

at Jetty no 10, Beira, Mozambique. They robbers fled when the alarm was sounded.25

14

The Coral Sea

Eight robbers boarded a passenger boat on 10 September 2016 at Madang, Papua New Guinea.

Some passengers jumped overboard and swam to Pigs Island where they alerted police. Three

suspects were arrested.26

The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary does not have the resources to combat robbery of

vessels in their waters. Boats are not operational due to lack of maintenance.27



North Africa

On 23 September 2016 two people attempted to board a Bulk Carrier on four different occasions in the

Port of Casablanca, Morocco.28 The motive for the attempted boarding is unclear, but while it could be

robbery the likely option is that they attempted to stowaway.

16

End Notes

1. http://news.asiaone.com/news/malaysia/filipino-gunmen-kidnap-three-fishermen-malaysia viewed

14/09/2016

2. http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v8/ge/newsgeneral.php?id=1286648 viewed 28/09/2016;

3. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/09/philippines-abu-sayyaf-frees-indonesian-hostages-

160918125409592.html

4. http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/09/philippines-abu-sayyaf-frees-indonesian-hostages-

160918125409592.html viewed 19/09/2016

5. https://www.riskmap.com/#/m/6051180/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter viewed 27/09/2016.

6. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/09/29/fishing-boat-owner-abducted-kidnappers-also-rob-

crewmen-of-two-trawlers/ viewed 7/10/2016

7. Ports and Harbours Sabah Licenced Small Ships Regulations 2008

8. Liss C, “Contemporary Maritime Piracy in the Waters off Semporna, Sabah” Pirates, Ports, and Coasts in

Asia: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives, Kleinen, J & Osseweijer (ed). ISEAS, 2010.

9. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/09/30/last-of-muktadil-brothers-killed-badong-found-dead-

after-military-shootout/

10. Amirell, SE, “Suppressing Piracy in Asia: Decolonization and International Relations in a Maritime Border

Region (the Sulu Sea)” Pirates, Ports, and Coasts in Asia: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives,

Kleinen, J & Osseweijer (ed). ISEAS, 2010.

11. Eklof, S, Pirates in Paradise: A Modern History of Southeast Asia's Maritime Marauders, NIAS,

Copenhagen, 2006.

12. Liss, Op Cit.

13. Jawhar, J & Sariburaja, K, The Lahad Datu Incursion & Its Impacts on Malaysia’s Security, SEARCCT,

2016.

14. http://www.sabahtourism.com/corporate/sabah-advisory

15. Jawhar, J & Sariburaja, K, Op Cit

16. https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/326481

17. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/09/29/escom-personnel-may-have-leaked-info/

18. http://www.oni.navy.mil/Portals/12/Intel%20agencies/piracy/20160921_WTS.pdf?ver=2016-09-16-095149-

037&timestamp=1474034953742 viewed 29/09/2016; http://talkingdrum.com.ng/2016/09/06/water-ways-

suspected-sea-pirates-killed-four-marine-policemen-in-rivers-resident-says/

19. http://www.maritimeherald.com/2016/chemical-tanker-hanze-kochi-attacked-by-pirates-in-gulf-of-guinea/

viewed 19/06/2016

20. http://www.asket.co.uk/single-post/2016/09/21/Vessel-Boarded-by-Armed-Pirates---Shots-Fired---Guinea

viewed 21/09/2016; https://icc-ccs.org/piracy-reporting-centre/live-piracy-report/details/151/1279 viewed

22/09/2016

21. http://newagebd.net/250712/members-two-sunderbans-pirate-gangs-surrender/ viewed 29/09/2016

22. http://www.samakal.net/2016/09/09/8596 viewed 14/09/2016

23. http://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/robbery-cargo-vessel-bhola-1283782 viewed 19/09/2016

24. http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/09/26/gunfight-sundarbans-six-abducted-fishermen-

rescued/ viewed 29/09/2016

25. https://icc-ccs.org/piracy-reporting-centre/live-piracy-report/details/151/1272 viewed 8/09/2016

26. http://www.oni.navy.mil/Portals/12/Intel%20agencies/piracy/20160914_WTS.pdf?ver=2016-09-16-095149-

037&timestamp=1474034953742 viewed 19/09/2016

27. http://www.looppng.com/content/no-police-boats-fight-piracy-png-waters-atiyafa

28. https://gisis.imo.org/Public/PAR/Incident.aspx?Action=View&ID=7402 viewed 27/09/2016


http://news.asiaone.com/news/malaysia/filipino-gunmen-kidnap-three-fishermen-malaysia viewed 14/09/2016












http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/09/philippines-abu-sayyaf-frees-indonesian-hostages-160918125409592.html














https://www.riskmap.com//m/6051180/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

https://www.riskmap.com//m/6051180/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

http://www.sabahtourism.com/corporate/sabah-advisory





https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/326481

https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/326481

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/09/29/escom-personnel-may-have-leaked-info/












http://talkingdrum.com.ng/2016/09/06/water-ways-suspected-sea-pirates-killed-four-marine-policemen-in-rivers-resident-says/


























https://icc-ccs.org/piracy-reporting-centre/live-piracy-report/details/151/1279 viewed 22/09/2016












http://newagebd.net/250712/members-two-sunderbans-pirate-gangs-surrender/











http://www.samakal.net/2016/09/09/8596 viewed 14/09/2016

http://www.samakal.net/2016/09/09/8596 viewed 14/09/2016

http://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/robbery-cargo-vessel-bhola-1283782 viewed 19/09/2016










http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/09/26/gunfight-sundarbans-six-abducted-fishermen-rescued/












http://www.looppng.com/content/no-police-boats-fight-piracy-png-waters-atiyafa
















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