INFORMATION FUSION CENTRE

AFPN 6504
103 Tanah Merah Coast Road, #02-01
Singapore 498750
Tel: +65 9626 8965 (Mobile)
+65 6594 5728 (Office)
Fax:
+65 6594 5734
IFC_DO@defence.gov.sg
www.infofusioncentre.gov.sg
06 Feb 15

INFORMATION FUSION CENTRE

MARSEC WEEKLY REPORT
31 Jan 06 Feb 15
For the period from 31 Jan to 06 Feb 15, IFC received information on the following:

Figure 1: Location of Incidents in IFC Area of Interest

Note: 1 Contraband Trafficking Incident, 4 Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Incidents, 4 Maritime
Incidents, and 3 Piracy/Sea Robbery/Sea Theft incidents occurred out of the reporting period.

OVERVIEW OF INCIDENTS
Contraband Trafficking
31 Jan - Drug Smuggling/ Chittagong
Anchorage & Jaliyardwip / Bangladesh

5 Feb Drug Smuggling/ Klladi,

Kalpitiya/ Sri Lanka

Detail: Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard

seized detained two vessels at 2 separate
locations
for
smuggling
30,000
methamphetamine
tablets
off
the
Chittagong Anchorage and Jaliyardwip
respectively.

Detail: Naval personnel arrested a person

with 3 Kilograms of cannabis in the
general area of Klladi in Kalpitiya.

31 Jan Drug and Arms Smuggling/

Central Visayas/ Philippines

Detail: The Philippines Coast Guard

seized 35 boxes of cigarettes with an
estimated value of PhP 1,050,000 from a
vessel in port.

Detail: Law enforcers arrested 13 persons

and seized more than P1 million worth of
illegal drugs and firearms in Central
Visayas, Philippines.
2 Feb Contraband Smuggling/ Sabah/
Malaysia
Detail: Malaysia Marine Police seized
contraband goods being smuggled on
board a vessel in Sabah worth RM17,675.

5 Feb Tobacco Products Smuggling/

Port of Cebu, Philippines

5 Feb Diesel Smuggling/ Koh Samui/

Gulf of Thailand
Detail: Thailand Customs seized a
modified fishing boat with 50,000 litres of
smuggled diesel and arrested the boat's
skipper and a crewman. The seizure was
part of a drive to suppress oil smuggling.
Events reported out of the period:
23 Jan Drug Seizure/ Naf River,
Teknaf Upazila/ Bangladesh
Detail: Bangladesh Police seized 40,000
methamphetamine tablets in the Naf River
and arrested one man.

Irregular Human Migration

5 Feb Illegal Immigrants/ Sungai Padang, Penang/ Malaysia
Detail: MMEA detained 66 illegal immigrants on a fiberglass boat, off the waters of the
Sungai Padang.
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
3 Feb Illegal Fishing/ Ragay town,
Camarines Sur province/ Philippines
Detail: The Philippines Police arrested at
least 11 fishermen for illegal fishing and
one fishing vessel and some fishing
equipment were seized in the raid.

4 Feb - Illegal Fishing/ Joung island,

Sattahip, Chonburi province/ Thailand
Detail: Thailand navy detained three
illegal fishing vessels and 17 crew.

4 Feb Illegal Fishing / Garchitorena

town, Camarines Sur, Philippines
Detail: Police arrested eight fishermen for
illegal fishing using a pahulbot, or fine
mesh net.
4 Feb Illegal Fishing / Chon Buri,
Thailand
Detail: Five unregistered fishing boats
were seized, together with six crew
members were also arrested for working
illegally.

5 Feb Illegal Fishing / Batanghari

River, Jambi, Indonesia
Detail: Water Police arrested two men
allegedly involved in illegal fishing, using
an electrical stun device.

31 Jan - Plane crash / Waters of

Batangas/ Philippines

4 Feb Fire - Tour Boat / Ha Long Bay/

Vietnam

Detail: Two people were killed when a

two-seater plane crashed into the sea.

Detail: A passenger cruiser caught fire

while at anchored. All 25 pax and 7 crew
aboard were rescued. Police are
investigating the cause of the incident.

Events reported out of the period:

25 - 30 Jan Illegal Fishing / Natuna

Sea, Sulawesi Sea, Eastern Waters of
Lhokseumawe Aceh, and Batam Riau
Waters/ Indonesia
Detail: Indonesia Maritime Affairs and
5 Feb - Illegal Fishing / North Pattaya/
Fisheries Ministry seized 14 local and
Thailand
Detail: In their regular checks, the Thai
foreign vessels for engaging in illegal,
authorities had uncovered six illegal
unregulated and unreported fishing
foreign fishermen, who were subsequently
practices in Indonesian waters in less than
deported, and five unlicensed foreigna week on 4 occasions. The seizures were
owned boats, which are currently under
executed in a simultaneous operations
further investigations
carried out across the archipelago during
25 30 Jan, conducted by the office of the
directorate general for maritime and
fisheries resources surveillance.
Maritime Incident

1 Feb Barge Grounding / Tuban, East

Java/ Indonesia
Detail: Bad weather caused a barge to run
aground, and stranded 300 metres from the
beach.
1 Feb Sinking of Fishing Boat /
Peninsula Malaysia / South China Sea
Detail: Five fishermen on board a drifting
boat were rescued by passing car carrier.
Rescued fishermen were turned over to the
Malaysian Maritime Rescue Coordination
Centre.
2 Feb Grounding / River Iwania, Port
Poumako/ Papua New Guinea
Detail: Ferry with approx. 300 passengers
on board ran aground due to low water
level. Authorities are investigating the
incident.

4 Feb Sinking / Mahakam River,

Tenggarong,
East
Kalimantan/
Indonesia
Detail: A traditional ferry carrying 7 pax
sank due to overloading. One passenger is
still missing.
Events reported out of the period:
24 Jan Capsize / Motor Boat / Banica,
Roxas City/ Philippines
Detail: The Philippines Coast Guard
rescued 11 paxs when motorboat was
capsized by strong winds and rough seas.

27 Jan Capsize / Fishing Boat / Dao,

Balud, Masbate/ Philippines

28 Jan Vessel in Distress/ waters of Rio

Tuba, Palawan, Philippines

Detail: The Philippines Coast Guard

rescued four crew members after their
vessel capsized, due to collision with
unidentified vessel.

Detail: Philippines Coast Guard rescued

eight domestic seamen, from a distress
vessel.
29 Jan Capsize / Trawler / Kutubdia
Channel, Bay of Bengal
Detail: At least 38 feared dead after an
overcrowded fishing trawler carrying
illegal migrants capsized. The vessel was
subsequently located and dragged towards
the shores of Kutubdia Island.

Piracy/ Sea Robbery/ Sea Theft

31 Jan - Sea Robbery/ 3nm SE Karimun
Islands/ Indonesia

28 Jan - Hijack / Lembeh Island, North

Sulawesi/ Indonesia

Detail: Five perpetrators armed with

knives and a hand gun, were sighted in the
engine room. Alarm was raised and
perpetrators escaped with generator spare
parts. Indonesia Authorities were informed
and deployed.

Detail: Indonesian chemical tanker MT

REHOBOT hijacked in vicinity of Lembeh
Island by eight perpetrators in small
wooden motor boat, and armed with
parangs. Cargo was 1100 tons of high
speed diesel. All crew released into life
raft and rescued by Indonesian authorities.
Hijacked vessel remains at large.

Comment: Incidents are regularly

reported in the Phillips Channel, East of
Karimun Islands. Ships are advised to be
vigilant
and
adapt
self-protection
measures while sailing in this area.
Events reported out of the period:

Comment: MT Rehobot is still missing. In

case of any sighting, please inform the
Singapore Information Fusion Centre
(IFC).

28 Jan - Sea Robbery / South of Nipah

Island/ Indonesia

29 Jan - Attempted Sea Theft / Tanjung

Priok, Jakarta/ Indonesia

Detail: Five perpetrators boarded an

underway bulk carrier and confronted the
crew with steel rod and knife, but escaped
when alarm was raised. All crew reported
safe but ships engine spares were reported
stolen.

Detail: Two perpetrators boarded a vessel

at anchor and were sighted on the
forecastle. They escaped when the alarm
was raised. Nothing reported stolen.

Comment: Incidents are regularly

reported in the Phillips Channel where
ships are advised to be vigilant and adopt
self-protection measures.

Comment: Last incident in this area was

reported in October 2014. Ships are
advised to be vigilant and adopt selfprotection measures.

IFC RELEASABLE TO MARITIME INDUSTRY

Recommendations
IFC Advises:
1. All mariners to report any incidents timely to the nearest coastal state and IFC at the
earliest possible time.
2. Ships moving at slow speed or choosing to remain at anchor in areas where sea
robbery/theft is regularly reported to be vigilant and to adopt necessary security measures.
3. All mariners to take note on the description of the perpetrators and to take photos of the
perpetrators if possible.
4. Shippers and Seafarers operating in Sulu Sea and in vicinity of East Sabah Waters are
strongly recommended to be vigilant and to establish contact with both Malaysian and
Philippines Authorities to report their presence.
5. Shippers are advised to take note that al-Qaeda, in its recently launched English language
online magazine Resurgence, has called for the disruption of global trade and shipping
through acts of piracy, among other tactics. Shippers are therefore advised to exercise
vigilance and to adopt self-defensive measures as stated in BMP4, especially when
transiting narrow choke points and known sea robbery/piracy hot spots.

Note: Information herein was derived from various internal and external sources
such as Focal Points, OPCENs and other maritime stakeholders. Shippers should
remain vigilant especially in areas where the threat level is assessed to be above one
in accordance with the IFC Spot Commentary 2/14 and IFC quarterly assessment
report. Ships should apply the appropriate security measures (such as BMP4 or
Tugs and Barge Guide). Ship masters should also be aware and refer to the
Maritime Security Charts Q6112 and Q6113, both published by the UK
Hydrographic Office.
CONTACT
In case of any doubt, incident at sea, suspicious approach or unusual observed activity at sea,
please contact IFC: IFC Duty Officer :
Email :
IFC_DO@defence.gov.sg or ifc_do@infofusioncentre.gov.sg
Tel :
+65 9626 8965 (Mobile)
+65 6594 5728 (Office)
Fax :
+65 6594 5734
The IFC seeks your observations in the course of your normal business. The IFC would like
to remind mariners to be mindful of national and international laws, company and other
policy requirements and also health and safety obligations, whilst recording these
observations. The reporting of such events to IFC does not absolve you of your obligations
towards coastal/ port/ flag authorities.

5
IFC RELEASABLE TO MARITIME INDUSTRY