Last month ReCAAP ISC released its half yearly report for 2013. The overall situation of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia during the first half of 2013 has improved. A total of 57 incidents comprising 54 actual incidents and three attempted incidents, were reported during the period of January-June 2013 compared to 64 incidents reported during the same period in 2012.
The overall severity of incidents reported during January-June 2013 has also decreased. Of the 57 incidents,
- No Category 1 incident reported.
- 13 were Category 2 (moderately significant) incidents, The number of Category 2 incidents was the lowest during January-June 2013 among the five-year reporting period.
- 20 were Category 3 (less significant) incidents, In overall there has been an increase in the number of Category 3 incidents
- 21 were petty theft incidents and three were attempted incidents. The number of petty theft incidents had decreased in January-June 2013
The improvement during January–June 2013 compared to the same period in 2012 occurred in Bangladesh, India and the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. However, there had been an upward trend in the number of incidents, mostly Category 3 incidents reported at some ports and anchorages in Indonesia.
Majority of the incidents occurred during January–June 2013 involved robbers in groups of one to three men. Of the 54 actual incidents,
- 23 (or 43%) incidents involved robbers armed with knives.
- 36 (or 67%) incidents resulted in the loss of engine spares and stores.
About three-quarter of the incidents reported that the crew was not injured while some cases reported that the crew was threatened, assaulted and held hostage (tied up) before the robbers escaped with the crew’s cash and personal belongings. Finally the ReCAAP report contains as an appendix the description of reported incidents for January-June 2013.
Source: ReCAAP
Officer of the Watch 
Reblogged this on Naval Matters.