Trouble brews up again in Malacca Straits

Everything appeared peaceful and normal at midnight, aboard Naninwa Maru-1, a Japanese tanker ship as it cruised along the Malaysian coast on the night of 16^th April 2014, carrying Diesel oil to Myanmar from Singapore. Most of the crew members, who were of Indonesian, Thai, Myanmar and Indian nationalities, were fast asleep except for the ones, who were on duty. Around 1 AM one of the crew members could not believe his own eyes as he saw about five or six men armed men with a pistol and a (machete) suddenly appear aboard the ship. Before the surprised crew could offer any resistance, pirates subdued and tied up the crew, robbed the vessel and took control.

The pirates then must have signaled their accomplices because suddenly from no where, two tanker ships appeared on the horizon. The pirates briskly started pumping the Diesel from the tanks on Naninwa Maru-1 to these two tankers. The pirates after pumping out more than half of the 5 million liters of diesel, made off. Several hours later after the attackers had fled, the crew discovered three shipmates were also missing, presumably taken as hostage. Malaysian domestic media report that the abducted men were Indonesians. The possibility of these men being accomplices of the pirates can not be denied. Only further investigation would bring out the truth. The ship is now berthed off Port Klang, Malaysia’s main port, for investigations.

The incident took place when Naninwa Maru-1 was just 16 Nautical miles away from the Malaysian coastline. No great imagination is required to guess that the tanker was in the waters of the Malacca Straits. A place that has a long history of pirates hijacking ships passing through the channel. Malacca is located some two hundred kilometers north of Singapore. The city is the capital of State of Malacca within federal Malaysia. What makes Malacca so special is the narrow patch of sea along its shoreline. This funnel shaped narrow strip of Sea, called straits of Malacca, is sandwiched between Malaysian coast line on the eastern side and Indonesian island of Sumatra on the western side. In fact, at the narrowest part, which happens to be located near the city of Malacca, the straits are just a few kilometers wide. What makes the Malacca straits important as well as most crucial for the world’s shipping is the fact that this is the shortest practical opening for any sea faring ship sailing from South China Sea to the Indian Ocean or vice versa. (The other sea lane is through Sunda strait, between islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. This route is much longer compared to Malacca straits sea lane.)

About 50000 ships cross this narrow strip of Sea every year. I read somewhere, that each and every day 15 million barrels of crude oil is transported through the straits. 70% of the oil that China consumes every year passes through here. If due to some reasons, the straits are closed to shipping, half of world’s shipping fleet would be forced to divert their sea faring routes. Straits of Malacca actually connect the Andaman Sea on the west to the South China Sea near Singapore. It is a true bottle-Neck of the world.

The US Energy Information Administration identifies the Malacca Strait, which connects the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean, as one of the world’s two “most strategic choke points” for oil trade along with the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. It is the shortest sea route between the Middle East and Asia with about 15.2 million barrels of oil a day transported along the waterway in 2011, according to the EIA. About 90 percent of that was crude.

Speaking historically, Malacca straits was always considered as one of the most dangerous places on Sea, as with such heavy cargo traffic, sea pirates found it extremely lucrative for their criminal activities. Even in recent history, there have been case of piracy in Malacca straits. In the year 1999, a 9000 ton freighter named as MV Alondra Rainbow had disappeared from here, when on way to Japan with a cargo of Aluminum ingots. This ship with a crew of 17 was abducted by some 15 armed gangsters. After a week, the crew was found floating helplessly in a rubber life boat near Thailand coast with no trace of their ship. After a month, Indian Navy and the Coast guard, discovered a ship of similar description near the Indian coast. The ship was chased and fired upon by the Indian Coast guard, when the pirates surrendered. It was found on inspection, that half of the ship’s cargo was gone, the name of the ship was changed, it was showing a different flag and the pirates were trying to flood the ship to sink it. In the year 2002 alone, 36 ships were attacked here. In 2003, 60 ships were attacked. When the situation reached such alarming proportions, the insurance companies started declaring the Malacca straits area as war zone and refused to insure the ships or the cargo. US government indicated that unless littoral states take effective action, US navy would have to patrol this area. After this, Governments of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore realized the gravity of the situation and started joint patrolling. There was a realization soon that the naval resources of these countries were not adequate for the task This lead to an agreement between as many as 16 nations including India, from the surrounding areas, to provide protection to shipping in the straits.. This agreement is known as ‘Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia’. After this agreement, the piracy in the straits has reduced almost to nil. Indian Navy participates in this security environment as per this agreement and Indian Naval ships are seen patrolling frequently in the Straits of Malacca.

The situation in Malacca straits then improved dramatically. Perhaps because of the measures taken by various Governments, only one fishing vessel was the only ship that was hijacked in the Strait of Malacca in all of 2012 according to the statistics available on International Maritime Bureau web site. Unfortunately, pirating seems to be picking up again in the Malacca straits and nearby areas, this year. On 10th October 2013, an oil-products tanker was hijacked off Malaysia’s Pulau Aur in the South China Sea on Oct. 10, about 67 miles northeast of Singapore. Pirates stole the ship’s cargo before abandoning it on Oct. 15, the IMB’s website shows. This vessel is believed to be Danai 4, carrying marine gasoil from Singapore to Vietnam.

Within just a month from this act of piracy, the pirates struck again on 7th November 2013, five pirates armed with guns and knives boarded 3,254 deadweight tonne (dwt) GPT-21 tanker operated by Singapore firm Global Unique Petroleum about 7.3 nautical miles (13.5 kilometers) west of Malaysia’s Pulau Kukup in the Strait of Malacca, about 34 miles west of Singapore. The armed hijackers tied up all the crew members and held them hostage in one cabin. Later they ordered the Master to steer the ship to a pre-designated position where another unknown orange hull tanker came alongside. The C/O and the bosun were forced to operate the mooring winches and then the cargo pumps and valves to transfer oil into the unknown tanker. The pirates, prior to leaving the hijacked tanker, also stole personal belongings of the crew. The gasoil cargo on ship could be worth more than $2.7 million according to some Singapore sources.

Singapore headquarters of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) says that as things stand, attacks by gangs armed with guns and knives on shipping in the Malacca Strait have ranged from 12 to 20 incidents a year over the last three years. According to Regional security officials, armed gangs prowling the Malacca Strait may be part of a syndicate that can either have links to the crew on board the hijacking target or inside knowledge about the ship and cargo. Such hijacks lead to seizing tankers so that gasoil cargoes can be transferred and sold on the black market.

Malacca straits waters remain a hotbed for pirate attacks and petty theft and unless strong measures are taken by the regional Governments, such incidences shall continue to take place.

24^th April 2014

Piracy on the rise in Malacca straits again

Malacca is located some two hundred kilometers north of Singapore. The city is the capital of State of Malacca within federal Malaysia. What makes Malacca so special is the narrow patch of sea along its shoreline. This funnel shaped narrow strip of Sea, called straits of Malacca, is sandwiched between Malaysian coast line on the eastern side and Indonesian island of Sumatra on the western side. In fact, at the narrowest part, which happens to be located near the city of Malacca, the straits are just a few kilometers wide. What makes the Malacca straits important as well as most crucial for the world’s shipping is the fact that this is the shortest practical opening for any sea faring ship sailing from South China Sea to the Indian Ocean or vice versa. (The other sea lane is through Sunda strait, between islands of Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. This route is much longer compared to Malacca straits sea lane.)

About 50000 ships cross this narrow strip of Sea every year. I read somewhere, that each and every day 15 million barrels of crude oil is transported through the straits. 70% of the oil that China consumes every year passes through here. If due to some reasons, the straits are closed to shipping, half of world’s shipping fleet would be forced to divert their sea faring routes. Straits of Malacca actually connect the Andaman Sea on the west to the South China Sea near Singapore. It is a true bottle-Neck of the world.

The US Energy Information Administration identifies the Malacca Strait, which connects the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean, as one of the world’s two “most strategic choke points” for oil trade along with the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. It is the shortest sea route between the Middle East and Asia with about 15.2 million barrels of oil a day transported along the waterway in 2011, according to the EIA. About 90 percent of that was crude.

Speaking historically, Malacca straits was always considered as one of the most dangerous places on Sea, as with such heavy cargo traffic, sea pirates found it extremely lucrative for their criminal activities. Even in recent history, there have been case of piracy in Malacca straits. In the year 1999, a 9000 ton freighter named as MV Alondra Rainbow had disappeared from here, when on way to Japan with a cargo of Aluminum ingots. This ship with a crew of 17 was abducted by some 15 armed gangsters. After a week, the crew was found floating helplessly in a rubber life boat near Thailand coast with no trace of their ship. After a month, Indian Navy and the Coast guard, discovered a ship of similar description near the Indian coast. The ship was chased and fired upon by the Indian Coast guard, when the pirates surrendered. It was found on inspection, that half of the ship’s cargo was gone, the name of the ship was changed, it was showing a different flag and the pirates were trying to flood the ship to sink it. In the year 2002 alone, 36 ships were attacked here. In 2003, 60 ships were attacked. When the situation reached such alarming proportions, the insurance companies started declaring the Malacca straits area as war zone and refused to insure the ships or the cargo. US government indicated that unless littoral states take effective action, US navy would have to patrol this area. After this, Governments of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore realized the gravity of the situation and started joint patrolling. There was a realization soon that the naval resources of these countries were not adequate for the task This lead to an agreement between as many as 16 nations including India, from the surrounding areas, to provide protection to shipping in the straits.. This agreement is known as ‘Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia’. After this agreement, the piracy in the straits has reduced almost to nil. Indian Navy participates in this security environment as per this agreement and Indian Naval ships are seen patrolling frequently in the Straits of Malacca.

The situation in Malacca straits then improved dramatically. Perhaps because of the measures taken by various Governments, only one fishing vessel was the only ship that was hijacked in the Strait of Malacca in all of 2012 according to the statistics available on International Maritime Bureau web site. Unfortunately, pirating seems to be picking up again in the Malacca straits and nearby areas, this year. On 10^th October 2013, an oil-products tanker was hijacked off Malaysia’s Pulau Aur in the South China Sea on Oct. 10, about 67 miles northeast of Singapore. Pirates stole the ship’s cargo before abandoning it on Oct. 15, the IMB’s website shows. This vessel is believed to be Danai 4, carrying marine gasoil from Singapore to Vietnam.

Within just a month from this act of piracy, the pirates struck again last week. On 7^th November 2013, five pirates armed with guns and knives boarded 3,254 deadweight tonne (dwt) GPT-21 tanker operated by Singapore firm Global Unique Petroleum about 7.3 nautical miles (13.5 kilometers) west of Malaysia’s Pulau Kukup in the Strait of Malacca, about 34 miles west of Singapore. The armed hijackers tied up all the crew members and held them hostage in one cabin. Later they ordered the Master to steer the ship to a pre-designated position where another unknown orange hull tanker came alongside. The C/O and the bosun were forced to operate the mooring winches and then the cargo pumps and valves to transfer oil into the unknown tanker. The pirates, prior to leaving the hijacked tanker, also stole personal belongings of the crew. The gasoil cargo on ship could be worth more than $2.7 million according to some Singapore sources.

International maritime Bureau has now put up this warning on its web site.

Malacca Straits: Although the number of attacks has dropped substantially due to the increase and aggressive patrols by the littoral states authorities since July 2005, ships are advised to continue maintaining strict anti piracy watches when transiting the straits. Currently, there are no indications as to how long these patrols will continue or reduce.

Singapore Straits: Vessels are advised to remain vigilant and to continue maintaining adequate anti piracy watch and measures. Pirates/robbers attack ships while underway or while anchored at the Straits.

Malacca straits waters remain a hotbed for pirate attacks and petty theft and it would be necessary for all the regional Governments to step up monitoring to see that such incidences are not repeated.

13^th November 2013

Guarding the oil- silk route

Beginning somewhere around 200 B.C , International trade flourished between European countries such as Greece or Rome, mid eastern Persia and Turkey on one hand and China and India on the other hand. The traded goods, such as spices, salt and silk, were transported entirely along land routes, which spread from continent to continent. A land route which began near city of Xian in China and later bifurcated either to end in Persia or India was one of the busiest of such routes. Chinese silk and silk fabrics were very commonly transported along this route. Because of this, the route was given a name, Silk Route. Goods continued to be carried along this route even up to Fourteenth century A.D.

Traveling on the Silk Route however, was never easy. The camel caravans, moving on this route, faced sand storms, most extreme weather, killing deserts and perennial shortages of water. However, the worst enemy or danger that could be imagined, was never a natural disaster. It came in from of humans. There were gangs of thieves and murderers who would attack and simply kill everyone in the caravan and run away with the loot. To overcome this problem, the kingdoms of China and Tibet, had erected watch towers and forts along the route. These towers and forts were regularly manned by soldiers to provide security for the caravans at least in these territories. In spite of the guards and soldiers , gangs of thieves moved at will and thrived all along this route.

It is rather hard to believe that even today, in the Twenty First century A.D., a somewhat similar situation has emerged for another international route of great importance. This international route does not stretch over continents or deserts. It happens to be a sea lane. Booming Oil trade between far eastern countries like China, Korea , Japan and ASEAN countries on one hand and oil producing nations from Mideast on the other, is carried out along this sea lane. Most of the Oil producers have their oil terminals locations in the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Aden or on the Red Sea coast. A very heavy traffic of cargo ships moves between these oil ports and the Far eastern countries. The Sea route over which these ships sail, is known as SLOC or Sea Lines of Communications. Since economics of these oil consumer countries is dependent to a great extent on this SLOC, it is considered most critical and sensitive.
In last few decades, China has made unprecedented economic progress. China has now become world’s second largest economy. This huge economy however is entirely dependent on the imported crude oil. China today imports almost 70% of its requirement of oil from middle east. The SLOC mentioned above, has therefore become the most sensitive area on earth for China. Chinese imports moving along this SLOC are so huge that this SLOC is now being called ‘Oil Silk Route’.

Unfortunately, this ‘Oil Silk Route’ also can not be considered to be a very safe route, just like its predecessor in central Asia. This SLOC passes through two areas where Sea Pirates prevail even today. Out of these two, the first area is along the Horn of Africa. The entire portion of the Indian Ocean on West African or Somalian seaboard is infested with large number of sea going armed Somalian gangs, who move in small high speed boats to attack big and bulky oil ships. It is unbelievable that ships as far away as 1600 KM from the coast or even ships in the vicinity of the Island of Seychelles, are being attacked by these Sea thugs. There is another reason also for this area to become so critical. Most of the giant oil tankers and container ships, which can not negotiate the Suez canal, also follow this route to go to southern tip of African continent. This makes the Sea in this area a rich field with many potential targets for the pirates. In 2007, Somalian pirates attacked as many as 47 ships. This number rose to 111 in 2008 and in 2009, an unbelievable number of 214 ships were attacked by these gangs. To establish some order, The United Nations Security Council has now permitted Navies of few countries to operate in the Somalian waters and attack the pirates.
Indian Navy received such permission in 2008 . Subsequently, Somalian Government also allowed Indian Naval ships to operate here. In last two years, Indian Navy alone has escorted 1037 ships in this area, out of which only 137 ships showed Indian flag. Along with Indian navy, navies of some other nations like US, EUNAVFOR (EU Naval Forces) , European nations and China are also participating in this watch and ward operation. All these ships belonging to different nations are operating in co-ordination and harmony to control and protect shipping in this area. This action has managed to create a fear among the pirates and number of ship attacks has now started to come down. It however appears that Indian Navy would have to continue to patrol this area till the Somalian gangsters are eradicated in totality.

Another extremely dangerous area on the way of Oil Silk route happens to be in the Straits of Malacca. This portion of the sea, is located between the eastern coastline of the Indonesian Island of Sumatra and the Western coastline of Malaysia. This narrow strip of water is known as Straits of Malacca because the state of Malacca, now part of Malaysia, is just along the coast. This strip of water is just 2.7 KM wide at it’s narrowest point. As many as 50000 ships traverse the Malacca straits each year. 15 million barrels of oil moves through the straits each day. It is said that if due to some reason , Straits of Malacca get closed for shipping, almost half of the world’s shipping would have to divert from their routes.

In spite of being such a critical area, this body of water was considered as one of the most dangerous places on Sea, only few years back. In the year 1999, a 9000 ton freighter named as MV Alondra Rainbow had disappeared from here, when on way to Japan with a cargo of Aluminum ingots. This ship with a crew of 17 was abducted by some 15 armed gangsters. After a week, the crew was found floating helplessly in a rubber life boat near Thailand coast with no trace of their ship. After a month, Indian Navy and the Coast guard, discovered a ship of similar description near the Indian coast. The ship was chased and fired upon by the Indian Coast guard, when the pirates surrendered. It was found on inspection, that half of the ship’s cargo was gone, the name of the ship was changed, it was showing a different flag and the pirates were trying to flood the ship to sink it. In the year 2002 alone, 36 ships were attacked here. In 2003, 60 ships were attacked. When the situation reached such alarming proportions, the insurance companies started declaring the Malacca straits area as war zone and refused to insure the ships or the cargo. US government indicated that unless littoral states take effective action, US navy would have to patrol this area. After this, Governments of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore realized the gravity of the situation and started joint patrolling. There was a realization soon that the naval resources of these countries were not adequate for the task This lead to an agreement between as many as 16 nations including India, from the surrounding areas, to provide protection to shipping in the straits.. This agreement is known as ‘Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia’. After this agreement, the piracy in the straits has reduced almost to nil. Indian Navy participates in this security environment as per this agreement and Indian Naval ships are seen patrolling frequently in the Straits of Malacca.

Why is India so much interested in the security of the Straits of Malacca? Just a casual look at the map, of this part of world, could make things abundantly clear. The northern part of the Indonesian Island of Sumatra is known as Banda Aceh. The northern tip of this province, happens to be just 90 miles away from the southern tip of Nicobar Island, which is an Indian territory. This southern tip of the Nicobar island has been named by India as ‘Indira Point’ and a light house was constructed by India at this spot. The light house got damaged in 2004 Tsunami disaster. An Indian Air Force base also has been set up on CarNicobar island north of Nicobar. All ships sailing to and fro between Indian Ocean and South China Sea or Pacific Ocean, have to pass through this gateway to the straits. This gives a unique privilege to India. India can keep watch on each and every ship that enters and exits Malacca straits quite easily.

The major economic powers in Asia like China, Japan, India and ASEAN countries have now realized that the Security of Malacca straits and also that off entire Oil-silk route, is of vital interest to them. The Indian Navy has been exercising with its counterpart in Singapore, for more than a decade, with the Indonesian Navy, since last year and with the Thai Navy, since August. The naval exercises with Indonesia were held at the mouth of the Malacca Straits. Indian Navy has managed to play a highly positive and balanced role, fully cooperating with and augmenting the regional efforts, its adaptable approach, has won the confidence of the regional nations on the viability and the efficacy of coordinated patrols with the Indian Navy. This positive impression and its close naval engagement with these countries notwithstanding, India has been moving cautiously with regard to carving a larger role for itself in the security of the Malacca.

In the month of June this year, a conference was organized in Singapore. Known as Shangri-la dialogue, the conference was attended by representatives of US, Japan,China, India and ASEAN countries. Two interesting facts have come to lime light from the discussions that took place in this conference. Firstly, the steps taken up by India to beef up security in Malacca straits are much appreciated by all the countries attending the conference with notable exception of China and these countries are willing to extend full co-operation to India in this regard. Secondly, Chinese are feeling extremely uneasy about presence of a mighty US naval force in the region as well as virtual Indian control on gateway to the Malacca straits.
As mentioned above, China would surely like to ensure that the Oil-silk route, which brings in 70% of crude oil required by them, is kept trouble free and open all the time, as entire Chinese economy today depends on this Oil-silk route. The remote possibility or even a thought of the possibility of this supply route going under India’s control near Malacca straits, is making them extremely uneasy. India, it appears, is well aware of this leverage in her hand. Any suspicion of any Chinese misadventure in Kashmir or on China India Border could make India react here in the Gateway to Malacca straits. India has been building up naval capability in this region and has recently acquired Boeing P80 , U.S. made submarine hunter-killer planes equipped with harpoon Missiles. China finds it difficult to react to this strategic depth, because of the distances involved and the deep rooted suspicions of the ASEAN countries. She has been trying though, to build a series of friendly ports in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Pakistan along this route, to ensure maritime security. The efforts however have not met with much success so far.
India has made it absolutely clear at the Shangri-la dialouge, that she has no intention what so ever, to control any part of Malacca straits. The strategic depth, built up over many years, however ensures that the capacity exists to do so if needed.
For last few years, it appears that the mandarins in New Delhi’s South block, where India’s foreign affairs ministry is located, have played some excellent strategic moves. Firstly it was the Delram-Zaranj highway in Afganistan. Then came the Sittwe port in Myanmar. Now the initiative taken by New Delhi, in providing security to international shipping near Somalia coast and also in Malacca straits is also a well orchestrated move. The Malacca Straits region expects Delhi to play a security provider role. This needs to be nurtured in a consensual manner. China perhaps needs to be reassured of the collective benefit. Stand taken by India at the Shangri-la dialogue in Singapore supports this expectation rather well.
7 July 2010