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Pirates hijack tanker in Malacca Straits, cargo stolenPirates hijack tanker in Malacca Straits, cargo stolen

Another small tanker was hijacked and its cargo stolen in the Straits of Malacca at the weekend.

Marcus Hand, Editor

May 4, 2015

1 Min Read
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The Singapore-registered Ocean Energy was bound from Singapore to Myanmar on 2 May when it was attacked by eight, armed pirates.

ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre said that eight pirates armed with guns boarded the tanker at around 2130 hrs and ordered the tanker to anchor off Port Dickson where a barge came alongside.

The Master and crew of the Ocean Energy were locked-up while 2,023 tonnes of gas oil was discharged onto the barge.

The pirates damaged the ship’s communications equipment, stole its Iridium satellite phone, and the crew’s cash and phones before leaving the vessel at around 0430 hrs on 3 May.

The vessel’s crew managed to contact to the company’s security officer an hour later and returned to port. None of the crew were injured in the attack.

It is the fifth attack on a small tanker in Southeast Asian waters this year with aim of stealing the vessel’s cargo.

“Whilst the crew was not harmed, the criminal act of holding them under threat, stealing their cash and personal belongings; and the vessel’s cargo is unacceptable,” ReCAAP said.

About the Author

Marcus Hand

Editor

Marcus Hand is the editor of Seatrade Maritime News and a dedicated maritime journalist with over two decades of experience covering the shipping industry in Asia.

Marcus is also an experienced industry commentator and has chaired many conferences and round tables. Before joining Seatrade at the beginning of 2010, Marcus worked for the shipping industry journal Lloyd's List for a decade and before that the Singapore Business Times covering shipping and aviation.

In November 2022, Marcus was announced as a member of the Board of Advisors to the Singapore Journal of Maritime Talent and Technology (SJMTT) to help bring together thought leadership around the key areas of talent and technology.

Marcus is the founder of the Seatrade Maritime Podcast that delivers commentary, opinions and conversations on shipping's most important topics.

Conferences & Webinars

Marcus Hand regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars.

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