Page 62 - Oil&Gas-AustralAsia-2015-Issue-3
P. 62
M ARITIME
Piracy and Armed Robbery in South
East Asia – Malaysia offers Private
Maritime Security Companies (PMSC)
Capt. Martin A. SEBASTIAN RMN (R)
Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA)
Introduction the southern most State on the Penin- the International Maritime Bureau –
sula, ex Royal Malaysian Navy Special Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB-PRC),
Malaysia’s Ministry of Home Affairs Forces form the bulk of the PMSC there were 54 incidents of armed rob-
have approved two Private Maritime Se- with retired Navy officers heading the bery and piracy against ships reported
curity Companies (PMSC) to conduct Management esstacfofr. tGsleorbvailceOsnteo PMSC between January and March 2015. They
risk mitigation for seafarers based on has provided offshore also reported that there were 42 vessels
ftrhoemGuthideeIlninteesrnaantdioRneacloMmamrietnimdaetiOonr-s oil and gas companies and tankers, port boarded, eight hijackings and four
limit security for anchored vessels and attempted hijackings during the same
hSgaeacnsuibzreaitetyinoSngeir(vvIeMinceOas a)fi.nvGdelyToebraoarpl ipOcianolenQeMueraarnliit-tuimme weapon storage services for foreign arm time period.
guards, embarked on vessels transiting In the MV Orkim Harmony incident,
through Malaysian waters intending to Malaysian authorities started combing
cense to carry out the range of maritime temporarily store their weapons in Ma- the passage of the tanker in the South
security services to be provided in the laysia. For further enquiries on Global China Sea as they were informed 10
Malaysian Maritime Zone. Though One PMSC services you can email to hours after it was reported “lost”3. A
the IMO documents are specifically admin@g1pmsc.com or browse through prompt request for the Australian P -3C
designed iftoirsHabigohuRt itsikmAertehaes,inMdaulsatyrsyia their website www.g1pmsc.com. Orion maritime surveillance aircraft
feels that gave the break when Orkim Harmo-
took risk mitigation seriously while the Discussion ny was spotted with her name clearly
agencies can provide crisis response painted to read Kim Harmon. Royal
when the ships are being attacked. HtTihoaenrmarleocanettynethnhatisiojabncrktooiunSggohout ftmhMoEVraesOitnrAtkesirminaaa-nd Malaysian Navy and Malaysian Mari-
Malaysia’s Private Agency Act 1971 was time Enforcement Agency vessels im-
the sole reference for the licensing of mediately started shadowing the vessel
Private Security Companies on land, the need to provide risk mitigation. On establishing communications with the
however, this Act is being referred to as June 11th, 8 men, reportedly armed Master. It was learnt later that the cook
national legislation for PMSCs. Ma- with pistols and machetes boarded onboard was shot in the thighs and was
laysia has been strict in ensuring that the tanker, which was carrying 6,000 still alive. The pirates, fleeing by the
PMSCs comply to IMO and other in- tones of ULG 95 Petrol worth RM 21 vessel’s lifeboat were eventually arrested
ternational requirements like non lethal million belonging to Malaysia’s nation- after they reached a tiny Vietnamese
warning procedures through graduated al oil company Petronas. The voyage, island. The incident has highlighted im-
response plans, due diligence on staff around the southern tip of Malaysia, portant issues with regards to maritime
and Standard Operating Procedures from Malacca on the country’s west security in South East Asia.
(SOP) on training and employment. coast to Kuantan Port on its eastern one Firstly, coastal states should not wait for
There are a number of companies was relatively short but the ship ended their waterways to be declared “High
offering to provide security services at being hijacked in the South China Sea Risk” before taking action. These areas
sea but only those authorized to provide fESioncoudntihnomgEhiassett,rsAreaslnfiaoaafsfstcotohrayes1ptsiVhraioecrtytnlyhamonta.smpTohinte g may easily deteriorate to “ War Risk” if
‘maritime security’ are allowed. In the left unchecked. The Straits of Malacca
case of security services for offshore in- was once designated “War Risk” in 2005
dustries, even if the security companies replacing Somalia and the Gulf of prompting United States and India to
have a valid Standardized Work and Guinea. The online World Maritime offer maritime security patrols. Con-
Equipment Category (SWEC) codes, tNimewesOrerpkoimrtevdestshealts it was the second sequently, the Malacca Straits Patrol
they must have the ‘maritime security’ were hijacked2. On (MSP) was formed by littoral States
authorization from the Home Ministry June 4th, a group of eight perpetrators which contributed to the Straits being
as they are the regulating authority for boarded the MV Orkim Victory while removed from the list. That was a good
maritime security licenses. the vessel was en route to Kuantan port. lesson to respond to the needs of the
The pirates brought MV Orkim Victory seafaring community.
This private-public partnership is to a location where 770 metric tones Secondly, Agencies may have their
timely as the recent spate of hijackings of Automotive Diesel Oil (ADO) were reservations on having PMSCs at sea. In
and robbery has had immense loses to siphoned off. the evolution of maritime security, we
the tankers and offshore industries. A have seen the formation of Coastguards
representative from one of Malaysian In South East Asia, fifteen hijackings as maritime law enforcement working
cPuMriStyCStehravticiessGSldonbaBl hOdnbeaMseadriitnimJoehSoer-e, has taken place in 2014, up from just a
handful the year before. According to ~continued on page 62
A A60 OIL & GAS ustral SIA JULY/AUGUST 2015 www.oilandgasaustralasia.com
Piracy and Armed Robbery in South
East Asia – Malaysia offers Private
Maritime Security Companies (PMSC)
Capt. Martin A. SEBASTIAN RMN (R)
Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA)
Introduction the southern most State on the Penin- the International Maritime Bureau –
sula, ex Royal Malaysian Navy Special Piracy Reporting Centre (IMB-PRC),
Malaysia’s Ministry of Home Affairs Forces form the bulk of the PMSC there were 54 incidents of armed rob-
have approved two Private Maritime Se- with retired Navy officers heading the bery and piracy against ships reported
curity Companies (PMSC) to conduct Management esstacfofr. tGsleorbvailceOsnteo PMSC between January and March 2015. They
risk mitigation for seafarers based on has provided offshore also reported that there were 42 vessels
ftrhoemGuthideeIlninteesrnaantdioRneacloMmamrietnimdaetiOonr-s oil and gas companies and tankers, port boarded, eight hijackings and four
limit security for anchored vessels and attempted hijackings during the same
hSgaeacnsuibzreaitetyinoSngeir(vvIeMinceOas a)fi.nvGdelyToebraoarpl ipOcianolenQeMueraarnliit-tuimme weapon storage services for foreign arm time period.
guards, embarked on vessels transiting In the MV Orkim Harmony incident,
through Malaysian waters intending to Malaysian authorities started combing
cense to carry out the range of maritime temporarily store their weapons in Ma- the passage of the tanker in the South
security services to be provided in the laysia. For further enquiries on Global China Sea as they were informed 10
Malaysian Maritime Zone. Though One PMSC services you can email to hours after it was reported “lost”3. A
the IMO documents are specifically admin@g1pmsc.com or browse through prompt request for the Australian P -3C
designed iftoirsHabigohuRt itsikmAertehaes,inMdaulsatyrsyia their website www.g1pmsc.com. Orion maritime surveillance aircraft
feels that gave the break when Orkim Harmo-
took risk mitigation seriously while the Discussion ny was spotted with her name clearly
agencies can provide crisis response painted to read Kim Harmon. Royal
when the ships are being attacked. HtTihoaenrmarleocanettynethnhatisiojabncrktooiunSggohout ftmhMoEVraesOitnrAtkesirminaaa-nd Malaysian Navy and Malaysian Mari-
Malaysia’s Private Agency Act 1971 was time Enforcement Agency vessels im-
the sole reference for the licensing of mediately started shadowing the vessel
Private Security Companies on land, the need to provide risk mitigation. On establishing communications with the
however, this Act is being referred to as June 11th, 8 men, reportedly armed Master. It was learnt later that the cook
national legislation for PMSCs. Ma- with pistols and machetes boarded onboard was shot in the thighs and was
laysia has been strict in ensuring that the tanker, which was carrying 6,000 still alive. The pirates, fleeing by the
PMSCs comply to IMO and other in- tones of ULG 95 Petrol worth RM 21 vessel’s lifeboat were eventually arrested
ternational requirements like non lethal million belonging to Malaysia’s nation- after they reached a tiny Vietnamese
warning procedures through graduated al oil company Petronas. The voyage, island. The incident has highlighted im-
response plans, due diligence on staff around the southern tip of Malaysia, portant issues with regards to maritime
and Standard Operating Procedures from Malacca on the country’s west security in South East Asia.
(SOP) on training and employment. coast to Kuantan Port on its eastern one Firstly, coastal states should not wait for
There are a number of companies was relatively short but the ship ended their waterways to be declared “High
offering to provide security services at being hijacked in the South China Sea Risk” before taking action. These areas
sea but only those authorized to provide fESioncoudntihnomgEhiassett,rsAreaslnfiaoaafsfstcotohrayes1ptsiVhraioecrtytnlyhamonta.smpTohinte g may easily deteriorate to “ War Risk” if
‘maritime security’ are allowed. In the left unchecked. The Straits of Malacca
case of security services for offshore in- was once designated “War Risk” in 2005
dustries, even if the security companies replacing Somalia and the Gulf of prompting United States and India to
have a valid Standardized Work and Guinea. The online World Maritime offer maritime security patrols. Con-
Equipment Category (SWEC) codes, tNimewesOrerpkoimrtevdestshealts it was the second sequently, the Malacca Straits Patrol
they must have the ‘maritime security’ were hijacked2. On (MSP) was formed by littoral States
authorization from the Home Ministry June 4th, a group of eight perpetrators which contributed to the Straits being
as they are the regulating authority for boarded the MV Orkim Victory while removed from the list. That was a good
maritime security licenses. the vessel was en route to Kuantan port. lesson to respond to the needs of the
The pirates brought MV Orkim Victory seafaring community.
This private-public partnership is to a location where 770 metric tones Secondly, Agencies may have their
timely as the recent spate of hijackings of Automotive Diesel Oil (ADO) were reservations on having PMSCs at sea. In
and robbery has had immense loses to siphoned off. the evolution of maritime security, we
the tankers and offshore industries. A have seen the formation of Coastguards
representative from one of Malaysian In South East Asia, fifteen hijackings as maritime law enforcement working
cPuMriStyCStehravticiessGSldonbaBl hOdnbeaMseadriitnimJoehSoer-e, has taken place in 2014, up from just a
handful the year before. According to ~continued on page 62
A A60 OIL & GAS ustral SIA JULY/AUGUST 2015 www.oilandgasaustralasia.com
