Boarding - 12NM North of Jakarta

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Incident Details

Incident Date & Time:

30 May 2025, 1546 hrs UTC

Location:

12NM North of Jakarta

Latitude/Longitude: 

5° 52' 6.00" S, 106° 48' 4.00" E

Vessel Name, Type, Flag & Status

Drifting Bulk Carrier

Incident Type:

Boarding

Crew status

No injuries reported

Incident Details

Description

On 30 May 2025 at 15:46 UTC, duty crew aboard a drifting Bulk Carrier approximately 12NM North of Jakarta discovered broken padlocks on the steering gear room and other engine room access points during routine rounds. The alarm was raised, and the crew mustered to conduct a search. Upon investigation of CCTV footage, it was revealed that three unauthorized persons had entered the steering gear room and escaped with ship's engine spares.

Response Actions

- Security Incident Reported

Stolen items

- Engine Spares

Key findings

This incident demonstrates a concerning level of sophistication in the attackers' approach. The perpetrators managed to board the vessel, break into secure areas, and steal valuable engine parts without being detected in real-time. This suggests they had knowledge of the ship's layout and security measures, possibly indicating pre-attack reconnaissance or insider information. The choice of a drifting vessel as a target highlights the vulnerability of ships in this state, where reduced crew alertness and slower response times can be exploited. The focus on engine spares, rather than more easily transportable valuables, implies a targeted theft possibly driven by black market demand for these components.

Recommendations

- Implement enhanced security measures for vessels at drift, including additional watchkeepers and regular security sweeps

- Upgrade physical security on access points to critical areas, considering electronic locks with logging capabilities

- Install motion-activated cameras in vulnerable areas to provide real-time alerts of unauthorized access

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