Asian pirates focus on bigger ships off Philippines in hope of securing bigger ransom payments

Asian pirates are focusing more of their attacks on larger merchant ships near the Philippines, hoping for bigger ransom payments from kidnapping their crew, the head of a regional anti-piracy body said on Friday.

The region’s pirates have changed tactics since October, to target some of the biggest ships travelling through the Sulu and Celebes Seas, and paying less attention to small tugs and fishing boats.

The growing problem has prompted Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to step up air and sea patrols in the waters, through which about US$40 billion worth of cargo passes each year.

“Big ships belong to bigger owners, so maybe they think bigger owners can pay more money as a ransom,” said Masafumi Kuroki, executive director of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).

The group, which has 20 member states, helps co-ordinate information about maritime piracy incidents. Maritime experts recommend that vessels in the area adopt measures similar to those taken against pirates off Somalia and the Indian Ocean, including evasive action such as zigzagging, speeding up and shining powerful lights on the attackers.

“Our advice is that the area should be avoided if at all possible,” said Gerry Northwood, chief operating officer at armed guard company, Maritime Asset Security and Training (MAST).