17-4-2024 (SINGAPORE) In the ever-evolving landscape of maritime security, the Police Coast Guard (PCG) of Singapore stands as a formidable force, boasting an impressive 20-minute response time to any incident within the nation’s territorial waters. This remarkable capability was highlighted by Superintendent Lee Ting Wei, the head of operations and security at the PCG, during the Anti-Piracy and Sea Robbery Conference 2024 held on April 16th.
The swift response time enables the PCG to arrive promptly at the scene of potential threats, deterring and thwarting any attempted acts of piracy or sea robbery before they can escalate. This proactive approach is crucial in maintaining the safety and security of Singapore’s vital maritime trade routes, particularly in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.
Supt Lee was part of a panel exploring innovative strategies to adapt to the changing maritime environment, with a specific focus on combating the persistent threats of piracy and sea robbery in regional waters. He revealed that the PCG employs a three-pronged approach to maritime security: deterrence, detection, and response.
Underpinning this strategy is the PCG’s round-the-clock boat patrols, with an increased presence during the night hours when most piracy incidents occur. Some of these patrol vessels are capable of reaching blistering speeds of up to 55 knots, enabling rapid deployment and response.
The patrols serve multiple purposes: deterring potential illicit activities at sea, detecting any attempts by pirates to board their target vessels, and swiftly responding to any actual robberies at sea. This comprehensive approach has yielded notable successes, including the recent discovery and arrest of nine individuals who had boarded a moving barge off Kusu Island, caught in the act of stealing scrap metal.
Supt Lee also highlighted the PCG’s ongoing efforts to enhance regional cooperation, including the resumption of coordinated patrols with Indonesia’s Directorate General of Customs and Excise since May 2023, as well as the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency to improve information sharing.
“These coordinated patrols ensure that any vessels conducting illicit activity would not be able to escape by leaving Singapore’s territorial waters and the PCG’s jurisdiction,” Supt Lee emphasized, underscoring the importance of cross-border collaboration in maritime security.
The conference, organized by the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP), brought together stakeholders from across the region to address the persistent challenges posed by piracy and armed robbery at sea.
ReCAAP, formalized in 2004, is the first and only regional government-to-government agreement aimed at promoting and enhancing cooperation to suppress piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia. It established an information sharing center in Singapore in 2006, further bolstering regional cooperation through its three pillars: information sharing, capacity building, and cooperative arrangements.
According to ReCAAP’s latest quarterly report, there were 11 armed robberies at sea in the Strait of Singapore from January to March 2024, all of which took place in Indonesian waters, highlighting the ongoing need for vigilance and coordinated efforts to safeguard this vital maritime thoroughfare.
