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IFC Annual Report 2023: 58 incidents of theft, robbery and piracy at sea in Singapore Strait

IFC recorded 58 incidents of TRAPS in the Singapore Strait, which remains the main area of concern but it noted there was a notable 47% decrease in incidents in the second half of 2023.
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IFC Annual Report 2023: 58 incidents of theft, robbery and piracy at sea in Singapore Strait

The Information Fusion Centre (IFC), a regional Maritime Security centre hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy, on Saturday (17 February) released its annual report and infographic for 2023. 

The report and infographic covers Theft, Robbery and Piracy At Sea (TRAPS), Maritime Incidents and Contraband Smuggling, Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported Fishing, Irregular Human Migration, Environmental Security and Cyber Security. 

According to the report, IFC recorded 58 incidents of TRAPS in the Singapore Strait, which remains the main area of concern but it noted there was a notable 47% decrease in incidents in the second half of 2023.

“The 58 incidents recorded in 2023 is higher than 2022 (55) and 2021 (49), and is a continuing trend possibly due to the current slow economic recovery and the rising cost of living, prompting more locals to resort to petty theft,” IFC said in the report. 

Most of the incidents occurred in the Phillip Channel (34 Incidents), mainly Northeast of Karimun Besar Island and Northwest of Kepalajernih Island, where vessels have been known to decrease speed significantly when turning. The other area of concern is waters off Bintan and Batam islands (12 incidents). It is assessed that increased enforcement efforts by regional authorities in the waters off Bintan and Batam islands have caused perpetrators to shift their operations to the Phillip Channel.

Notably, the number of incidents in Singapore Strait fell by 47% in the second half of the year, assessed due to the overall stepped-up enforcement efforts by regional authorities. Particularly, a successful land operation mounted by Indonesian authorities in October led to the arrest of several members of a suspected sea robbery syndicate; following this, there was only 1 incident reported in November and December combined.

According to the report, bulk carriers were the most frequently targeted vessel types in the Singapore Strait, accounting for 69% of the incidents, followed by tugs and barges, and tankers making up 19% and 12% of the incidents respectively. 

“This is due to their slower speed (7 to 12 knots), and lower freeboard (less than 8m). Stolen Items include engine spare parts and small tools (bulk carriers and tankers), and scrap metal (tugs and barges),” IFC added.

Recent investigations by Indonesian authorities have also revealed that perpetrators have become more tech-savvy, making use of commercially available online applications in their handphones to select suitable targets (using AIS information to identify vessel type and speed) to increase chances of success.

IFC said the report and infographic are co-developed by its International Liaison Officers (ILO), with insights and data collected over the past years, covering IFC’s 8 MARSEC categories within the IFC Area of Interest (AOI).

Note: Information Fusion Centre’s Annual Report 2023 and infographic can be downloaded here.

 

Photo credit: Information Fusion Centre
Published: 20 February, 2024

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Legal

Singapore: Ex-Director of Inter-Pacific Petroleum wins appeal against former company

Appellate Division of the High Court has found Dr Goh Jin Hian not liable to pay up to USD 146 million of the company’s total USD 156 million loss.

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June 6, 2025

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RESIZED singapore high court

The Appellate Division of the High Court on Thursday (5 June) has found a former Director of defunct Singapore bunker supplier Inter-Pacific Petroleum (IPP) not liable to pay up to USD 146 million of the company’s total USD 156 million loss. 

The decision sets aside an earlier decision by the High Court that found Dr Goh Jin Hian responsible for the company’s financial loss. 

The Appellate Division of the High Court found that even though it agreed that Dr Goh had breached his duty of care as a director, IPP has failed to show that his breach caused loss to the company.

In a judgment issued by the Appellate Division of the High Court, sighted by Manifold Times, it wrote: “While we agree with the Judge that Dr Goh had breached the Care Duty by reason of his ignorance of the cargo trading business, IPP has failed to show causation, ie, that the breach caused the loss in question. 

“Also, we disagree with the Judge that the Care Duty was breached as regards the purported red flags. Finally, we find that Dr Goh did not breach the Creditor Duty in relation to the Cargo Drawdowns.”

The justices presiding the appeal were Tay Yong Kwang, Woo Bih Li and Kannan Ramesh.

IPP Judicial Managers (JMs) Deloitte Singapore, the plaintiffs, on April 2023 initiated a legal suit against Dr Goh, the defendant, suing him for over USD 156 million over losses due to alleged breach of his Director’s duties.

A timeline organised list of events preceding the current development of Inter-Pacific Petroleum has been recorded by Manifold Times below:

Related: Singapore: Ex-Director of Inter-Pacific Petroleum appeals High Court decision
Related: Singapore: Former auditors of Inter-Pacific Petroleum undergo private oral examination at court
Related: Singapore: Civil trial between Inter-Pacific Petroleum and Dr Goh Jin Hian begins
Related: Former Singapore Director of Inter-Pacific Petroleum sued for USD 156 million
Related: Inter-Pacific Petroleum creditors authorised to fund lawsuit against former Director
Related: New Silkroutes under investigation over possible breach of Securities and Futures Act
Related: Judicial Managers considering to take former Singapore Director of Inter-Pacific Petroleum to court
Related: Singapore: Inter-Pacific Group receives winding up order from High Court
Related: Singapore: Inter-Pacific Group files for winding up application at High Court
Related: MPA revokes Inter-Pacific Petroleum Pte Ltd bunker supplier licence
Related: Co-heads of Trade and Commodities Finance for Asia-Pacific leave SocGen
Related: Inter-Pacific Group, Inter-Pacific Petroleum to hold creditors’ meet
Related: NewOcean detains Singapore-flagged bunker tanker “Pacific Energy 28”
Related: SocGen lawsuit against NewOcean Petroleum dropped, party to counterclaim
Related: MPA revokes Inter-Pacific Petroleum bunker craft operator licence
Related: Magnets on MFMs: Trial starts for former bunker clerk of “Consort Justice
Related: First suspect charged over MFM tampering in landmark case
Related: With nearly $180 million of debt, IPP proposes interim judicial management
Related: Inter-Pacific Group, Inter-Pacific Petroleum under judicial management
Related: Magnets on MFMs: “Consort Justice” crew pleads ‘not guilty’ to tampering charge
Related: IPP responds to temporary suspension of bunker craft operator licence
Related: MPA temporarily suspends IPP bunker craft operator licence
Related: Singapore: Bunker Cargo officer, crew face charges over alleged MFM tampering

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 6 June, 2025

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Legal

Four Dutch seafarers slapped with fines for 2024 Singapore bunker spill

Merijn Heidema, Eric Peijpers, Martin Hans Sinke, and Richard Ouwehand, who were crewmen of dredger “Vox Maxima”, were each handed fines of between SGD 20,000 and SGD 40,000.
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April 3, 2025

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RESIZED state courts

Four Dutch men, who were crew members of Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima when it crashed into a Singapore-flagged bunker vessel in 2024 and caused a major bunker spill in Singapore, were each handed fines in a Singapore court on Thursday (2 April), according to The Straits Times.

Merijn Heidema, 26, who was a third engineer at the time of the incident, and Eric Peijpers, 56, then a second engineer, were each fined SGD 40,000. Both were the officers in charge of the engineering watch at the time. 

Richard Ouwehand, 49, who was Vox Maxima’s master, and Martin Hans Sinke, 48, then the vessel’s chief officer and in charge of its navigational watch, were each fined SGD 20,000.

Manifold Times previously reported that all four men pleaded guilty for failing to discharge their duties properly.

Heidema, Peijpers, Sinke, and  Ouwehand pleaded guilty to one charge each under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 at the State Courts. 

Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour was hit by Vox Maxima at Pasir Panjang Terminal on 14 June last year, which resulted in an oil spill in Singapore waters.

The crash caused one of Marine Honour’s oil cargo tanks to rupture, releasing 400 metric tonnes (mt) of low-sulphur fuel oil into the sea. 

The dredger lost propulsion and steering control before crashing into Marine Honour.

Related: Dutch crew members plead guilty over their role in major 2024 Singapore bunker spill
Related: Four Dutch seafarers charged for alleged roles in causing Singapore oil spill
Related: Thirteen deficiencies flagged during inspection for dredger involved in Singapore oil spill
Related: Singapore oil spill: Minister refutes claim that contractor was slow in preventing further spillage
Related: MPA: Claims exceeding liability of “Marine Honour” owner will be made against international fund
Related: MPA: Owner of bunker tanker involved in Singapore oil spill is liable for pollution damage
Related: Malaysia to look into demands of Johor fisherman affected by oil spill from Singapore
Related: Singapore oil spill: Clean-up enters next phase of cleaning rock bunds
Related: MPA: Clean-up ops continue following oil spill in Singapore, affected beaches closed
Related: Singapore: Oil spill cleanup after allision between dredger “Vox Maxima” and bunker tanker “Marine Honour”

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 3 April, 2025

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Legal

Dutch crew members plead guilty over their role in major 2024 Singapore bunker spill

Merijn Heidema, Eric Peijpers, Martin Hans Sinke, and Richard Ouwehand, who are crewmen of dredger “Vox Maxima”, pleaded guilty for failing to discharge their duties properly at the State Courts on 12 March.

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3 months ago

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March 13, 2025

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state courts

Four Dutch crew members of Netherlands-flagged dredger Vox Maxima, which crashed into a Singapore-flagged bunker vessel in 2024 and caused a major bunker spill in Singapore, on Wednesday (12 March) pleaded guilty for failing to discharge their duties properly, according to media reports. 

Merijn Heidema, 26, Eric Peijpers, 56, Martin Hans Sinke, 48, and Richard Ouwehand, 49, pleaded guilty to one charge each under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 at the State Courts. 

Singapore-flagged bunker vessel Marine Honour was hit by Vox Maxima at Pasir Panjang Terminal on 14 June last year, which resulted in an oil spill in Singapore waters.

The crash caused one of Marine Honour’s oil cargo tanks to rupture, releasing 400 metric tonnes (mt) of low-sulphur fuel oil into the sea. 

The dredger lost propulsion and steering control before crashing into Marine Honour.

Court documents reportedly revealed that on the morning of 14 June 2024, a circuit breaker controlling the flow of electrical power from one of the dredger’s main generators to a step-down transformer was opened for maintenance works to be conducted.

The circuit breaker remained open after the maintenance works were completed that morning. 

Peijpers, a second engineer, and Heidema, a third engineer, who were the officers in charge of the engineering watch at the time, did not check the condition of the circuit breakers.

This eventually led to another circuit breaker tripping, which then led to the loss of steering and propulsion control of the dredger.

Heidema and Peijpers also failed to ensure a sufficient reserve of power was available for Vox Maxima’s steering gear when the engine room was put in a standby condition.

Upon the loss of steering control, both Ouwehand and Sinke, who were responsible to carry out emergency steering, did not do so.

The prosecution sought fines of between SGD 40,000 and SGD 50,000 each for Heidema and Peijpers and fines between SGD 20,000 and SGD 30,000 each for Ouwehand and Sinke.

The four Dutch crew members are expected to be sentenced on 2 April.

Related: Four Dutch seafarers charged for alleged roles in causing Singapore oil spill
Related: Thirteen deficiencies flagged during inspection for dredger involved in Singapore oil spill
Related: Singapore oil spill: Minister refutes claim that contractor was slow in preventing further spillage
Related: MPA: Claims exceeding liability of “Marine Honour” owner will be made against international fund
Related: MPA: Owner of bunker tanker involved in Singapore oil spill is liable for pollution damage
Related: Malaysia to look into demands of Johor fisherman affected by oil spill from Singapore
Related: Singapore oil spill: Clean-up enters next phase of cleaning rock bunds
Related: MPA: Clean-up ops continue following oil spill in Singapore, affected beaches closed
Related: Singapore: Oil spill cleanup after allision between dredger “Vox Maxima” and bunker tanker “Marine Honour”

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 13 March, 2025

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