Titus Zheng
The products tanker hijacked en route to Timor Leste was identified as Orapin 2, according to the report from Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
Initially, IRPC Public-owned Orapin 2 was underway laden from Singapore to Dili, Timor Leste. However, the 2,764dwt vessel was boarded and hijacked by eight armed pirates on 17 September while underway in the South China Sea in Lat. 01 26N, Long. 104 50E, approximately 20nm northeast of Tanjung Berakit, Pulau Bintan, Indonesia, at 21.55 hours.
Crew members were tied up and locked in a room after the pirates had taken their personal items such as mobile phones, laptops and cash. The pirates also damaged the navigation and communication equipment.
Then, two smaller tankers came alongside Orapin 2 and siphoned gas oil from the vessel. MMEA was notified of the incidents and immediately dispatched a patrol boat to the scene.
However, the sea robbers fled before the patrol boat arrived, leaving the crew unharmed.
The crew of Orapin 2 were only able to re-establish AIS contact by 06.28 hours on 18 September. Subsequently, the vessel proceeded to an anchorage 1.3 nautical mile west of Tanjung Setapa, Pengerang in the state of Johor, Malaysia, at 12.40 hours for investigation and inspection.
Via: http://www.ihsmaritime360.com
Neptune Maritime Security:
The sister ship to the Orapin 2, the Orapin 4 was hijacked on May 28th around 19 nautical miles off Indonesia. The ship’s named was re-painted and another tanker came alongside and transferred her cargo.
