TNAG-2531-FCO40-3701-Hong-Kong-shipping-matters-1997 — Page 174

GOVERMENT HOUSE HONG KONG.

LED 27 MAY 92 08:49

PG.06

4.

Review of the Problem of Piracy in the Region

Eric Ellen summarised the

а

Не

as

and growing problem document entitled "Piracy in the Far East Region" containing an assessment of the problem. He suggested that piracy was growing problem and this was accepted without question. admitted that it was difficult to get an accurate picture the industry did not report all attacks.

tabled a

classification

The

namely

of pirate attacks was then explained,

Short Term Seizure

a short

Pirates board ships while underway for

period during which they may restrain the bridge team and master in

order to

remove as much cash and

valuables as they can find.

Long Term Seizure

In which the

ship is seized for

longer period (about 2 weeks), during which the ship is taken to a place for

removal of the cargo.

6.

Permanent Seizure

In which

An

example

ship

is seized and

false

documents

re-registered using

(usually with Panama or Honduras). The

ship is then used to pick up cargoes

which are fraudulently sold.

of permanent seizure was quoted by Eric Ellen in which a ship was seized in the Philippines in 1991, cargo

sold, ship re-registered and then used for cargo frauds. The case was investigated by IMB, and the gang responsible identified. When the legal owner of the ship and IMB asked

for the ship to be returned, 1: was stated that the

Philippine customs demanded US$500,000 to release the ship.