Bangladesh Sees Increase in Piracy Incidents Warns ReCAAP

The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre has issued a warning about a rise in piracy incidents in Bangladesh, an emerging Asian export powerhouse. According to the report, there have been nine piracy incidents in the first five months of this year, compared to just one during the same period in 2023.

The report advises vessels at anchor or berth in Bangladesh to increase vigilance and maintain communication over VHF channels with port control and law enforcement agencies when entering Bangladeshi waters.

In response, both the country's navy and coast guard have heightened patrols recently. Additionally, the Chittagong Port Authority has implemented a visual tracking information management system to monitor the movement of small boats in the port’s anchorage and outer anchorage areas.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabian operator Red Sea Gateway Terminal welcomed the 2,086 TEU Maersk Davao to Patenga Container Terminal last week, marking a significant expansion in container handling capabilities for Bangladesh. This development is particularly important as the nation experiences a surge in exports while grappling with port congestion issues.