A complaint was lodged by Singapore’s flagship container ship MV Kota Rancak with the International Maritime Bureau, a Malaysian-based security organisation, on 28 June, alleging piracy at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port. Neither the master of MV Kota Rancak nor any sailors informed the port control or the Coast Guard of Chittagong port about this.
After the Coast Guard received an e-mail from IMBA, at the request of the Chairman of Chittagong port, a team from the Coast Guard East Zone investigated the incidence of piracy on the ship.
The investigation revealed that some ropes and oil were sold from the ship to a local vendor in collusion with the ship’s sailors. The Coast Guard conducted a combing operation, seized the sold goods, and interrogated the ship’s sailors and vendors. Under interrogation, the ship’s sailor and buyer admitted that the goods were unloaded from the MV Quota Rancak in exchange for dollars. According to the Coast Guard report, the piracy report was submitted with the intention of carrying out the crime with the help of the sailors of the ship at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port.
According to Section 9 of the International Ship and Port Safety Code (ISPS), a team comprising representatives of the Bangladesh Coast Guard, Chittagong Port Authority, and Department of Shipping went on board the MV Kota Rancak to investigate the matter. In this regard, the ship’s master admitted the allegation submitted to the IMBA was false. He said that no piracy or any other incident had taken place on the ship on 28 June. He also withdrew the report sent to the IMBA.
No theft, robbery, or piracy occurred in Chittagong port waters from 2019 to 2021. The coastal region and outer anchorage of Chittagong port have a reputation as safe areas. A malicious ring is trying to tarnish the image of Chittagong port by submitting such fake piracy reports. In 2012, a search by RECAAP, another Singapore-based global maritime security organisation, also found six fake piracy reports. Since the implementation of the ISPS code in July 2004, the security situation at Chittagong port has improved enviably. RECAAP has declared Chittagong port as a zero piracy port since 2019. The Chittagong Port Authority played a commendable role in uncovering the fake report submitted from the ship in question.
Chittagong Port Authority has recently updated the port security plan and introduced a tight security system at the port per the International Port and Ship Safety Code. The steps taken to modernise the security system of the port have been praised by various international circles such as the US Coast Guard, RECAAP, etc. Earlier, the port Chairman set a unique example of safe shipping by rescuing MV Haian City, which was carrying 1,159 container ships, from sinking.
