According to reports, Evergreen Lines has confirmed that one of its container ships was briefly boarded by robbers while at anchorage in Manila, Philippines. The incident, which is being considered unusual, occurred on the Ever Boomy, a smaller container ship of 37,300 dwt.
The robbers boarded the ship and were discovered around 2:00 am on April 5th while the vessel was at anchor in the outer anchorage. An able seaman on watch was accosted by the boarders, assaulted, and tied up. One crew member was also reportedly threatened with a knife. The captain of the vessel immediately notified the Philippine Coast Guard and the ship’s flag state, Panama. The authorities confirmed the safety of the crew, and no major property loss was reported.
Evergreen’s statement said that the ship was able to proceed to the terminal and has since departed for its normal route bound for Thailand. Boardings by robbers are more common in other parts of Asia and anchorages around the world. The ReCAAP ISC, which reports maritime incidents in Asia, recently issued an update showing that four boardings were reported in the last five days of March in the eastbound lanes of the Singapore Strait, near Indonesia. The agency has repeatedly warned of the dangers in the area, and 18 incidents were reported in the Singapore Strait since January 2023, with none of the perpetrators arrested.
