Stolen Tanker Cargo Suspect Arrested

The Indonesian Navy has arrested the man suspected of leading the hijacking of the M/T Orkim Harmony. The Indonesian man was identified as Albert Johanes. He was apprehended in Grogol Petamburan, West Jakarta on August 27, and is currently being questioned by the police in Jakarta.

The Orkim Harmony was transporting $5.6 million of fuel for Petronas, Malaysia’s state-owned energy company, as it was transiting from Malacca to Kuantan when it was reported missing on June 12. The ship was attacked by 13 pirates who took command of the bridge and disabled the Automatic Identification System (AIS). The pirates repainted the hull and altered the ship’s name to avoid detection. The Orkim Harmony was found eight days later and eight of the pirates still onboard were arrested.

One of the tanker’s original crew was shot in the leg, but the rest were unharmed.

Southeast Asian pirates have frequently targeting small tankers because it is easier to steal their cargoes. According to the PGI Risk Portal, a risk management solutions company, eleven percent 2015’s maritime hijacking have taken place in Malaysian and Indonesian waters.