Japan gives RI three boats to patrol Malacca Strait

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Japanese government on Friday presented three patrol boats for use in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes -- the Malacca Strait -- to the Indonesian Water Police.

Japanese Ambassador Shin Ebihara said before signing the handing-over agreement at Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta, the patrol boats were meant especially to help Indonesia handle piracy, maritime terrorism and weapon smuggling in the strait.

He said 20 percent of the tens of thousands vessels passing through the Malacca Strait annually belonged to Japan. He expressed hope the the three boats could benefit both countries.

"I hope Indonesia can use the boats effectively to secure the Malacca Strait, so we can continue strengthening and developing our relationship," said Ebihara.

National Police chief Gen. Sutanto, who signed the agreement with Ebihara, said the new boats had a number of advantages over the Water Police's older vessels.

He said the boats, which could travel at speeds up to 32 knots, were made of high-quality steel and equipped with state-of-the-art communication and navigation technologies.

"We can monitor chased boats with these vessels," said Sutanto.

Sumidagawa Shipyard Co. Ltd., a Japan-based manufacturer of patrol boats, ferries and medium-class warships, completed the construction of the three boats in seven months.

Each of the three boats is 27 meters in length and can carry up to 12 personnel. They are named "Hayabusa", "Anis Madu" and "Taka".

"We will place these three boats in Tanjung Batu, Riau and Belawan, Medan (North Sumatra), in accordance to the agreement with the Japanese government," said Sutanto.

Sutanto said Japan's grant of the boats was a follow-up to its gift of 10 war boats in 1962.

The old vessels, he said, were still in use today.

Sutanto said the new patrol boats were needed to oversee Indonesia's territorial waters around the Malacca Strait, which are susceptible to crimes such as piracy, marine terrorism, natural resource plundering, illegal fishing, and weapons and human smuggling.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported pirate attacks in the strait dropped from 79 in 2005 to 50 in 2006. In 2004, the region accounted for 40 percent of piracy worldwide.

The IMB reported in October 2007 that Indonesia continued to be the world's most pirate-infested region, with 37 attacks since January 2007, although this number was an improvement over the same nine-month period a year earlier. The IMB said of the navies in the countries around the strait, Indonesia's was least equipped to combat piracy.

Pirate attacks, however, have not stopped the 50,000 ships that transit the narrow passage of the Malacca Strait annually. The sea-borne cargo that goes through the strait accounts for some 40 percent of the world's trade. The strait is the most important route for oil from the Middle East to East Asia. (wda)