Kuala Lumpur: A Malaysian firm, Magna Meridian, looks likely to have been hit by pirates twice within eight days. The 2009-built product tanker, Orkim Harmony, stopped communications last night. Subsequent attempts to contact the 7,301 dwt vessel on all available communications were not successful. Its last known position was 17 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Aur in Malaysian waters.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and the Indonesian Navy have deployed patrol boats to search for Orkim Harmony. Orkim Harmony is carrying 6,000 metric tonnes of petrol and has crew comprising Indonesians, Malaysians and Myanmar nationals onboard.
Orkim Harmony’s sister vessel, Orkim Victory had 770 tonnes of automotive diesel oil siphoned off it in the same area on June 4.
Local piracy watchdog ReCAAP warned: “Ship masters and crew are advised to exercise enhanced vigilance when transiting the area.”
