The 15th Anniversary of ReCAAP

Message fromexecutive director

On 4 September 2006, ReCAAP – Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia – came into force, and 14 Asian countries have become the Contracting Parties of ReCAAP by the end of 2006. Based on the Agreement, ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) was established in Singapore on November 29, 2006.

ReCAAP, as a first regional government-to-government agreement, has been recognised as a useful and relevant organisation in the international community (e.g. IMO/MSC Circulars 1333 & 1334) and, today, it includes four European countries, Australia and the United States.

Under the Agreement, ReCAAP ISC is actively promoting cooperation among Contracting Parties for information sharing, capacity building and cooperative arrangements to prevent and suppress piracy and armed robbery against ships.

In particular, ISC is playing a role of information hub for timely and accurate information sharing, working closely with Member Countries and disseminating the updated information and advices to the maritime community as broadly as possible.

Combating piracy and sea robbery requires collective efforts of various stakeholders, especially maritime enforcement agencies and shipping industry. In this regard, ISC has been organising capacity building activities for maritime agencies of Member Countries as well as joint activities with shipping industry under cooperative arrangements.

In 2018, the Governing Council announced that ReCAAP ISC has met the criteria of a “Centre of Excellence” for information sharing in combating piracy and armed robbery against ships at sea. We consider it as a milestone to further advance our mission.

The 15th anniversary offers the ReCAAP Contracting Parties and the ISC an opportunity to reflect on the journey we have collectively taken, reconfirm the commitment to our shared mission, and look ahead at the future of ReCAAP to remain relevant amid changing external environment.

Masafumi Kuroki
Executive Director
ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre

Download 15th Anniversary Commemorative Publication

Click here to download

15th Anniversary Symposium
“Enhancing Regional Cooperation: 15 years and beyond”
18 March 2021

TIME DESCRIPTION
13:30 to 13:55 hours
Singapore Time		 Sign-in of Participants into Virtual Symposium
14:00 hours Opening Remarks
Admiral George V. Ursabia, Jr.
Chairperson of ReCAAP ISC Governing Council
Commandant, Philippine Coast Guard
14:05 hours Welcome Address | Download speech here
H.E. Mr. Ong Ye Kung
Minister for Transport
Republic of Singapore
14:15 hours Keynote Address (video message)
H.E. Mr. Kitack Lim
Secretary General
International Maritime Organization
14:30 hours “ReCAAP: The First 15 Years & the Way Forward”
Mr. Wajima Takehiko
Acting Governor from Japan to ReCAAP ISC Governing Council
Director, Space and Maritime Security Policy Division, Foreign Policy Bureau
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
14:45 hours “The Relevance of ReCAAP to the Maritime Community: Perspective of India”
Inspector General K R Suresh, PTM,TM
Dy Director General (Operations & Coastal Security)
Indian Coast Guard
15:00 hours “15 Years’ Analysis of Piracy & Sea Robbery Incidents in Asia” | Download slides here
Mr. Masafumi Kuroki
Executive Director
ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre
15:15 hours “ReCAAP & the Fight against Piracy and Sea Robbery: An Industry’s Perspective”
Mr. Michael Phoon
Secretary General
Federation of ASEAN Shipowners Association
15:30 hours Panel Discussion on “The Future of ReCAAP”
Moderator: Professor Max Mejia, World Maritime University
Panellists:
- Mr. Gaute Sivertsen, Governor from Norway
- Ms. Quah Ley Hoon, Governor from Singapore
- Ms. Katharina Stanzel, Managing Director, INTERTANKO
- Professor Kentaro Furuya, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Japan
16:10 to 16:15 hours Closing Remarks
Mr. Masafumi Kuroki
Executive Director
ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre