On 13 February 1942, "Ro-33" moved to a new patrol area in the Indian Ocean to support the upcoming Japanese invasion of Java, operating south of the Sunda Strait, Java — including off Tjilatjap — the Lombok Strait, and Bali. At around 22:00 on 1 March 1942 she attacked an Allied destroyer south-southeast of Christmas Island, but her torpedoes missed when the destroyer apparently made an evasive maneuver at the last minute. "Ro-33"′s target probably was the United States Navy destroyer , which reported sighting a submarine at around the same time while she was engaged in rescuing survivors of the fleet oiler , which Japanese aircraft had sunk at . "Ro-33" concluded her patrol on 8 March 1942 with her arrival at Staring Bay on the coast of Celebes in the Netherlands East Indies.