Surge in Pirate Attacks Near Singapore and Malacca Straits: ReCAAP Urges Increased Surveillance

The area around the straits of Singapore and Malacca is experiencing a surge in boardings and robberies, with no signs of abating. The monitoring operation ReCAAP has raised concerns, reporting two additional vessels being boarded on Sunday and Monday after a two-week lull. One of the incidents involved the MSC Tara III, a feeder containership serving the Asian region, where three perpetrators were spotted on board carrying guns. The crew was unharmed, but it marked the first incident since April 7.

Less than 24 hours later, the Panama-flagged tanker Aquaris also encountered boarders in a similar position, this time armed with knives and entering the engine control room. Fortunately, the crew was unharmed and nothing was stolen, but this marked the fifth incident in April. Since the beginning of the year, ReCAAP has reported a total of 41 incidents in or near the straits of Singapore and Malacca, with only 49 reports received across Southeast Asia in 2025.

ReCAAP ISC has been urging littoral States to increase patrols and surveillance in their waters to combat these incidents. It also emphasizes the importance of a prompt response to reported incidents, coordination, information sharing, and urging vessels to exercise caution and maintain a lookout. The International Maritime Bureau has also highlighted the Southeast Asia region as a piracy hotspot, calling for more action to address the current surge in incidents in the area.

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