Surge in Sea Robbery Incidents Alert issued for Singapore and Malacca Straits

ReCAAP, the regional monitoring operation for Asia, has issued a new alert to ships in the Singapore and Malacca Strait area, warning of a surge in sea robbery incidents. Reports of six incidents between March 28 and 30 have prompted continued caution due to the increase in activity in 2025. The perpetrators have become more brazen in their efforts, but there has been no direct interaction or crewmember attacks in the recent incidents.

On March 30, three vessels were boarded within a short period in the Phillip Channel in the Singapore Strait. Among the ships boarded was the containership Kota Halus, operated by Pacific International Line (PIL), where three perpetrators were discovered and fled. Incidents involving bulkers Junior and Andreas Petrakis also occurred, with single perpetrators fleeing upon discovery. The vessels reported no stolen items.

In total, there have been 35 incidents reported in 2025 in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, compared to just 11 in 2024. ReCAAP urges ships to increase vigilance and maintain a sharp lookout while transiting the area. They also call on littoral states to enhance patrols and surveillance in their waters to address the growing piracy threat.

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