Over the past week, 10-16 June, four incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia (all CAT 3 incidents) were reported to the ReCAAP ISC.
All incidents occurred onboard ships while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of Singapore Strait (SS). The crew members were not injured in all four incidents. No items were stolen in three incidents while some engine spares were stolen in one other incident. Details of the incidents are shown bellow:
| Factors | Incident 1 | Incident 2 | Incident 3 | Incident 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | 4.2 nm off Pulau Cula, Indonesia | 2.2 nm off Pulau Cula, Indonesia | 4.3 nm off Pulau Cula, Indonesia | 5.1 nm off Pulau Cula, Indonesia |
| Type of ship | Bulk carrier | Chemical tanker | Bulk carrier | Bulk carrier |
| Date/Time | 12 June 2025 at 0400 hrs | 13 June 2025 at 2300 hrs | 13 June 2025 at 2300 hrs | 15 June 2025 at 0043 hrs |
| Number of perpetrators | 6 | 8 | 3 | 6 |
| Weapons | Knives and gun-like object | Knives | Knives | Knives and gun-like object |
| Treatment of crew | No injuries | No injuries | No injuries | No injuries |
| Significance level | CAT 3 | CAT 3 | CAT 3 | CAT 3 |
| Items stolen | Engine spares | Nil | Nil | Nil |
Area of concern
With the four incidents in SS, a total of 72 incidents were reported in SOMS since January 2025. The ReCAAP ISC advises ships to exercise enhanced vigilance when transiting SOMS and the littoral States to increase patrols and enforcement in these areas.
Situation of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah
Situation update
For a 5th consecutive year, there has been no report of incident of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah. The last incident occurred on 17 Jan 2020. In January 2025, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), coordinated with other stakeholders and counterparts, further downgraded the threat level of ‘Abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas’ to ‘LOW’, meaning ‘No information or monitored activities suggest an impending attack; hence incidents are not expected to occur’.
ReCAAP ISC advisory
The ReCAAP ISC, in its Advisory on 14 Feb 2025, advised ships to “exercise vigilance when transiting the Sulu-Celebes Seas and report incidents to the Operation Centres of the Philippines and Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM)”. Also, to maintain communication with the relevant authorities when transiting the area.
Recommendations
Ship master and crew are to report all incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships to the nearest coastal State and flag State, referring to the Poster on the Contact Details for Reporting of Incidents of Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia, exercise vigilance and adopt appropriate preventive measures taking reference from the Regional Guide 2 to Counter Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia; both produced by the ReCAAP ISC.
