On 18 October, the ReCAAP ISC alerted the maritime community on the continued occurrence of incidents of sea robbery onboard ships while underway in the Singapore Strait and warned of a possibility of further incidents.
According to ReCAAP ISC, a total of three incidents were reported onboard ships in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait on 18 October 2024. The incidents occurred within 2 hours, with two of them happening in close proximity (less than 1 nm apart) off Pulau Karimun Kecil, Indonesia. All three incidents involved bulk carriers transiting the Phillip Channel. In one incident, engine spares were stolen, while nothing was taken in the other two. No crew members were injured.
With these three incidents, 39 incidents have been reported in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) since January 2024. Of these, 38 occurred in the Singapore Strait and one in the Malacca Strait.
The ReCAAP ISC urges the littoral States to increase patrols and surveillance, respond promptly to incidents, and strengthen coordination and information sharing to apprehend the perpetrators. Ships are advised to maintain vigilance, especially during hours of darkness, adopt preventive measures outlined in the Regional Guide 2 to Counter Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia, and report all incidents to the nearest coastal and flag States.
