Piracy in Strait of Malacca, Singapore Strait surges nearly fourfold in 2025, says anti-piracy watchdog
A cargo ship loaded with containers sails off the coast of Klang, April 9, 2025. — Picture by Raymond Manuel
Tuesday, 26 Aug 2025 11:16 AM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — Piracy and armed robbery cases in the Strait of Malacca and the Singapore Strait have reportedly surged this year, with incidents nearly quadrupling from 2024.
Citing data from the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC), British daily The Guardian reported that 80 incidents were recorded between January and June 2025, compared with 21 in the same period last year.
The waterways, which link the Indian Ocean to the Pacific via the South China Sea, carry about 90,000 merchant vessels and roughly 60 per cent of global maritime trade annually, according to the National Bureau of Asian Research.
Most incidents were described as opportunistic and non-violent, with no cases classed at the most serious level involving firearms or hostage-taking. One crew member sustained a minor injury.
Bulk carriers were the main targets, followed by tankers and container ships.
A large portion of cases reportedly took place in the Philip Channel of the Singapore Strait, where vessels are forced to slow down in narrow waters.
“Most thefts were opportunistic and non-confrontational, with crew left unharmed,” ReCAAP ISC executive director Vijay Chafekar was quoted as saying.
Analysts cited by The Guardian linked the spike to traffic diverted from the Red Sea following Houthi attacks on commercial ships, as well as to low-level crime groups based on Indonesia’s Riau islands who board vessels at night using small boats and exploit security gaps and Automatic Identification System data.
The International Maritime Organisation described the increase as “concerning” and urged vessels to follow best practices and report incidents promptly.
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