Armed robbery against bulker and tanker in Asia during 11-17 Nov.

Over the past week, 11-17 November, two incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia (one CAT 3 incident and one CAT 4 incident) were reported to the ReCAAP ISC. Both incidents occurred on board ships while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) of the Singapore Strait (SS) on 16 November 2025.

The ReCAAP ISC, known as the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP), said the crew members were not injured, and some engine spares were stolen in both incidents.

The first incident, at 0030 hrs, involved a bulk carrier located 6 nautical miles northwest off Pulau Cula, Indonesia, on November 16. The number of perpetrators is unknown, no weapons were reported, and the crew were not injured. Engine spares and fire hydrant nozzles were stolen, and the incident was classified as a Category 4 event.

The second incident, at 0200 hrs, involved a chemical tanker 2.4 nautical miles north off Pulau Cula. Two perpetrators armed with a sword carried out the attack on November 16. The crew were not injured, engine spares were stolen, and the incident was assessed as Category 3.

With the two new incidents reported in SS, a total of 100 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 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 February 14, 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.