The number of sea robbery cases for 2025 in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) rose to 108 incidents (104 actual and four attempted) – the highest number of incidents recorded in the SOMS during the 19-year period from 2007 to 2025. The recent figures represent a 74% increase over the 62 incidents reported in the SOMS in 2024, said the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre (ISC) in a media release on Jan 9.
Fortunately, most of the incidents, were cases of opportunistic theft that left most of the ships’ crew uninjured.
Meanwhile, a total of 132 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia were reported to the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) from January to December 2025. This marks a 23% increase over the 107 incidents reported in 2024. Of the 132 incidents recorded, 127 were actual incidents and five were attempted incidents.
The figures were released in ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC)’s 2025 annual report on piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia.
Approximately 87% of the incidents in the SOMS in 2025 occurred in the first seven months of the year (January to July). There was a significant decline in the number of incidents in the SOMS from August to December 2025.
ReCAAP attributed the decline to arrests carried out by Indonesian authorities in July and August 2025 using evidence from the CCTV footages.
In about half the incidents reported in the SOMS, nothing was stolen. The remaining incidents reported stolen items such as engine spares, scrap metal, unsecured items, ship stores and personal belongings of crew.
Over half of the incidents in the SOMS occurred onboard bulk carriers (52%), with the remaining incidents occurring onboard tankers (23%), container ships (10%), tug boats towing barges (12%) and general cargo ships (3%).
Fewer incidents were reported in ports and anchorages in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Philippines in 2025 compared to 2024. Marginal increase in the number of incidents in India’s anchorages.
The incidents in Asia in 2025 were of lower severity compared to 2024. Of the 127 actual incidents in 2025, 53% were classified as CAT 4 (lowest severity), where the perpetrators were not reported to have carried any weapon and the crew were not injured. In comparison, 44% of the actual incidents in 2024 were CAT 4. In addition, there were no CAT 1 incidents (highest severity) reported in 2025, compared to two CAT 1 incidents in 2024.
For the fifth 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 January 17, 2020.
“The sharp increase in number of incidents in the SOMS in 2025 does not indicate a corresponding increase in threat to maritime trade passing through the SOMS. The higher number of incidents largely corresponds to minor petty theft cases. In fact, there were no severe CAT 1 incidents in the SOMS in 2025,” said ReCAAP ISC executive director Vijay D Chafekar.
“While the increase in sea robbery incidents in the SOMS highlights the continuing security challenges faced by ships transiting the busy waterway, the decline in incidents following the arrest of perpetrators by the Riau Islands Regional Police illustrates the deterrent effect of effective enforcement,” he added.
He urged shipping companies to report all incidents of theft and unauthorised boarding to the nearest costal state authority, and where possible to provide CCTV footage of perpetrators with the aim to support law enforcement agencies to swiftly arrest and prosecute the suspects.
ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) said more than 120 participants from shipping companies, associations, government and law enforcement agencies, diplomatic missions and academia attended the 17th Nautical Forum held in Singapore, where the figures were released on January 9.
