Seven Ships Attacked In Armed Robbery While Transiting The Singapore Strait

Armed robbery against ships has increased significantly in the Singapore Strait. A total of 35 incidents were recorded in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) between January and March 2025.

The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP ISC) has issued an alert warning and urged ship operators to enhance vigilance while passing through these waters.

ReCAAP ISC reported seven new cases of armed robbery occurring onboard vessels transiting the Phillip Channel in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait.

The affected ships included three containerships, three bulk carriers, and one tanker.

Among these incidents, one vessel reported losing a portable welding machine, while another lost engine spares. The other ships did not report any stolen items. Fortunately, none of the crew members were injured during these incidents.

Due to the increasing number of sea robbery incidents, ReCAAP ISC issued an Incident Alert on March 31, 2025.

Six incidents were recorded in the Singapore Strait between March 28 and 30.

March 30 Attacks

Three ships were targeted within 90 minutes in the Phillip Channel:

– The containership Kota Halus (18,872 dwt, 1,080 TEU capacity), operated by Pacific International Line (PIL), was boarded by three intruders. They were discovered and jumped overboard into a small boat. Later, a portable welding machine was found missing from the vessel.

– The bulk carrier Junior (92,995 dwt) was boarded by a single perpetrator who fled after being detected. No theft was reported.

– The bulk carrier Andreas Petrakis (76,000 dwt) was also targeted by a lone intruder who escaped without stealing anything.

March 29 Incidents

– Four individuals were seen on the containership Wan Hai 327 (37,160 dwt). They were spotted moving between a small boat and the stern of the vessel but left without stealing anything.

– An hour earlier, five perpetrators attempted to board the VLCC Agneta Pallas III (319,000 dwt). They fled without taking any items from the ship.

March 28 Incident

– The containership Selatan Damai (8,150 dwt, 28 TEU capacity), also operated by PIL, was boarded by four individuals who made their way to the engine room. They escaped, but the crew later found that engine spares were missing.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), in coordination with other security agencies, has re-assessed the threat of crew abduction for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas.

Due to continuous military operations targeting the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), which has been responsible for past kidnappings, the threat level has been downgraded from “Moderate-Low” to “Low.”

This means that no current intelligence suggests an imminent attack in the Sulu-Celebes Seas, and incidents are not expected to occur.

As a result, ReCAAP ISC updated its advisory on February 14, 2025, advising 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).”

Ships were also reminded to maintain communication with relevant authorities while navigating the area.

Reference: ReCAAP

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