Singapore Strait sees sharp surge in armed piracy against shipping

Guns were reported in over half the attacks as acts of piracy and armed robbery soared almost fourfold in the vital shipping lane

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Cargo ships in the Singapore Strait. The International Maritime Bureau said the rise of reported incidents in the strait highlighted “the urgent need to protect the safety of seafarers navigating these waters”. Photo: AFP

Published: 9:54am, 16 Apr 2025Updated: 6:47pm, 16 Apr 2025

Acts of piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Singapore surged almost fourfold in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, a maritime watchdog has found.

Vessels transiting through the Singapore Strait, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, reported 27 incidents between January and March 2025, the International Maritime Bureau said in a statement on Tuesday – up from just seven during the same period in 2024.

While most incidents were considered “low-level opportunistic crimes”, the bureau said crew members were at great risk with guns reported in 14 cases, more than half the total of 26 firearm-related cases recorded globally in 2024.

“Ninety-two per cent of all vessels targeted in the Singapore Strait were successfully boarded, including nine bulk carriers and tankers over 100,000 deadweight tonnage in size,” the statement said.

A member of Malaysia’s maritime enforcement agency takes aim with a weapon aboard a coastguard vessel in 2014. Photo: AFP

International Maritime Bureau Director Michael Howlett said the rise of reported incidents in the Singapore Strait, which separates the city state from Indonesia’s Riau Islands, was “concerning, highlighting the urgent need to protect the safety of seafarers navigating these waters”.