The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP ISC) has issued an alert following a recent surge in armed robbery incidents in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS).
"With the four incidents in SOMS, a total of 11 incidents were reported in the region since January 2025," stated the ReCAAP ISC in an alert issued on February 3rd.
In January 2025, five incidents of armed robbery were reported to the ReCAAP ISC, with four occurring in the SOMS. These incidents involved tankers and bulk carriers, with crew members thankfully unharmed in all cases. The incidents typically involved the theft of engine spares and other valuable items.
In a separate development, the ReCAAP ISC has updated its advisory for ships transiting the Sulu-Celebes Seas following a downgrading of the threat level by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). The PCG, in coordination with other stakeholders, reassessed the threat level of "Abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas" from "Moderate" to "Moderate Low," citing successful counter-terrorism operations that have weakened the capabilities of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).