A total of 97 incidents of armed robbery against ships in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) were reported between January and December 2025, an increase of almost triple, in contrast to the 35 incidents recorded in the same period the previous year, according to the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre.
However, the number of incidents in the SOMS decreased from an average of 13 incidents per month between January and July 2025, to two incidents in August 2025, one in September 2025 and one incident in October 2025.
The Executive Director of ReCAAP ISC, Vijay D Chafekar, said that “the significant decrease in the number of sea robbery incidents in the SOMS in the third quarter of 2025 can be attributed to the combination of sustained preventive measures by the shipping industry and deterrent law enforcement actions by the Indonesian authorities.”
“The arrest of the perpetrators in July 2025 served as a warning and deterrent to criminals planning to attack merchant vessels transiting the SOMS. I would like to urge shipping companies to help maintain this good momentum, by increasing vigilance when their ships transit through areas of concern during the hours of darkness. It is important to have robust preventive measures in place to deter unauthorized boardings,” the Executive Director stated.
