Singapore Strait: Multiple sea robberies occurred in Singapore Strait April 8 and 11

Event

Reports indicate three sea robberies occurred in the eastern Singapore Strait April 8 and 11. In the first incident, four assailants boarded a bulk carrier that was underway at around 01:47 April 8 and assaulted a crew member; no items were stolen. In another attack at around 05:50 the same day, two attackers boarded a moving tanker but did not steal anything. Additionally, four assailants boarded another bulk carrier underway at around 01:15 April 11 and stole several engine spares. The incidents occurred around 25 km (16 miles) east of mainland Singapore and approximately 27 km (17 miles) northeast of Batam, Indonesia.

Context

Although the frequency of piracy and sea robbery attacks has declined in the Singapore Strait in recent years due to increased patrols and enhanced coordination, there was a notable increase in the number of incidents in the strait since 2019. The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) indicates that the number of incidents increased from eight in 2018 to at least 31 and 34 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The agency also noted that 10 incidents have occurred in the Singapore Strait in 2021 as of April 11. Maritime piracy and sea robbery will likely remain a concern in the Singapore Strait as well as other regional bodies of water, especially around Malaysia, Indonesia, and the southern Philippines, in the long term.