Over the past week, from July 1 to July 7, 2025, the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) received reports of a total of 11 incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia.
Straits of Malacca and Singapore: Growing Concern
The Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) have seen a concerning increase in maritime incidents. With 11 incidents reported recently in the Singapore Strait (SS) alone, the total number of incidents in SOMS since January 2025 has reached 90. This upward trend has prompted the ReCAAP ISC (Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre) to issue six Incident Alerts this year, with the latest published on July 2, 2025. These alerts aim to warn the maritime community about the possibility of further incidents and advise heightened vigilance.
In response to the escalating situation, ships are strongly advised to intensify vigilance, maintain a sharp lookout while transiting areas of concern, and immediately report all incidents to the nearest coastal State. The ReCAAP ISC also urges the littoral States (coastal nations bordering SOMS) to increase patrols and surveillance in their respective waters, respond promptly to reported incidents, strengthen coordination, and enhance information sharing on incidents and involved criminal groups to facilitate the arrest of perpetrators.
Red Sea: Deadly Escalation of Houthi Attacks
The Red Sea continues to be a critical area of concern due with ongoing and increasingly sophisticated Houthi attacks on merchant vessels. Recent incidents highlight the severity of the threat:
- July 4, 2025: The Liberian-flagged box carrier MT EETEVIVYC was struck by Houthi forces while transiting southbound through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait using an unmanned surface vessel (USV). This marks the first confirmed Houthi USV strike since their maritime campaign began, indicating a dangerous shift in tactics. The vessel sustained hull damage but remained operational and diverted to Djibouti.
- Recent Reports of Fatalities and Missing Crew: Related news confirms that two crewmen have been reported dead and two others missing after recent attacks on bulk carriers in the Red Sea. This underscores the grave danger faced by seafarers in the region. For instance, an attack on July 6, 2025, on the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned MV Magic Seas, caused the crew to abandon ship, with subsequent reports suggesting it sank. Another attack around July 7, 2025, on the Greek-owned Eternity C killed three mariners and wounded two. These attacks are reportedly the first Houthi attacks on shipping since late 2024 and signal a renewed campaign.
The escalating aggression, despite Western-led coalition patrols, necessitates commercial vessels to maintain extreme alertness.
Improved Situation
In stark contrast to the Red Sea and SOMS, the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah have shown significant improvement regarding the abduction of crew. For the fifth consecutive year, there has been no report of an incident of abduction of crew in this area, with the last incident occurring on January 17, 2020.
Following this sustained period of safety, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), in coordination with other stakeholders, further downgraded the threat level of ‘Abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas’ to ‘LOW’ in January 2025. This categorization signifies that “No information or monitored activities suggest an impending attack; hence incidents are not expected to occur.”
Despite the downgrade, the ReCAAP ISC, in its Advisory on February 14, 2025, still advises 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).”
Recommendations for Maritime Safety
To enhance maritime security across all regions, the ReCAAP ISC provides general recommendations:
- Report all incidents: Ship masters and crew are urged to report all incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships immediately to the nearest coastal State and flag State, referencing the Poster on the Contact Details for Reporting of Incidents of Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia.
- Exercise vigilance and adopt preventive measures: Vessels should maintain heightened vigilance and implement appropriate preventive measures, taking guidance from the Regional Guide 2 to Counter Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia, both resources produced by the ReCAAP ISC.
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Source: Safety4sea
