Enhanced enforcement and arrests have led to major drop in sea robbery in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore according to ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC).
In a dialogue session with the shipping industry, including the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Information Fusion Centre (IFC) and industry associations, ReCAAP revealed that there had been 51 incidents of piracy and armed robbery reported in the Asia region in the first half of 2024, down 16% year-on-year.
It said that the key shipping lane of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore had seen a 50% drop in the number of sea robbery incidents which it credited to increased surveillance and arrests made by the littoral states of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
ReCAAP ISC Executive Director, Krishnaswamy Natarajan, said, “Overall, the piracy and sea robbery situation in the Asian region, including the SOMS, has improved in the first half of 2024, compared to the same period last year. This can be attributed to concerted efforts by maritime stakeholders, stricter monitoring and enforcement by the law enforcement agencies of coastal States, and proactive reporting of incidents by shipmasters and shipping companies.”
While the situation in the Straits has improved ReCAAP said it remained an area of concern to the industry. At dialogue Intertanko updared participants on the association’s recent engagements with Indonesian government agencies on maritime security concerns.
Natarajan said momentum on enforcement needed to be maintained and all parties should not let down their guard.
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