A total of 108 ship robbery incidents were recorded in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore in 2025, driving attacks in the busy waterway to a 19-year high before a series of arrests brought a marked reduction in cases.
Data from the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre show that the majority of incidents occurred in the Singapore Strait, primarily in Indonesian waters along the eastbound lane.
The first half of the year saw nearly one incident every two days, four times the level reported in 2024, heightening concern across the shipping industry.
Criminals gangs also expanded their targets to include container ships, which accounted for around ten per cent of incidents.
Of the total cases, 94 occurred between January and July. Arrests carried out by the Indonesian Marine Police in Batam in July and August led to a sharp fall in incidents.
Between August and December, 14 cases were reported, although activity ticked up in November and December with five incidents each month after a quieter period earlier in the autumn. Authorities believe two or three robbery gangs remain active in the region.
Deputy Director of ReCAAP, Lee Min Yui, said Indonesian Marine Police continue efforts to apprehend these groups and have sought assistance from the shipping industry, including the provision of onboard CCTV footage to support investigations. Although Indonesia is not a ReCAAP member, its marine police attended a ReCAAP forum with industry representatives in January.
Across Asia, ReCAAP recorded 132 incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea in 2025, a 23 per cent increase from the previous year.
Almost all incidents occurred in territorial waters and were classified as armed robbery, with only two cases on the high seas categorised as piracy. The rise was driven primarily by the surge in the Singapore and Malacca Straits, while incidents at anchorages in Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines declined.