GNV News, August 29, 2025

In the first half of 2025, incidents of piracy and armed robbery in the Strait of Malacca and the Singapore Strait reached 80—roughly four times the number in the same period a year earlier—according to a report. The area is used for transporting about 60% of the world’s maritime trade and 70% of Asia’s oil imports, and around 90,000 merchant ships pass through here annually.

Many of the increased incidents occur in the speed-restricted Phillip Channel, where, mainly between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m., perpetrators approach and board large bulk carriers and tankers, with many cases involving the theft of unsecured items and spare parts for engines and generators. They typically do not inflict serious harm on crew, but the rising number of incidents is prompting concerns about ship safety. Another recent trend is data-driven piracy, such as using the Automatic Identification System (AIS), which can track vessels, to select targets. Many of the people involved are said to come from remote Indonesian islands facing economic hardship and limited job opportunities.

There are various theories behind this surge. One is congestion along the sea lanes—particularly in recent years, the destabilization of the Red Sea has led more vessels to avoid it and reroute via the Strait of Malacca, increasing traffic volumes. Corruption among shipping companies and law-enforcement agencies is also said to be fueling these crimes. In addition to strengthened vigilance and remote patrols through cooperation among Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, solutions from political and economic perspectives are also needed.

Beyond the Malacca–Singapore Straits, piracy incidents are rising globally as well.

Learn more about crimes and human rights violations at sea → “Human rights violations at sea”

Singapore Strait (Photo: David Manuel / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])