Six More Ships Robbed in Singapore Strait in 48 Hours

Pirates struck six times and robbed two ships in 48 hours in the Singapore Strait (file photo)

Published Apr 1, 2025 3:25 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

ReCAAP, the regional monitoring operation for Asia, issued a new alert to ships in the area of the Singapore and Malacca Strait warning of the continuing surge in sea robbery incidents and while cautioning of the possibility of further incidents. They received reports of six incidents between March 28 and 30 prompting the continued caution based on the increase in activity so far in 2025.

As with the incidents earlier this year, the perpetrators seem more brazen in their efforts but during the last incidents there was no direct interaction and none of the crewmembers were attacked. Other incidents in 2025 have included crewmembers being assaulted and tied up, but as with the prior incidents in several of the cases in the past few days, the boarders appeared to be armed.

Three vessels were boarded in a period of one and a half hours on March 30, between 0125 and 0255 all in the Phillip Channel in the eastbound lane in the Singapore Strait. This area has seen a concentration of piracy activity in 2025.

Among the ships boarded was the containership Kota Halus (18,872 dwt with a capacity of 1,080 TEU) which is operating for Pacific International Line (PIL). Three perpetrators were seen aboard the vessel, but they jumped overboard into a small boat when discovered. A search showed that they had entered an air conditioning room and a portable welding machine was missing. 

In the other two incidents on March 30, bulkers were boarded, Junior (92,995 dwt) and Andreas Petrakis (76,000 dwt), in each case by a single perpetrator. In both cases, the person fled when discovered and the ships reported nothing was stolen.

Four perpetrators were sighted aboard the Wan Hai 327 (37,160 dwt) containership on March 29. They were moving between a small boat and the stern of the ship but also fled. Nothing was stolen. About an hour earlier that same day, five perpetrators were seen aboard a VLCC tanker, Agneta Pallas III (319,000 dwt). They also fled without taking anything from the ship.

The containership Selatan Damai (8,150 dwt with a capacity of 28 TEU) was boarded on March 28. The vessel, which also operates for PIL, reported four individuals were sighted going to the engine room. They escaped from the ship but the crew said that some engine spares were stolen.

 

 

ReCAAP emphasizes that there have now been 35 incidents reported in 2025 in the area around the Straits of Malacca and Singapore versus just 11 in 2024. A total of 18 incidents were in March, while 12 took place in February. 

Ships are being told to intensify vigilance and maintain a sharp lookout while transiting the area. ReCAAP has also repeated its urging for the littoral states to increase patrols and surveillance in their waters. 

China Says Fishing Boat Crew is Safe After Piracy Incident Off Ghana

Chinese fishing vessel MV Hailufang II was attacked by pirates in 2020 off Nigeria (Nigerian Navy)

Published Mar 31, 2025 1:04 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

 

Ghana’s Navy announced over the weekend that it was investigating a suspected piracy attack on a commercial fishing boat off the coast of the West African country. Initial reports indicated that three Chinese nationals had been kidnapped from the vessel but today, March 31, Chinese officials reported the crew are “physically safe.”

The incident took place Thursday evening, March 27, according to the report from Ghana. The fishing vessel Mengxin 1, registered in Ghana, was at sea when it was approached and boarded by seven armed pirates. The Ghana Navy reports warning shots were fired and several crewmembers on the fishing vessel went into hiding.

The pirates assembled the crewmembers they could locate on deck and robbed the crew of their mobile phones. After about three hours the pirates left the vessel. MDAT-GoG (Maritime Domain Awareness Trade - Gulf of Guinea), the French – British effort for maritime situational awareness in the Gulf of Guinea reports the incident took place approximately 16 nautical miles southwest of the Ghanian capital of Accra.

The crewmembers in hiding reported they emerged to find the captain, chief mate, and chief engineer, all Chinese nationals, missing. Because there was no mobile network coverage out at sea it took some time for the incident to be reported until the remaining crew could get the vessel close enough to shore to gain a signal.

The Ghanaian Navy began a search. It also issued an alert to neighboring countries to be looking for the pirates. The fishing boat proceeded back to the port of Tema in Ghana.

Asked about the incident, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had been in touch with the embassy and Ghanian officials. 

“The crew members are physically safe now. China will work with Ghana to earnestly protect the safety and security of Chinese nationals and institutions in Ghana,” responded spokesperson Guo Jiakun during the ministry’s daily press briefing in Beijing on March 31. 

It is the second incident with a Chinese fishing vessel in recent months. In November, a Chinese fishing boat operating in the east off the Horn of Africa was boarded and held by pirates from Yemen. The Chinese embassy reported that the vessel had been released in January 2025 without providing details.