Singapore Strait leads world in maritime crime incidents in 2023

The Singapore Strait saw the world’s largest number of reported piracy and armed robbery attempts in the first half of the year, though most were low-level crimes, according to a new report.

Globally, 65 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported in the first half of 2023, an increase from 58 in the year-earlier period, according to data from the International Maritime Bureau, a division of the International Chamber of Commerce focused on maritime crimes. 

Slightly more than half of the incidents — 33 — took place in Southeast Asia, with Africa accounting for 14 and the Americas for 13 of the total. Most of the ships that were targeted were bulk carriers, container ships and tankers.

The Singapore Strait, which connects the Strait of Malacca with the South China Sea, saw a 25% increase in reported cases. The incidents involving 20 vessels in the congested waterway are considered to be opportunistic crimes, typically occurring at night with one or more groups targeting passing ships — including tugs and barges — to rob them.

The Gulf of Guinea on Africa’s West Coast saw a “concerning surge” in more serious incidents during the half, according to the report, rising to nine in the second quarter from five in the first three months. Fourteen crew were kidnapped in the Gulf, of which eight were taken from vessels anchored within territorial waters. 

In two separate hijackings in the region, 31 crew members were held hostage, communication and navigation equipment were destroyed, and partial cargoes were stolen.