A crew member sustained injuries during a ship robbery in the Singapore Strait on November 10, marking the third boarding in the waterway within a nine-day window.
The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre reports that all three incidents occurred in the eastbound lane of the strait, heightening concerns for regional maritime safety.
The recent surge in activity follows a period of relative calm in the Singapore Strait, which had seen no significant boarding activity throughout the first ten months of 2026. According to Seatrade Maritime News, the latest incident involved the tanker Salsa, which was boarded at 02:32 hours. This follows the boarding of the bulk carrier Star Calypso on November 2 and the bulker APJ Priti 2 on November 4.
All three vessels were targeted during the hours of darkness within a 3.2 nautical mile radius in Indonesian waters. While the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre confirmed that a seafarer was injured during one of these events, it did not specify which vessel was involved or the severity of the trauma sustained. In two of the three cases, perpetrators successfully stole engine spares, a recurring objective in regional maritime robberies.
These events bring the total number of reported incidents in the Singapore Strait to 28 for the year. “The ReCAAP ISC urges the littoral States to increase patrols/ surveillance in their respective waters, respond promptly to incidents reported by ships, strengthen coordination, and promote information sharing on incidents and criminal groups involved to arrest the perpetrators,” the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre said in an alert calling for urgent intervention from littoral states to address the vulnerability of this critical global trade artery.
“The ReCAAP ISC is deeply concerned about the increasing frequency of incidents within the SOMS,” the organization said in a recent alert. They are urging coastal authorities to strengthen coordination and increase patrol intensity to deter further criminal activity.
The current situation mirrors the volatility observed in the first half of 2025, when the region experienced a spike of 79 reported incidents. That trend was only reversed following a series of targeted arrests by the Indonesian Marine Police in mid-July of that year. The following table summarizes the recent uptick in boarding activity reported in November 2026:
| Vessel Name | Date | Time | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Calypso | November 2 | 21:25 | Engine spares stolen |
| APJ Priti 2 | November 4 | 23:35 | Nothing reported stolen |
| Salsa | November 10 | 02:32 | Injury reported; engine spares stolen |
The Singapore Strait remains one of the most vital chokepoints in international trade, serving as a primary conduit for energy and commodity flows between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific.
In response to a spike in boardings in the Singapore Strait, ReCAAP is advising all masters and crew to intensify vigilance and maintain a sharp lookout during night transits. The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre continues to emphasize the necessity of timely reporting to both coastal and flag states to facilitate a more rapid response to criminal boardings.
As the industry monitors these waters, the focus remains on whether the current increase in robberies represents a localized trend or the beginning of a sustained period of instability similar to the challenges faced in mid-2025.
