The pirate boarding rate in Singapore is 92%

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According to the report of the International Chamber of Commerce's International Maritime Bureau (IMB), global piracy and armed robbery incidents increased significantly in the first quarter of 2025, with a total of 45 cases recorded. Among the reported incidents, 37 ships were boarded, 4 were hijacked, and 4 suffered attempted attacks. The safety of the crew members is seriously threatened. 37 crew members have been taken hostage, 13 have been kidnapped, 2 have been threatened and 1 has been injured, an increase of nearly 35% compared with the same period in 2024. Among them, the Singapore Strait has become the hardest-hit area.

In the first quarter of 2025, the Singapore Strait reported 27 incidents, compared with only 7 in the same period of 2024. The boarding success rate of targeted vessels in this strait is as high as 92%, including 9 bulk carriers and oil tankers with a deadweight tonnage of over 100,000. Most of the incidents were regarded as low-level opportunistic crimes, among which 14 incidents were reported to involve firearms.

Although the Gulf of Guinea has a relatively low rate of incidents in history, two separate attacks have occurred recently, resulting in the kidnapping of 13 crew members. Among them, 10 were from an asphalt oil tanker near SAO Tome and Principe, and 3 were from a fishing boat in southern Ghana. There has also been a resurgence of piracy in Somalia. Between February and March 2025, three ships were hijacked and 26 crew members were taken hostage. However, all the crew members and ships were later released.

Michael Hollitt, the director of IMB, said that the increase in incidents across the Singapore Strait is worrying and highlights the urgent need to protect the safety of seafarers navigating in these waters. All necessary measures must be taken to ensure the safety of crew members. Meanwhile, IMB continues to recommend that vessels in these high-risk areas strictly adhere to the latest industry Best Management Practice (BMP) guidelines.