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Singapore Strait crackdown sends Asian sea robberies to seven-year low

Reported piracy and armed robbery in Asian waters fell to a seven-year low in the first half of 2026, with 35 incidents recorded – a 64% drop from 96 a year earlier. The decline was driven by a successful crackdown in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS), where incidents plunged 74% to 21. However, Philippine ports and anchorages saw a spike to 10 incidents from zero, while crews remained unharmed in most cases. The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre attributed the improvement to industry prevention measures and law enforcement cooperation.