Bulk carrier becomes latest piracy victim in the Singapore Strait

The pirate attacks keep coming thick and fast in Indonesian waters of the Singapore Strait. 

Ambrey, a British maritime security specialist, reports that a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier was boarded by four individuals while transiting eastbound through the Philip Channel, a patch of water that has become the global piracy hotspot in recent months. 

The individuals were reportedly armed with knives. At the time of the incident, the vessel was underway at 10.6 knots with an estimated freeboard of 6.7 m. The carrier was observed continuing on its original planned route.

The ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) revealed last week a rise in global piracy and armed robbery incidents in the first quarter of 2025 – driven by a spike of incidents in the Singapore Strait.

A total of 45 cases of piracy and armed robbery against ships were recorded in the first three months of 2025 – an almost 35% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

The Q1 report highlighted a spike in recorded incidents in the Singapore Strait as 27 incidents were reported from vessels transiting these waters compared to seven for the same period in 2024.

Ambrey advises crews to lock down access to the accommodation block and ship’s stores when transiting this busy shipping lane.