A RECENT spike in sea robberies in the Singapore Strait has prompted a regional anti-piracy body to warn shipowners and seafarers of the potential for further incidents, interruptting a period of marked improvement in one of Asia’s busiest shipping lanes.

The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships (ReCAAP) said three ships were targeted while transiting the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore on November 2, 4 and 10.

The incidents occurred within about 3.2 nautical miles of one another and involved two bulk carriers and a tanker.

Engine spare parts were stolen from two vessels, while nothing was reported missing from the third. One crew member was injured.

The attacks bring the number of incidents in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore to 28 since the start of 2026. The recent rise also follows the trend of a broader increase in piracy and attacks against ships globally.

A piracy mothership warning was issued in the Indian Ocean at the start of this month following a wave of piracy attacks.

Asia had been bucking that broader trend in the first nine months of the year, with sharp declines in attacks against ships and armed robbery compared to last year.

In the SOMS, ReCAAP recorded 23 incidents between January and September 2026, down 76% from 97 in the same period last year.

It highlighted the Straits of Malacca and Singapore as a particular area of concern in October, with almost half of all incidents in Asia taking place in the SOMS. A total of 133 incidents were reported in 2025, while 50 incidents took place between January and September this year.

ReCAAP said it was “deeply concerned” about the increasing frequency of incidents and urged littoral states to step up patrols and surveillance, improve information sharing and respond quickly to reports from vessels.

It also warned the wider maritime community about the possibility of further incidents, after the three were recorded in the first 10 days of the month.