What’s causing these thefts?
Poor socioeconomic conditions, problem within freight companies and law enforcement organizations, as well as the Singapore Strait’s high concentration of tourists, are just some of the factors at play, according to Dr. Storey of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.  ,
Dr. Storey, who also has a focus on defense and security issues in Southeast Asia, claimed that Indonesia has a vast sea area but “limited assets” to policing it.
The coast guard and Indonesian army doesn’t operate continuously.
A regional maritime security center under the Republic of Singapore Navy ( RSN), the Information Fusion Centre ( IFC), has also highlighted a mix of seasonal and situational circumstances.
In a monthly report on incidents that occurred during the first three weeks of 2025, IFC reported that the northeast monsoon, which occurs between December and March, has had an impact on fishing offer.  ,
The center added that increased economic strains in the weeks leading up to the holidays in February and March might have caused locals to hotels to small criminal activity in coastal waters to supplement their income.
Are the rising figures a cause for concern?
Problem, yes, but not alarm, according to Dr. Storey.
He once more stated that the majority of attacks involve petty theft as opposed to kidnapping, abduction, or stealing goods.  ,
For this reason, he and HFW’s Mr. Stephens both believe that the effects on maritime trade has been little thus far.
However, both professionals claimed that if attacks continue unchecked or increase in frequency and intensity, insurance premiums may go up for warships passing through the Singapore Strait.  ,
These expenses may be passed on to customers by shipping companies, who would then pass them on to customers.
However, Mr. Stephens claimed it was “unlikely” that the man on the street may experience any effects.  ,
The number of sea thefts is a tiny, tiny proportion, he noted, compared to the entire warships trading through the Strait each month. ” The Port of Singapore alone, for instance, recorded a record high of 3.11 billion net kilograms of arriving send customers next time.”
What strategy does Singapore use for water robberies?  ,
The Singapore Police Coast Guard, the RSN, and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore ( MPA ) all collaborate to secure territorial waters.  ,
The MPA often provides information on water assault incidents in the Strait of Singapore and Malacca to warships that are most frequently involved in such situations.  ,
To combat illegal activity in Singapore’s territorial waters, PCG relies on international cooperation, guards, a system of cameras, and other systems.
It did examine vessels that have had armed assault occurrences in Singapore’s waters and conduct an investigation.  ,
For the RSN, it established the Singapore Maritime Crisis Centre in 2011 and the Maritime Security Task Force in 2009.
In a close cooperation that also involves coordinated sea and air guards, the military’s IFC even shares real-time data with Singapore’s neighbors.
Malaysia and Indonesia’s regional lakes are also included in the Singapore Strait.