Piracy and Armed Sea Robberies on the Rise in Asia, Singapore Straits

There were 101 incidents of piracy and armed sea robberies in Asia last year, marking a 19 per cent increase from 2016’s 85 cases. Ports and anchorages in Bangladesh, the Philippines, the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca and Singapore saw an increase in incidents. A maze of islands and the labyrinthine links between the sea waters in Southeast Asia provide protection to the pirates. The countries in the region, with their naval police units, are weak and corrupt to deal with the situation, writes Duetsche Welle. The Straits of Malacca and Singapore are especially critical, with almost half of the world’s total annual seaborne trade tonnage and 70 per cent of Asia’s energy imports transiting these strategic waterways, according to Channel News Asia.