NEWS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
16 April 2024

Adapting To Evolving Maritime Security Challenges
Anti-Piracy and Sea Robbery Conference 2024

The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC), together with co-organisers the Asian
Shipowners’ Association (ASA), INTERTANKO and the S. Rajaratnam School ofInternational Studies (RSIS), conducted the annual Anti-Piracy and Sea Robbery
Conference 2024 today in conjunction with Singapore Maritime Week. This year’s
conference focused on the growing risks to global shipping caused by piracy, armed
robbery against ships, and geopolitical tensions impacting commercial shipping andsupply chains, and how Asia and littoral States can respond to these challenges.
In his keynote address, Mr Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International
Maritime Organisation (IMO), highlighted the importance of timely and accurate
information sharing to facilitate timely assistance by enforcement agencies. He also
shared IMO’s efforts in ensuring the safety of seafarers and the safe transit of cargo,
for the uninterrupted flow of trade.
Over 150 participants from the shipping industry, academia, navy, coast guard, law
enforcement agencies and diplomatic organisations attended the half day conference,
which included panel discussions on the Resilience of the Global Maritime System
and New Ways to Adapt to the Changing Maritime Environment.
Professor Maximo Q Meijia, Jr, President of the World Maritime University, moderated
the first panel discussion on “How Resilient is the Global Maritime System?”Panellists discussed current threats to global shipping, such as attacks on merchantvessels in the Red Sea and the resurgence of Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden andWestern Indian Ocean. These events have forced ships to re-route and take longer1

voyages to reach their destinations, resulting in higher freight costs and consumer
prices.
These developments highlight the vulnerability of global shipping to geopoliticaltensions, and the need for shipping companies and associations to provide timely
advice to shipmasters on how to safely transit high risk areas.
The second panel discussion on “Exploring new ways in Adapting to the Changing
Maritime Environment” was moderated by Professor Kentaro Furuya, Adjunct
Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and Professor, Japan Coast
Guard Academy.
Panellists highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach and enhancedsurveillance by law enforcement agencies to deter sea robbery incidents in the Straitsof Malacca and Singapore.
The ReCAAP ISC has recently released the 1Q 2024 statistics on Piracy and Armed
Robbery Against Ships in Asia, which is available for download. The reporthighlighted there were 26 sea robbery incidents in Asia from January-March 2024, a4% decrease over the 27 incidents reported during January-March 2023. Notably,
there were 11 incidents in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) in the firstquarter of 2024, a 45% decrease from the 20 incidents reported during January-March2023.
In his closing address, ReCAAP ISC Executive Director, Mr Krishnaswamy Natarajan,
called on all stakeholders to work together to share information, synergise efforts andprotect global shipping against piracy, sea robbery and other maritime threats.
“The lower number of incidents in the SOMS in the first quarter of 2024 can be largely
attributed to better information sharing and coordination among the littoral States, andincreased monitoring and enforcement by the authorities. I urge all stakeholders tocontinue to stay vigilant and keep this vital sea lane safe and secure for global
shipping, said Mr Natarajan.

– End of Release –2

Media Contacts
ReCAAP ISC
Mr Gareth Yeo
Email: gareth_yeo@recaap.org
Tel: (+65) 9658 2473

About ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC)The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery
against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) is the first regional government-to-government
agreement to promote and enhance cooperation against piracy and armed robbery
against ships in Asia. The Agreement entered into force on September 4, 2006 with14 Asian countries as Contracting Parties, and the Information Sharing Centre wasestablished on November 29, 2006. To date, 21 States (14 Asian countries, 5European countries, Australia, the USA) have become Contracting Parties toReCAAP. To fulfil its vision as the Information Hub for combating piracy and armed
robbery against ships in Asia, ReCAAP ISC enhances regional cooperation throughinformation sharing, capacity building and cooperative arrangements. At the 12th
Governing Council Meeting in 2018, the Council announced that ReCAAP ISC has
met the criteria to be a Centre of Excellence for information sharing in combating piracyand armed robbery at sea. For more information about ReCAAP ISC, please visit
http://www.recaap.org

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