They use small arms for speedy operations, which include kidnapping for ransom, stealing oil from ships, robbing crew members, stealing cargo, and even stealing entire ships and repainting them for sale. Pirates operate using small boats and skiffs that are fast and can hide easily in littoral zones. Besides adverse natural conditions, tankers also run the risk of encountering manmade dangers like piracy.įorty-one percent of the world’s pirate attacks between 19 occurred in Southeast Asia. Oil from the Gulf area destined for Northeast Asia is transported through places like the Gulf of Aden, Strait of Hormuz, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea, Gulf of Thailand, Strait of Malacca, and South China Sea before reaching its destination. The fact that the Strait of Malacca is such a convenient, thus popular, route also makes it a chokepoint for oil shipping. Singapore’s oil refineries on Jurong Island, west of the main island, are some of the largest in the world.įorty-one percent of the world’s pirate attacks between 19 occurred in Southeast Asia.Īlternative routes exist, but they add a couple of days to the trip. Traveling between Sumatra (to the west of the Strait of Malacca) and the Gulf of Thailand/Malay Peninsula, oil tankers carry their precious cargo to refineries in Singapore for processing.
Oil makes up a large percentage of the Gulf region’s exports overseas and constitutes the crucial backbone of the Gulf economies. The Persian Gulf region supplies about a third of the world’s oil and fulfils most of the major Northeast Asian countries’ (China, Japan, and South Korea, or CJK) oil needs. Malacca Strait, Chokepoint for Oil Shipping A recent increase in piracy incidents highlights the need for effective ways to ensure the security of oil shipping in the region. Among the most common locations for attacks is the Strait of Malacca, where tankers carry oil from the Gulf region to China, Japan, and South Korea, and via Singapore's refineries.Īs piracy becomes more prevalent, collaboration across the ASEAN region is more necessary than ever.Įver since oil was discovered in the Gulf area in the 20th century, the maritime route from the Gulf region to East Asia passing through the Strait of Malacca has been the most important passageway for East-West global trade. Almost half of the world's pirate attacks happen in Southeast Asia.
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