The ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) and Vietnam Coast Guard today concluded a Cluster Meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam. The meeting brought together ReCAAP Focal Point officers from Brunei, Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Philippines and Thailand, as well as the Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), to discuss common maritime security challenges, and efforts to combat piracy and sea robbery in ports and anchorages. Representatives from the Vietnam Coast Guard, Vietnam Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Vietnam Maritime and Waterway Administration, Vietnam People’s Navy, Vietnam Border Guard and shipping companies also attended the meeting.

During the meeting from 10 to 13 November 2025, participants were updated on the latest situation of piracy and sea robbery in Asia, and efforts by the ReCAAP ISC and the littoral States to mitigate armed robbery against ships in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS). Maritime security agencies in Vietnam shared their security measures, operational capabilities and inter-agency collaboration to deter and combat sea robbery, IUU fishing, narcotics smuggling and illegal migration in Vietnam’s ports, anchorages and territorial waters. The MMEA shared several case studies on the theft of oil cargo from tankers, and the successful arrest of perpetrators.

Executive Director of ReCAAP ISC, Mr Vijay D Chafekar, said, “Combating transnational maritime crimes is often a challenging endeavour, due to fragmented information sharing, different legal definitions and frameworks and resource constraints. The ReCAAP ISC Cluster Meeting provided a platform for maritime law enforcement agencies and maritime administrators in Southeast Asia to enhance understanding and discuss collaborative approaches to fight piracy, sea robbery and other transnational maritime crimes in the region.”

During the meeting, participants also discussed ways to enhance inter-agency cooperation and coordination to prevent incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships, as well as how to minimise the hassle of incident reporting for shipping companies. Director of Law Enforcement for Vietnam Coast Guard, Senior Colonel Luong Dinh Hung, said, “Transparency, open communication, and a mutual understanding of shared maritime security challenges is key to enhancing cooperation between regional maritime law enforcement agencies to fight crimes at sea. As a Contracting Party to the ReCAAP, Vietnam is pleased to co-host the Cluster Meeting with ReCAAP ISC, and play a part in making regional waters safer for maritime trade and seafarers.”
Source: ReCAAP