Opening Remarks by Senior Minister of State for Transport and Law, Mr Murali Pillai at the ReCAAP ISC 20th Anniversary Symposium

Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, Chairman of the Governing Council of the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre,  

Mr Vijay Chafekar, Executive Director of ReCAAP ISC,

Distinguished Governors of ReCAAP,

High Commissioners,

Your Excellencies

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1.         A very good morning. I am pleased to join you to mark the 20^th anniversary of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia, or ReCAAP in short. I am also very pleased that Mr Andy Aron, Director for Legal Affairs and Territorial Treaties from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is able to join us today. I want to congratulate Admiral (Ronnie Gil Gavan) for your wonderful speech, where you mentioned the importance of working together to deal with piracy.

2.           I had an opportunity to read a book called “Longitude”, which reveals a very interesting story. Apparently, in the 1700s – and it may seem rather strange now – but only latitudes were employed for maritime sailing, not longitudes. As a result, the ships were sitting ducks for piracy, because they only used certain well-served lanes for ships. The maritime community had to work together to see how we could evolve a system of longitudes that we can use across the world. An Act was passed by the UK Government called ‘The Longitude Act’, which gave a bounty, a price, for the person that can discover the best way to evolve a longitudinal system. Then came John Harrison, the person who invented the marine chronometer, and as a result of which, we managed to have a system put in place to deal with the issue of piracy, amongst others. The most important one being navigational safety. This underscores the point about working together, sharing knowledge, and helping the marine community.

ReCAAP’s Raison d’etre

3.         Twenty years ago, ReCAAP was born out of a shared vision. Asia was experiencing frequent maritime piracy incidents, which not only threatened the safety of our sea lanes, but also our region’s stability, security, and economic lifeline. Not unlike what happened in the past, but perhaps of a different scale. Several like-minded governments, including Singapore, recognised the need to come together for a collective regional response. We understood a simple but powerful truth: that no single country could secure the safety of our sea lanes alone. But together, we could.

4.         Two decades on, ReCAAP is recognised globally as a successful model for addressing piracy and sea robbery. The number of Contracting Parties has grown from the initial 14 countries to 21 countries. When I met Mr Vijay Chafekar earlier this year, he shared that other countries are interested in accession to and collaboration with ReCAAP, given their stake in ensuring the safe passage of goods through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore.

5.         We also discussed the effectiveness of the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre’s timely alerts, reporting, and capacity building programmes. These have empowered governments and industry stakeholders to act swiftly to prevent further escalation of piracy and armed robbery incidents, making a real difference in ensuring the safety and security of our sea lanes.

Continued relevance of and Singapore’s commitment to ReCAAP

6.         ReCAAP and its mission remain as relevant today as they were twenty years ago. In fact, they are more critical. The unfolding situation in the Middle East demonstrates how quickly global trade arteries can be disrupted and the wide-ranging implications of such disruptions. With the disruption of supply chains, we could see a potential for sea robberies and piracy to happen. That includes the fact that cargos of oil and gas would be worth a lot more, providing a reason for robberies to happen. Here in Asia, we have long understood this reality. With more than 45% of global maritime trade volumes handled in Asia, ReCAAP’s role in promoting safer sea lanes in the region has global significance. While most incidents today are opportunistic petty thefts, where crew are generally unharmed, we must remain vigilant and keep the situation in check.

7.         ReCAAP’s effectiveness in tackling piracy and armed robbery at sea is also proof that collective action works. Our shared beliefs and efforts to share information and coordinate responses demonstrate what nations can achieve when they choose cooperation over isolation.

8.         As a founding member of ReCAAP and the host country of the Information Sharing Centre, Singapore is proud to have been part of ReCAAP’s journey from the very beginning. We remain committed to supporting the good work of ReCAAP and look forward to strengthening collaboration to keep our vital sea lanes safe, secure and open for all.

Conclusion

9.         Before I end off, I would like to also take this opportunity to thank and celebrate the people behind ReCAAP — the past and present Governors, Executive Directors, secondees and officers. Your contributions and commitment have helped built ReCAAP to what it is today.

10.       It remains for me to wish ReCAAP every success in the decades to come. Happy 20^th anniversary. I know the task ahead can sometimes feel daunting. But we can take courage from Admiral’s favourite phrase: chill and prevail. Thank you.