Cruising for Bruising? An Assessment of the Perceived Security Threat Against Passenger Vessels in the Straits of Malacca

Despite the absence of officially recorded incidents of piracy and terrorist attacks on cruise ships and pleasure crafts sailing through the Straits of Malacca thus far, the world continues to have the impression that this prime passage is unsafe for such vessels. This paper attempts to provide an objective appraisal of the perceived security threat against passenger vessels along the Straits. It draws attention to the statistics of piracy attacks compiled by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) and efforts undertaken by the littoral states to maintain security in the Straits. It hopes to put into perspective the perception held by many that passenger cruise ships are vulnerable to such attacks in the Straits of Malacca.