South China Sea

IHO sea area 49 · 102° to 122° E, -3° to 26° N

in force
10
last 12 months
6
since 1993
2,321
categories
13

In force now · 10

  1. HYDROPAC 2249/26 · Surveys2026-08-06
    Survey operations by vessel PXGEO 2 towing eight 5-mile cables continue until 31 December in Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea; wide berth requested.
  2. NAVAREA XI 356/26 · Cable ops2026-08-06
    Seismic survey by vessel PXGEO 2 towing eight 5-mile cables in the southern Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea until 31 December 2026.
  3. HYDROPAC 2099/26 · Cable ops2026-07-21
    Cable operations are underway in the East China Sea by the cableship ILE DE RE until further notice; wide berth requested.
  4. NAVAREA XI 329/26 · Cable ops2026-07-21
    Cable ship Ile de Re is laying submarine cable in the Taiwan Strait until further notice.
  5. HYDROPAC 2412/25 · Wrecks2025-09-19
    Dangerous wreck in South China Sea off Vietnam at 10-22.31N 107-46.96E.
  6. NAVAREA XI 437/25 · Wrecks2025-09-19
    Sunken wreck exists in northern South China Sea at 10-22.31N 107-46.96E.
  7. NAVAREA XI 435/23 · Nav aids2023-12-04
    The Manila NAVTEX station at 14 degrees 30.3 minutes north, 121 degrees 3.9 minutes east is inoperative until further notice.
  8. NAVAREA XI 153/20 · Wrecks2020-04-06
    A yellow observation buoy is reported at 19-20.6N 113-45.9E in the northern South China Sea on 04 Apr.
  9. NAVAREA XI 664/19 · Wrecks2019-11-21
    An oil rig is reported to exist in the southern South China Sea at 07-42.1N 107-55.8E.
  10. NAVAREA XI 132/19 · Wrecks2019-03-07
    An oil rig is reported at 07-47.5N 108-12.0E in the southern South China Sea, and previous warnings are cancelled.

Longest in force

  1. NAVAREA XI 132/19 · Wrecks2019-03-07
    An oil rig is reported at 07-47.5N 108-12.0E in the southern South China Sea, and previous warnings are cancelled.
  2. NAVAREA XI 664/19 · Wrecks2019-11-21
    An oil rig is reported to exist in the southern South China Sea at 07-42.1N 107-55.8E.
  3. NAVAREA XI 153/20 · Wrecks2020-04-06
    A yellow observation buoy is reported at 19-20.6N 113-45.9E in the northern South China Sea on 04 Apr.
  4. NAVAREA XI 435/23 · Nav aids2023-12-04
    The Manila NAVTEX station at 14 degrees 30.3 minutes north, 121 degrees 3.9 minutes east is inoperative until further notice.
  5. NAVAREA XI 437/25 · Wrecks2025-09-19
    Sunken wreck exists in northern South China Sea at 10-22.31N 107-46.96E.

By year

93
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26

By month (all years)

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

By category · since 1997

Cable ops57025%
Exercises56024%
Other30713%
Derelicts30313%
Wrecks1547%
Piracy1376%
Surveys1356%
Nav aids502%
Missiles492%
Containers352%
Debris131%
Towing70%
Volcanic10%

Archive · 2,311 cancelled

  1. HYDROPAC 1295/05 · Cable ops2005-08-11 → 2005-08-12
    Seismic survey in progress until 10 sep by M/V pacific sword in area bound by 04-59.9N 114-40.0E, 05-08.7N…
  2. HYDROPAC 1292/05 · Surveys2005-08-10 → 2005-08-11
    Survey operations in progress until 10 sep by M/V pacific sword in area bound by 05-16-57N 114-31-20E,…
  3. HYDROPAC 1238/05 · Derelicts2005-08-03 → 2005-08-10
    Derelict 30 meter vessel, white hull, partially submerged and adrift in 01-21.5S 107-53.1E
  4. HYDROPAC 1224/05 · Derelicts2005-08-01 → 2005-08-03
    Derelict 30 meter vessel partially submerged and adrift in 01-21.5S 107-53.1E
  5. HYDROPAC 1196/05 · Cable ops2005-07-27 → 2005-10-11
    Seismic survey in progress until further notice by M/V geco eagle towing eight three mile long cables in…
  6. HYDROPAC 1169/05 · Debris2005-07-22 → 2005-07-29
    Mooring buoy adrift in 22-02.2N 118-13.1E at 220200Z jul
  7. HYDROPAC 1064/05 · Wrecks2005-07-05 → 2005-07-05
    Dangerous wreck in 01-25.36N 104-29.4E
  8. HYDROPAC 1051/05 · Cable ops2005-07-03 → 2005-08-11
    Seismic survey 04 jul thru 17 aug by M/V pacific sword towing 4500 meter long cables vicinity 09-35.0N…
  9. HYDROPAC 1032/05 · Nav aids2005-06-29 → 2005-08-17
    Royal charlotte reef light 06-57N 113-35E unlit
  10. HYDROPAC 938/05 · Wrecks2005-06-12 → 2005-11-02
    Dangerous wreck in 01-25.36N 104-29.40E marked by isolated danger buoy, fl (2) w 5 sec, RACON (d) in…
  11. HYDROPAC 924/05 · Wrecks2005-06-07 → 2005-06-12
    Dangerous wreck marked by isolated danger buoy in 01-25.36N 104-29.40E
  12. HYDROPAC 908/05 · Cable ops2005-06-05 → 2005-07-01
    Seismic survey in progress until further notice by M/V western trident towing eight four mile long cables in…
  13. HYDROPAC 725/05 · Cable ops2005-05-01 → 2005-12-09
    Seismic survey in progress until further notice by M/V western trident towing eight four mile long cables in…
  14. HYDROPAC 620/05 · Surveys2005-04-13 → 2005-06-01
    Survey operations 18 apr thru 31 may by M/V E.T
  15. HYDROPAC 592/05 · Cable ops2005-04-10 → 2005-05-01
    Seismic survey in progress until further notice by M/V western trident towing four mile long cable in area…
  16. HYDROPAC 591/05 · Cable ops2005-04-10 → 2005-09-09
    Seismic survey in progress until further notice by M/V nordic explorer towing six three mile long cables in…
  17. HYDROPAC 494/05 · Cable ops2005-03-25 → 2005-04-17
    Seismic survey in progress until further notice by M/V geco eagle towing eight three mile long cables in…
  18. HYDROPAC 489/05 · Derelicts2005-03-25 → 2005-05-13
    F/V adrift in 06-39.2N 107-52.5E
  19. HYDROPAC 488/05 · Derelicts2005-03-24 → 2005-03-25
    F/V adrift in 06-39.2N 107-52.5E
  20. HYDROPAC 452/05 · Cable ops2005-03-15 → 2005-03-25
    Seismic survey 16 mar until further notice by M/V geco eagle, towing eight 3 mile long cables in area bound…

Sea boundaries: Flanders Marine Institute (2018), IHO Sea Areas v3, marineregions.org (CC BY 4.0). Not for navigation — follow official NAVAREA / coastal broadcasts.