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 713/03 · Exercises2003-04-24 → 2003-04-25
    Gunnery exercises 242230Z to 251600Z apr in area bound by 14-16N 120-20E, 14-26N 120-10E, 14-06N 120-10E,…
  2. HYDROPAC 613/03 · Other2003-04-07 → 2003-05-24
    M/V zetland reports unconscious crewman requiring medical assistance in 08-41.7N 109-20.2E
  3. HYDROPAC 430/03 · Other2003-03-11 → 2003-03-11
    M/V front tobago capsizing and in need of assistance vicinity 19-26N 119-26E at 110310Z mar
  4. HYDROPAC 199/03 · Nav aids2003-02-03 → 2003-02-10
    RACON at pulau takong buoy 01-05.9N 103-43.4E off air
  5. HYDROPAC 198/03 · Nav aids2003-02-03 → 2003-02-10
    RACON at phillip channel buoy 01-03.5N 103-38.8E off air
  6. HYDROPAC 171/03 · Cable ops2003-01-30 → 2003-04-12
    Seismic survey in progress until further notice by M/V geco eagle towing four mile long cable in area bound…
  7. HYDROPAC 2368/02 · Containers2002-12-16 → 2002-12-23
    Partially submerged containers adrift in: a. 15-31.2N 112-13.2E at 140145Z dec
  8. HYDROPAC 2342/02 · Containers2002-12-12 → 2002-12-19
    Container adrift in 15-47N 112-39E at 120545Z dec
  9. HYDROPAC 2322/02 · Containers2002-12-09 → 2002-12-16
    Derelict M/V matten and numerous containers adrift in 16-09.5N 113-58.5E at 090900Z dec
  10. HYDROPAC 1699/02 · Cable ops2002-09-17 → 2002-11-04
    Seismic survey in progress until further notice by M/V ramform challenger towing 4500 meter long cable in…
  11. HYDROPAC 1695/02 · Cable ops2002-09-17 → 2002-11-20
    Seismic survey in progress until further notice by M/V geco eagle towing 2.5 mile long cable in area bound…
  12. HYDROPAC 1607/02 · Cable ops2002-09-04 → 2002-11-24
    Seismic survey in progress until 03 dec by M/V orient explorer towing three mile long cable: a. along…
  13. HYDROPAC 1380/02 · Derelicts2002-07-28 → 2002-08-04
    Derelict ten meter vessel taking on water and adrift in 11-21.7N 118-13.4E at 272102Z jul
  14. HYDROPAC 1339/02 · Cable ops2002-07-21 → 2002-08-03
    Seismic survey 22 jul thru 07 aug by M/V orient explorer towing three mile long cable in area bound by…
  15. HYDROPAC 1163/02 · Cable ops2002-06-22 → 2002-07-17
    Seismic survey 23 jun thru 31 jul by M/V orient explorer towing four 3 mile long cables in area bound by…
  16. HYDROPAC 1135/02 · Other2002-06-19 → 2002-06-20
    Bombing exercises: a. 200200Z to 200500Z jun within 25 miles of trackline between 16-48N 116-43E and 17-23N…
  17. HYDROPAC 975/02 · Cable ops2002-05-27 → 2002-07-30
    Seismic survey in progress until further notice by M/V geco eagle towing four mile long cable in area bound…
  18. HYDROPAC 957/02 · Surveys2002-05-23 → 2002-06-12
    Survey operations in progress until 30 jun by vessel towing 3800 meter long cable in area bound by 18-45.1N…
  19. HYDROPAC 900/02 · Derelicts2002-05-14 → 2002-05-21
    Derelict 40 foot F/V, blue and green hull with red trim, adrift vicinity 01-50N 105-41E at 141233Z may
  20. HYDROPAC 890/02 · Derelicts2002-05-13 → 2002-05-13
    M/V front tobago disabled and adrift in 22-16N 116-26E at 120600Z may

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