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 921/99 · Wrecks1999-09-10 → 2000-01-07
    Shoal reported vicinity 01-18.5N 107-12.0E
  2. HYDROPAC 835/99 · Other1999-08-24 → 2001-12-07
    Partially submerged reef vicinity 09-02.7N 108-17.3E
  3. HYDROPAC 815/99 · Exercises1999-08-18 → 1999-08-28
    Gunnery exercises 222300Z to 231400Z, 232300Z to 241400Z, 242300Z to 261400Z, 262300Z to 271400Z and 272300Z…
  4. HYDROPAC 774/99 · Exercises1999-08-11 → 1999-08-21
    Gunnery exercises 152300Z to 161400Z, 162300Z to 171400Z, 172300Z to 201400Z and 210001Z to 210600Z aug in…
  5. HYDROPAC 737/99 · Other1999-08-06 → 1999-08-08
    Underwater ordnance detonations: a. 070100Z to 071000Z aug vicinity 01-18N 106-00E
  6. HYDROPAC 730/99 · Other1999-08-06 → 1999-09-11
    Vessel reported on fire in 05-39.4N 105-05.0E
  7. HYDROPAC 724/99 · Other1999-08-04 → 1999-08-10
    Ordnance jettison areas established 070001Z to 100001Z aug within five miles of: a. 01-40N 106-00E
  8. HYDROPAC 723/99 · Exercises1999-08-04 → 1999-08-14
    Gunnery exercises 082300Z to 091400Z, 092300Z to 101400Z, 102300Z to 131400Z, and 140001Z to 140500Z aug in…
  9. HYDROPAC 660/99 · Other1999-07-21 → 1999-07-26
    Underwater ordnance detonations 260001Z to 2611OOZ jul within five miles of: a. 07-30N 108-30E
  10. HYDROPAC 638/99 · Exercises1999-07-15 → 1999-07-23
    Gunnery exercises 202300Z to 222300Z jul in area bound by 02-30N 104-17E, 02-30N 105-30E, 01-30N 105-30E,…
  11. HYDROPAC 637/99 · Other1999-07-14 → 2001-01-19
    Platforms established in: a. 04-43.8N 104-53.1E
  12. HYDROPAC 632/99 · Exercises1999-07-12 → 1999-07-16
    Gunnery exercises 132300Z to 152300Z jul in area bound by 02-30N 104-17E, 02-30N 105-30E, 01-30N 105-30E,…
  13. HYDROPAC 612/99 · Wrecks1999-07-06 → 1999-10-22
    Wreck in 01-43.06N 104-35.58E marked by north cardinal buoy
  14. HYDROPAC 584/99 · Wrecks1999-07-01 → 1999-07-07
    Stranded wreck in 01-32.0N 104-35.1E
  15. HYDROPAC 576/99 · Nav aids1999-06-30 → 1999-10-15
    Light FL(3) w 15 sec 16M established in 01-27.8N 104-27.0E
  16. HYDROPAC 534/99 · Cable ops1999-06-16 → 1999-06-22
    Underwater cable operations in progress until 21 jun by cableship nexus along trackline joining 23-13N…
  17. HYDROPAC 531/99 · Exercises1999-06-15 → 1999-06-18
    Gunnery exercises 160001Z to 172300Z jun in area bound by 02-30N 104-17E, 02-30N 105-30E, 01-30N 105-30E,…
  18. HYDROPAC 524/99 · Cable ops1999-06-14 → 1999-06-19
    Seismic survey in progress until 18 jun by M/V orient pearl I towing four 3000 meter long cables within 15…
  19. HYDROPAC 494/99 · Nav aids1999-06-02 → 2000-07-17
    RACON at durain strait north buoy 01-03.6N 103-38.8E off air
  20. HYDROPAC 489/99 · Cable ops1999-06-01 → 1999-06-16
    Cable laying operations 05 thru 15 jun by M/V nexus along trackline joining 23-13N 116-41E, 22-00N 118-12E,…

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