South China Sea
IHO sea area 49 · 102° to 122° E, -3° to 26° N
- in force
- 10
- last 12 months
- 6
- since 1993
- 2,333
- categories
- 13
In force now · 10
- HYDROPAC 2249/26 · Surveys2026-08-06Survey 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.
- NAVAREA XI 356/26 · Cable ops2026-08-06Seismic survey by vessel PXGEO 2 towing eight 5-mile cables in the southern Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea until 31 December 2026.
- HYDROPAC 2099/26 · Cable ops2026-07-21Cable operations are underway in the East China Sea by the cableship ILE DE RE until further notice; wide berth requested.
- NAVAREA XI 329/26 · Cable ops2026-07-21Cable ship Ile de Re is laying submarine cable in the Taiwan Strait until further notice.
- HYDROPAC 2412/25 · Wrecks2025-09-19Dangerous wreck in South China Sea off Vietnam at 10-22.31N 107-46.96E.
- NAVAREA XI 437/25 · Wrecks2025-09-19Sunken wreck exists in northern South China Sea at 10-22.31N 107-46.96E.
- NAVAREA XI 435/23 · Nav aids2023-12-04The Manila NAVTEX station at 14 degrees 30.3 minutes north, 121 degrees 3.9 minutes east is inoperative until further notice.
- NAVAREA XI 153/20 · Wrecks2020-04-06A yellow observation buoy is reported at 19-20.6N 113-45.9E in the northern South China Sea on 04 Apr.
- NAVAREA XI 664/19 · Wrecks2019-11-21An oil rig is reported to exist in the southern South China Sea at 07-42.1N 107-55.8E.
- NAVAREA XI 132/19 · Wrecks2019-03-07An 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
- NAVAREA XI 132/19 · Wrecks2019-03-07An oil rig is reported at 07-47.5N 108-12.0E in the southern South China Sea, and previous warnings are cancelled.
- NAVAREA XI 664/19 · Wrecks2019-11-21An oil rig is reported to exist in the southern South China Sea at 07-42.1N 107-55.8E.
- NAVAREA XI 153/20 · Wrecks2020-04-06A yellow observation buoy is reported at 19-20.6N 113-45.9E in the northern South China Sea on 04 Apr.
- NAVAREA XI 435/23 · Nav aids2023-12-04The Manila NAVTEX station at 14 degrees 30.3 minutes north, 121 degrees 3.9 minutes east is inoperative until further notice.
- NAVAREA XI 437/25 · Wrecks2025-09-19Sunken 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 ops | 572 | 25% |
| Exercises | 566 | 24% |
| Other | 307 | 13% |
| Derelicts | 303 | 13% |
| Wrecks | 154 | 7% |
| Piracy | 137 | 6% |
| Surveys | 135 | 6% |
| Missiles | 53 | 2% |
| Nav aids | 50 | 2% |
| Containers | 35 | 2% |
| Debris | 13 | 1% |
| Towing | 7 | 0% |
| Volcanic | 1 | 0% |
Archive · 2,323 cancelled
- HYDROPAC 606/24 · Exercises2024-02-21 → 2024-03-02Gunnery exercises 26 feb thru 01 mar in area bound by 11-00.78N 118-58.60E, 11-00.78N 119-06.78E, 11-08.78N…
- HYDROPAC 593/24 · Piracy2024-02-20 → 2024-02-23Vessels boarded by armed robbers in: a. 01-07.70N 103-29.70E at 191910Z feb
- HYDROPAC 590/24 · Missiles2024-02-20 → 2024-02-23Hazardous operations, space debris 231121Z to 231340Z feb in area bound by 19-36.00N 118-27.00E, 19-32.00N…
- HYDROPAC 529/24 · Exercises2024-02-15 → 2024-02-25Gunnery exercises 17 thru 24 feb in area bound by 12-56.08N 119-20.15E, 13-04.07N 119-06.69E, 12-51.31N…
- HYDROPAC 523/24 · Exercises2024-02-14 → 2024-02-16Hazardous operations 17 thru 24 feb in area bound by 13-04.07N 119-06.69E, 12-56.08N 119-20.15E, 12-43.51N…
- HYDROPAC 496/24 · Nav aids2024-02-12 → 2024-03-01Palauig light 15-25.80N 119-53.80E unlit
- HYDROPAC 401/24 · Missiles2024-02-02 → 2024-02-03Hazardous operations, space debris 030100Z to 030700Z feb in areas bound by: a. 09-14.00N 111-30.00E,…
- HYDROPAC 353/24 · Missiles2024-01-29 → 2024-02-02Hazardous operations, space debris 020100Z to 020700Z feb in areas bound by a. 09-17.00N 110-48.00E…
- HYDROPAC 334/24 · Cable ops2024-01-28 → 2026-08-14Submarine cable operations by the ship Fu Hai are underway in the South China Sea off the Philippines from January 29 until further notice; wide berth requested.
- HYDROPAC 324/24 · Cable ops2024-01-27 → 2024-02-02Cable operations 28 jan thru 06 feb by c/s teneo in vicinity 06-47.46N 109-19.20E
- HYDROPAC 144/24 · Missiles2024-01-13 → 2024-01-17Hazardous operations, space debris 171300Z to 171900Z jan in area bound by 15-51.00N 116-00.00E, 13-52.00N…
- HYDROPAC 143/24 · Missiles2024-01-12 → 2024-01-17Hazardous operations, space debris 171300Z to 171900Z jan in areas bound by: a. 15-10.00N 115-47.00E,…
- HYDROPAC 129/24 · Missiles2024-01-12 → 2024-01-13Hazardous operations, space debris 151300Z to 201600Z jan in areas bound by a. 15-51.00N 116-00.00E,…
- HYDROPAC 126/24 · Nav aids2024-01-11 → 2026-08-14Mahatao light at position 20-24.10 North 121-57.60 East in Luzon Strait, Philippines is unlit.
- HYDROPAC 4007/23 · Exercises2023-12-25 → 2023-12-31Gunnery exercises 26 thru 30 dec in area bound by 13-06.07N 119-06.69E, 12-56.08N 119-20.15E, 12-43.51N…
- HYDROPAC 3981/23 · Missiles2023-12-21 → 2023-12-26Hazardous operations, rocket launching 252100Z to 260300Z dec in area bound by 07-18.00N 108-42.00E,…
- HYDROPAC 3980/23 · Missiles2023-12-21 → 2023-12-26Hazardous operations, rocket launching 260200Z to 260800Z dec in area bound by 12-53.00N 115-57.00E,…
- HYDROPAC 3891/23 · Surveys2023-12-12 → 2023-12-28Underwater operations in progress until 27 dec by M/V ocean guardian in area bound by 16-04.71N 119-42.50E,…
- HYDROPAC 3889/23 · Other2023-12-12 → 2023-12-12Services unreliable 121400Z to 121700Z dec at uscg remote communication facility guam (V) 13-29.00N 114-50.00E
- HYDROPAC 3886/23 · Nav aids2023-12-11 → 2026-08-14Radar beacon at South Cardinal Buoy (01-03.61N 103-38.96E) off Indonesia in South China Sea is off air, cancelling notice 3380/23.
Sea boundaries: Flanders Marine Institute (2018), IHO Sea Areas v3, marineregions.org (CC BY 4.0). Not for navigation — follow official NAVAREA / coastal broadcasts.