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

  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 ops57225%
Exercises56624%
Other30713%
Derelicts30313%
Wrecks1547%
Piracy1376%
Surveys1356%
Missiles532%
Nav aids502%
Containers352%
Debris131%
Towing70%
Volcanic10%

Archive · 2,323 cancelled

  1. HYDROPAC 2106/23 · Other2023-06-28 → 2023-06-28
    F/V qb 98330 ts reports unconscious crewman requiring medical assistance in 17-49.00N 107-45.00E at 272330Z…
  2. HYDROPAC 1902/23 · Cable ops2023-06-07 → 2023-09-09
    Cable operations 12 jun thru 08 sep by cableship kddi cable infinity in vicinity of trackline joining…
  3. HYDROPAC 1871/23 · Surveys2023-06-04 → 2023-08-15
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V ramform sovereign towing 12 9000 meter long cables…
  4. HYDROPAC 1707/23 · Piracy2023-05-22 → 2023-05-25
    M/V boarded by four armed robbers in 01-05.00N 103-33.00E at 211800Z may
  5. HYDROPAC 1587/23 · Other2023-05-13 → 2023-05-16
    F/V bd 98372 ts reports one person requiring medical assistance in 17-10.00N 115-00.00E at 121400Z may
  6. HYDROPAC 1545/23 · Missiles2023-05-10 → 2023-05-10
    Hazardous operations, rocket launching 101200Z to 102000Z may in areas bound by: a. 15-49.00N 116-00.00E,…
  7. HYDROPAC 1532/23 · Missiles2023-05-09 → 2023-05-10
    Hazardous operations, space debris 101300Z to 101600 may in areas bounded by: a. 15-51.00N 116-00.00E,…
  8. HYDROPAC 1439/23 · Other2023-05-01 → 2023-05-01
    Vessel pablo on fire in 02-01.70N 104-44.80E
  9. HYDROPAC 1436/23 · Cable ops2023-05-01 → 2023-05-06
    Underwater operations in progress until 05 may by cableship teneo in vicinity of 02-27.34N 104-43.52E
  10. HYDROPAC 1408/23 · Cable ops2023-04-28 → 2023-05-01
    Underwater operations until 05 may by cableship teneo in vicinity of 02-27.34N 104-43.52E
  11. HYDROPAC 1176/23 · Derelicts2023-04-10 → 2023-04-14
    F/V qng 95070 ts, disabled and adrift due to engine failure in 15-46.18N 113-22.85E at 091158Z apr
  12. HYDROPAC 1041/23 · Cable ops2023-03-27 → 2023-04-05
    Cable operations in progress until further notice by cableship peter faber in area bound by 21-39.50N…
  13. HYDROPAC 930/23 · Cable ops2023-03-20 → 2023-03-27
    Cable operations in progress until further notice by cableship peter faber in area bound by 21-41.20N…
  14. HYDROPAC 856/23 · Nav aids2023-03-14 → 2023-03-19
    Takong isolated danger buoy in 01-05.80N 103-43.70E unlit
  15. HYDROPAC 854/23 · Other2023-03-14 → 2023-03-28
    Structure reported in 17-29.70N 111-09.80E
  16. HYDROPAC 837/23 · Other2023-03-13 → 2023-03-19
    One person overboard from F/V bth 86436 ts in 10-47.75N 108-08.60E at 121715Z mar
  17. HYDROPAC 798/23 · Missiles2023-03-09 → 2023-03-10
    Hazardous operations, rocket launching 092200Z to 100400Z mar in area bound by 14-22.00N 110-17.00E,…
  18. HYDROPAC 557/23 · Surveys2023-02-18 → 2023-04-15
    Survey operations in progress until further notice by M/V ramform sovereign towing 12 9500 meter long cables…
  19. HYDROPAC 522/23 · Other2023-02-15 → 2023-03-03
    F/V qng 90938 ts reports person sick with fever, requesting assistance in 14-18.00N 110-17.00E at 151717Z feb
  20. HYDROPAC 484/23 · Nav aids2023-02-13 → 2023-02-23
    Takong isolated danger buoy 01-05.80N 103-43.70E missing

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