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 1643/13 · Cable ops2013-06-07 → 2013-08-05
    Seismic survey 08 jun until further notice by M/V voyager explorer towing four 5000 meter long cables in…
  2. HYDROPAC 1604/13 · Cable ops2013-06-04 → 2013-07-11
    Seismic survey in progress until 10 jul by M/V geo atlantic towing six 6000 meter long cables in area bound…
  3. HYDROPAC 1601/13 · Other2013-06-04 → 2013-06-04
    F/V ming chi hung 12 on fire in 22-15 n 118-40E
  4. HYDROPAC 1547/13 · Exercises2013-05-29 → 2013-06-28
    Gunnery exercises 0001Z to 0900Z daily 03 thru 07, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17 thru 21 and 24 thru 28 jun: a. in area…
  5. HYDROPAC 1546/13 · Exercises2013-05-29 → 2013-06-28
    Gunnery exercises 0001Z to 0900Z daily 03 thru 07, 10 thru 14, 17 thru 21 and 24 thru 28 jun: a. in area…
  6. HYDROPAC 1536/13 · Cable ops2013-05-29 → 2013-06-25
    Cable repair operations in progress until 24 jun in area bound by 21-36.2N 120-03.6E, 21-33.2N 120-16.5E,…
  7. HYDROPAC 1387/13 · Cable ops2013-05-14 → 2013-06-28
    Seismic survey 18 may thru 31 jul by M/V viking II towing eight 6000 meter long cables area bound by…
  8. HYDROPAC 1384/13 · Cable ops2013-05-14 → 2013-05-14
    Seismic survey 18 may thru 31 jul by M/V viking II towing eight 6000 meter cables in area bound by 17-01.28N…
  9. HYDROPAC 1366/13 · Other2013-05-12 → 2013-05-17
    F/V dna 90426-TS reports crewman requiring medical assistance in 15-51N 113-03E at 111400Z may
  10. HYDROPAC 1316/13 · Cable ops2013-05-08 → 2013-07-01
    Seismic survey in progress until 30 jun by M/V towing ten 8000 meter long cables in area bound by 20-28.5N…
  11. HYDROPAC 1315/13 · Surveys2013-05-08 → 2013-05-26
    Underwater operations in progress until 25 may by M/V hai yang shi you 941 within one mile of 21-48-46N…
  12. HYDROPAC 1314/13 · Cable ops2013-05-08 → 2013-09-01
    Seismic survey in progress until 31 aug by M/V towing six 6000 meter long cables in area bound by 17-37.8N…
  13. HYDROPAC 1247/13 · Wrecks2013-05-02 → 2013-10-05
    Gulf of Tonkin
  14. HYDROPAC 1232/13 · Other2013-05-02 → 2013-05-02
    F/V bd 96517 ts in need of assistance in 14-20N 111-48E at 012100Z may
  15. HYDROPAC 1226/13 · Exercises2013-05-01 → 2013-05-31
    Gunnery exercises 0001Z to 0900Z daily 03, 06 thru 10, 13 thru 17, 20 thru 24 and 27 thru 31 may: a. in area…
  16. HYDROPAC 1209/13 · Piracy2013-04-30 → 2013-05-11
    M/V reports act of piracy vicinity 01-36N 105-23E at 232030Z apr
  17. HYDROPAC 1182/13 · Exercises2013-04-26 → 2013-05-31
    Gunnery exercises 0001Z to 0900Z daily 01 thru 03, 06 thru 10, 13 thru 17, 20 thru 24 and 27 thru 31 may: a.…
  18. HYDROPAC 1158/13 · Exercises2013-04-25 → 2013-04-30
    Gunnery exercises: a. in progress until 251400Z apr and 2300Z to 1400Z commencing daily 25 thru 29 apr in…
  19. HYDROPAC 1147/13 · Piracy2013-04-24 → 2013-05-04
    M/V attacked in 01-17N 104-50E at 232110Z apr
  20. HYDROPAC 1146/13 · Piracy2013-04-24 → 2013-05-04
    M/V reports act of piracy vicinity 01-19N 104-47E at 222007Z apr

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