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 2437/09 · Piracy2009-12-30 → 2010-01-13
    About six small unlit vessels chased a tanker underway vicinity 01-04.7N 103-38.5E at 281230Z dec
  2. HYDROPAC 2426/09 · Derelicts2009-12-26 → 2009-12-27
    Two derelict barges adrift in 04-59.5N 106-15.5E
  3. HYDROPAC 2379/09 · Cable ops2009-12-18 → 2010-01-15
    Seismic survey in progress until 14 jan 10 by M/V pacific explorer in area bound by 08-31.29N 116-33.58E,…
  4. HYDROPAC 2350/09 · Cable ops2009-12-15 → 2009-12-28
    Cable repair operations in progress until 11 jan 10 by cableship tycom reliance in area bound by 01-20.7N…
  5. HYDROPAC 2326/09 · Exercises2009-12-12 → 2009-12-27
    Gunnery exercises 0001Z to 0400Z daily 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27 dec within 29 miles of 22-34N 119-16E
  6. HYDROPAC 2305/09 · Exercises2009-12-09 → 2009-12-23
    Gunnery exercises 0001Z to 0900Z daily 14 thru 18 and 21 thru 23 dec within 31 miles of 25-20.0N 120-37.5E
  7. HYDROPAC 2219/09 · Derelicts2009-11-27 → 2009-11-30
    Two derelict barges adrift vicinity 04-59.5N 106-15.5E
  8. HYDROPAC 2218/09 · Cable ops2009-11-27 → 2009-12-06
    Seismic survey in progress until 15 dec by M/V orient explorer towing four mile long cable in area bound by…
  9. HYDROPAC 2206/09 · Exercises2009-11-26 → 2009-12-31
    Gunnery exercises 0001Z to 0400Z and 0500Z to 0900Z daily 01 thru 04, 07 thru 11, 14 thru 18, 21 thru 25 and…
  10. HYDROPAC 2204/09 · Exercises2009-11-26 → 2009-12-31
    Gunnery exercises 0100Z to 0900Z daily 01 thru 04, 07 thru 11, 14 thru 18, 21 thru 25 and 28 thru 31 dec…
  11. HYDROPAC 2196/09 · Exercises2009-11-25 → 2009-11-30
    Gunnery exercises 300001Z to 300400Z and 300500Z to 300900Z nov within 29 miles of 22-34N 119-16E
  12. HYDROPAC 2167/09 · Derelicts2009-11-22 → 2009-11-25
    Two derelict barges adrift in 06-47.3N 106-55.6E
  13. HYDROPAC 2160/09 · Exercises2009-11-21 → 2009-11-22
    Gunnery exercises 0001Z to 0400Z daily 21 and 22 nov within 31 miles of 25-20.0N 120-37.5E
  14. HYDROPAC 2148/09 · Piracy2009-11-20 → 2009-11-28
    Pirates armed with knives and swords in a small fishing boat boarded a product tanker underway in 03-09.7N…
  15. HYDROPAC 2135/09 · Derelicts2009-11-18 → 2009-11-21
    Barges adrift vicinity 10-19.1N 109-24.2E
  16. HYDROPAC 2124/09 · Derelicts2009-11-18 → 2009-11-21
    Tug star java towing two barges disabled and adrift in 10-25.9N 109-25.9E
  17. HYDROPAC 2121/09 · Piracy2009-11-18 → 2009-11-28
    Ten pirates armed with knives and crow bars boarded a bulk carrier underway in 03-12.4N 105-29.1E at 151820Z…
  18. HYDROPAC 2119/09 · Other2009-11-17 → 2009-11-20
    Damaged drill rig adrift vicinity 04-59.3N 105-17.1E
  19. HYDROPAC 2116/09 · Exercises2009-11-16 → 2009-11-20
    Gunnery exercises 2300Z to 0900Z commencing daily 15 thru 19 nov within 31 miles of 25-20.0N 120-37.5E
  20. HYDROPAC 2115/09 · Cable ops2009-11-16 → 2009-12-01
    Cable laying operations in progress until 30 nov vicinity of tracklines joining: a. 22-09.5N 114-31.4E,…

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