News

The 'Shunxing 39', suspected of damaging a subsea telecoms cable off Taiwan, has stopped transmitting its AIS signals on the high seas, Taiwan’s Coastguard said on Jan 7. The vessel was supposed to sail to South Korea after it was briefly detained by Taiwan’s Coastguard on Jan 3 on suspicion of dragging its anchor over an international subsea cable northeast of the island. The island’s main telecommunications provider, Chunghwa Telecom, received a notification on the morning that the cable, known as the Trans-Pacific Express Cable, had been damaged. The cable also connects to South Korea, Japan, China and the USA. Ccommunications were quickly rerouted after the damage was detected. Taiwan has asked the South Korean authorities for assistance in the investigation into the ship, after rough seas prevented them boarding the vessel near northern Taiwan, and the ship has left the Taiwanese jurisdiction.

On Dec 19, 2025, at 4 a.m. the 'Nordmaas' was boarded by an unknown number of perpetrators on the Vung Tau Anchorage off Ho Chi Minh City, in pos. 9° 59' N 101° 4' E. The intruders stole paint. No injuries were reported. The ship berthed in Batangas on Dec 23.

On Dec 21, 2024, at 11.10 p.m. the 'Seaspan Lumaco' was boarded by four unarmed perpetrators four nautical miles west of the South Harbour Anchorage, Manila, in pos. 14° 32.73' N 120° 62.08' E. Nothing was reported stolen. The ship arrived in Subic Bay on Dec 23.

A new suspected deliberate attack on an undersea cable has taken place on Jan 3, 2025, off the coast of Taiwan. The 'Shunxing 39', registered in Tanzania, but controlled by China and owned by a Hong Kong shipping company, is suspected of being behind it. The sabotage hit a telecommunications cable off Taiwan's northern coast at Keelung. The cable's owner, Chungwha Telecom, alerted the local authorities on the afternoon when all communication with the cable was suddenly interrupted. Investigations showed that the 'Shunxin 39' was close to the cable when the connection was broken. The authorities therefore decided to send a patrol ship from the Coastguard to stop the Chinese ship. But the weather was bad and it was not possible to board the vessel, which therefore continued its voyage towards a port in South Korea. The ship has now switched off its AIS transmitter and its whereabouts are unknown. Report with photo: https://www.maritimedanmark.dk/nyt-haervaerk-mod-undersoisk-kabel

The 'Sandpiper Pacific' was boarded at the Medan Customary Anchorage in pos.3°55.95' N 98° 44.38' on Dec 29, 2024, at 10.35 a.m. by three perpetrators. Nothing was reported stolen. The ship had sailed from Singapore on Dec 25 for orders.