Singapore's Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said piracy remains a concern even though there has been progress in the fight against the threat.
Mr Lui said recent events suggest an upswing in piracy incidents in Asia, but said on the positive side, the situation is not like that off the coast of Somalia.
Most of the incidents in Asia are less serious and usually involve the theft of ship stores, spares and personal valuables.
Mr Lui said Singapore does not take the threat of piracy lightly, and will continue to work closely with its partners in the international maritime community to combat this scourge.
One of its most important partners is the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre (ISC).
Mr Lui said it is the primary platform for anti-piracy cooperation between regional governments for the timely exchange of information and sharper operational capabilities.
He said the ISC's value in countering piracy has been recognised with new members coming on board. From the original 14, ReCAAP now has 17 members.
The United Kingdom will soon be on board, while other countries have also expressed interest in joining ReCAAP.
Mr Lui made these points at the signing of a new Headquarters Agreement between Singapore and the ReCAAP ISC today.
He said this marks an important milestone in the partnership between Singapore and the ReCAAP ISC, which began when the ISC was established in Singapore five years ago.
The agreement was signed by Mr Lam Yi Young, Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Mr Yoshihisa Endo, Executive Director of the ReCAAP ISC.
"The signing of the Headquarters Agreement today avails both government and industry stakeholders added opportunities for strengthening co-operation towards ensuring safe and secure waterways for international shipping in Asia," said Mr Lam.
"We are grateful for the multilateral efforts and the increasing co-operation with our Partner Organisations and the maritime stakeholders," said Mr Endo.
Source: Channel News Asia