Vessels belonging to several shipowners have come under attack from knife-wielding bandits who have been engaged in a robbing spree that began last Thursday morning.

Marshall Shipping, Huaxin Shipping, Great Eastern Shipping, Akij Shipping and Nissen Kaiun have all seen their ships targeted, the Singapore-based Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) reports.