ABSTRACT
Introduction It is not easy to come to grips with the issue of maritime security in Southeast Asia because the term maritime security encompasses such a broad concept that it includes a panoply of notions such as maritime safety, port security, freedom of navigation, security of the sea lines of communications, security from piracy attacks including armed robberies against ships, and most recently, security from maritime terrorism. Although many experts have spoken on the topic of maritime security, there is still the absence of a commonly accepted definition of maritime security that will serve as the firm basis for regional cooperation.
