List of single-ship actions


A single-ship action is a naval engagement fought between two warships of opposing sides, excluding submarine engagements; it is called so because there is a single ship on each side. The following is a list of notable single-ship actions.

Single-ship actions

Anglo-Spanish War

  • 1579, March 1 – Golden Hind captures the Spanish galleon Spanish ship [Nuestra Señora de la Concepción |Nuestra Señora de la Concepción].

    Third Anglo-Dutch War

  • 1674, February 13 – HMS Tyger captures Schaeckerloo outside Cádiz.

    Golden Age of Piracy

  • 1720, October 22 – A British merchant sloop commanded by former privateer Jonathan Barnet captures the pirate sloop William and its owner John Rackham.

    War of the Austrian Succession

  • 1743, June 20 – captures the Spanish treasure galleon Nuestra Señora de la Covadonga
  • 1746, 21 January – captures the French privateer ''Marianne''

    Seven Years War

  • 1761, 1 January – captures the French merchant frigate Bien Aimé.

    American Revolutionary War

  • 1776, July 27 – and have an inconclusive engagement
  • 1777, 12 July – British merchantman Pole repulses the privateer American Tartar
  • 1778, April 24 – captures
  • 1778, December – the Bristol privateer has an inconclusive engagement with a French frigate
  • 1779, March – the Bristol privateer has an inconclusive engagement with an American privateer
  • 1779, May 7 – captures
  • 1779, September 7 – Molly repels an American privateer
  • 1779, September 10 – defeats HMS West Florida in the Battle of Lake Pontchartrain.
  • 1779, September 14 – defeats the Spanish frigate Santa Mónica.
  • 1779, October 29 – the West Indiaman exchanges fire with a French frigate; the frigate withdraws
  • 1779, November 11 – HMS Tartar captures the Spanish frigate Santa Margarita.
  • 1780, June 1 – USS Trumbull engages the British privateer Watt; both ships withdraw
  • 1780, August 10 – HMS Flora defeats the French ship Nymphe in the first engagement thought to involve the carronade.
  • 1780, September 9 – has an inconclusive, three-hour engagement with
  • 1781, January 9 – The sloop captures the letter-of-marque
  • 1781, March 7 – Liverpool privateer captures French merchantman Sartine
  • 1781, March 23 – British privateer, of 14 guns, captures American letter of marque Tom Lee, of 12 guns.
  • 1781, May 1 – captures the Spanish frigate Santa Leocadia.
  • 1781, September 6 – American privateer Congress captures the British sloop.
  • 1781, October 10 – the British privateer Goodrich has an inconclusive engagement with the American letter of marque St James
  • 1781, late December – French privateer Terror of England captures and releases the letter of marque
  • 1782, February 28 – captures
  • 1782, April 6 – American privateer Tartar captures
  • 1782, April 8 – Pennsylvania privateer Hyder Ally captures HMS General Monk.
  • 1782, 9 August – HMS Duc de Chartres captures the French brig Aigle
  • 1782, August 12 – Frigate inconclusively engages the French frigate Bellone
  • 1782, October 7 – The American privateer Buccaneer captures the British merchant ship
  • 1782, December 6 – defeats the.
  • 1783, January 20 – captures the Dutch privateer Flushinger
  • 1783, January 22 – HMS Hussar captures the French frigate Sybille.

    French Revolutionary Wars

  • 1793, May 13 – and Citoyenne Française conduct an inconclusive but sanguinary engagement
  • 1793, June 18 – captures the
  • 1793, September 3 – French frigate Citoyen captures and ransoms the Guineaman Courier.
  • 1793, December 1 – The British packet ship Antelope captures the French privateer Atlante.
  • 1794, May 29 – recaptures
  • 1794, July 28 – French privateer Guillotine captures merchant vessel
  • 1794, September 5 – Merchantmen repulses Républicaine
  • 1794, September 25 – Merchantman repulses a French privateer
  • 1794, September – Enslaving ship repels attack by French privateer Pervie
  • 1795 – The enslaving ship repels an attack by a French privateer
  • 1795, January 4 – captures Pique
  • 1795, March 13 – captures the French frigate Tourterelle
  • 1795, October 30 – The enslaving ship Lord Stanley repels an attack by a French 12-gun schooner privateer
  • 1796, January – A French privateer captures the enslaving ship
  • 1796, September – The enslaving ship repels an attack by a French privateer
  • 1796, November 20 – Merchantman engages a French privateer that blows up during the engagement
  • 1796, May 25 – HMS Suffisante captures the privateer Revanche
  • 1796, June 6 – captures French frigate Tribune
  • 1796, October 8 & 9 – Merchant ship repels attack by French privateer
  • 1796, November 28 – The enslaving ship repels two different French privateers on the same day, each engagement representing a single-ship action
  • 1797, 29 January – French privateer Jeune Emilie captures the British merchant vessel
  • 1797, March 13 – HMS Viper captures Nuestra Señora de la Piedad.
  • 1797, June 1 – The French privateer captures the British slave ship
  • 1797, August 15 – captures French privateer Coq
  • 1797, August 29 – A French privateer captures the merchantman
  • 1797, October – captures French privateer Epicharis
  • 1797, October – Merchant ship repels attack by French privateer
  • 1797, December 19 – Slave ship blows up while engaging a French privateer
  • 1797, December 22 – captures the French frigate Néréide
  • 1797, December 27 – captures the Spanish ship St Raphael
  • 1798, January – 11 captures the French privateer Policrate
  • 1798, April 2 – HMS Mars captures the French ship Hercule
  • 1798, April 17 – HMS Recovery captures the French privateer Revanche
  • 1798, July 4 – French brig Lodi in an inconclusive engagement with the English privateer brig Acquila
  • 1798, June 21 – His Majesty's packet ship Princess Royal repels the French privateer Avanture.
  • 1798, August 7 – captures the Genoese pirate Liguria
  • 1798, September 18 – A French privateer captures the West Indiaman
  • 1798, September 27 – The French privateer President Parker captures the Guineaman
  • 1798, October 20 – HMS Racoon captures the French privateer Vigilante
  • 1798, December 12 – HMS Perdrix captures the French privateer L'Armée d' Italie
  • 1798, February 24 – French frigate Forte captures the East Indiaman Osterley, but then allows her to proceed.
  • 1798, March 1 – HMS Sybille captures French frigate Forte.
  • 1799, February 25 – French privateer Democrat captures merchantman
  • 1799, March 18 – HM hired brig Telegraph captures French privateer Hirondelle
  • 1799, April 13 – HMS Amaranthe captures the French letter of marque Vengeur.
  • 1799, November 23 – Hired cutter Courier captures French privateer Guerrier
  • 1799, November 26 – Merchant ship repels attack by a French privateer
  • 1799, December 2 – HMS Racoon captures French privateer Intrepide
  • 1799, December 2 – the British merchantman captures the French privateer corvette Entreprenante
  • 1799, December 26 – HMS Viper captures the French privateer Furet
  • 1800, March 5 – captures the privateer Heureux
  • 1800, March 31 – French privateer Minerve captures the United States letter of marque Minerva
  • 1800, August 20 – captures the French ship Vengeance
  • 1800, October 7 – French privateer Confiance captures British East Indiaman Kent
  • 1800, October 8 – captures the French privateer Quidproquo
  • 1800, October – American merchant ship Rebecca repels French privateer Malartic
  • 1800, November 11 – East Indiaman Phoenix captures French privateer Malartic.
  • 1800, November 13 – defeats and drives off the French privateer Bellone
  • 1800, November 13 – captures the privateer brig
  • 1800, November 22 - repels a French privateer off Muscat
  • 1801, January 17 – The French privateer captures the Guineaman
  • 1801, February 19 – captures the
  • 1801, March 5 – French privateer Gironde captures the merchantman
  • 1801, March 23 – captures the French privateer
  • 1801, April – British merchantman Union Island repels a Spanish privateer
  • 1801, May – French privateer captures the British merchantman
  • 1801, May 6 – captures Spanish xebec frigate El Gamo *
  • 1801, June 14 – Liverpool privateer repels French privateer Mouche
  • 1801, August 18 – captures Spanish letter of marque Theresa
  • 1801, September 25 – has an inconclusive engagement with a privateer flying the Spanish colors off Hispaniola.
  • 1801, November 20 – A Spanish frigate of 44 guns captures the Liverpool privateer ''General Keppel''

    Quasi-War

  • 1799, February 9 – USS Constellation captures the French frigate L'Insurgente
  • 1799, October 24 – Merchantman Washington drives off the French privateer frigate Bellone
  • 1800, February 1 – USS Constellation defeats the French frigate La Vengeance
  • 1800, July 4 - USS Enterprise captures French privateer L'Aigle
  • 1800, October 12 – USS Boston captures the French corvette Berceau
  • 1800, October 25 – USS Enterprise captures French privateer ''Flambeau''

    First Barbary War

  • 1801, August 1 – United States Navy warship USS Enterprise captures Tripolitanian corsair Tripoli near Malta.

    Napoleonic Wars

  • 1803, May 18 – captures the on the first day of the war.
  • 1803, July 7 – French privateer captures the British privateer
  • 1803, July 16 – captures French brig-corvette Lodi.
  • 1803, August 13 – French privateer Bellone captures the East Indiaman Lord Nelson
  • 1803, August 17 – HMS Racoon destroys French naval brig Mutine.
  • 1803, August 27 – recaptures the East Indiaman Lord Nelson
  • 1803, October 15 – The British slave ship captures the French slave ship Braave
  • 1803 – Guineaman repels an attack by a French privateer
  • 1804, January 24 – repels an attack by a French privateer
  • 1804, February 5 – engages the 22-gun French privateer Grande Decide.
  • 1804, March 21 – French privateer Blonde captures and sinks HMS Wolverine.
  • 1804, March 9 – French privateer Grande Decide captures British merchantman
  • 1804, March 25 or 28 – captures French privateer Egyptienne
  • 1804, April – A French privateer captures the slave ship and takes her and her cargo of slaves into Guadeloupe
  • 1804, May 12 – A French privateer captures the slave ship
  • 1804, June 21 – unsuccessfully engages the Guadeloupe privateer Buonaparte.
  • 1804, July 15 – French privateer Dame Ambert captures HMS Lilly
  • 1804, July 31 – captures French privateer Hirondelle
  • 1804, August 4 – French privateer captures the West Indiaman
  • 1804, August 14 – captures English merchantman
  • 1804, August 5 – Merchantman repels attack by French privateer General Ernouf
  • 1804, January 26 – Merchantman Scarborough repels attack by a French privateer
  • 1804, September 12 – captures Dutch merchantman Swift
  • 1804, December 27 – Slave ship repels an attack by a French privateer
  • 1804, late – Slave ship repels an attack by a French privateer
  • 1805, February – the whaler unsuccessfully attacks a Batavian vessel
  • 1805, February 2 – Slave ship repels an attack by a French privateer
  • 1805, February 8 – captures French privateer Dame Ernouf
  • 1805, February 13 – captures French frigate Psyche
  • 1805, March 10 – Private ship of war captures the Spanish private ship of war Felicity/''Felicidad
  • 1805, March 20 – French privateer Général Ernouf explodes during an engagement with
  • 1805, May 16 – The French privateer Hirondelle captures
  • 1805, July 19 – captures
  • 1805, August 10 – captures
  • 1805, August 16 – vs the
  • 1805, October 13 – Spanish merchantman Nuestra Senora de Isiar, captures British privateer
  • 1805, October 20 – British privateer fails to capture a Spanish privateer brig
  • 1805, November – vs
  • 1805, November 4 – French privateer Creole captures slaver and merchantman
  • 1805, November 28 – Inconclusive engagement between the French privateer Bellone and the East Indiaman
  • 1805, November 30 – a French privateer captures the slave ship
  • 1806, January 23 – French privateer captures and sinks
  • 1806, February 15 – captures the French letter of marque Princess Murat
  • 1806, February – French privateer Hebe captures British merchantman
  • 1806, March 3–4 – vs. an unknown British post ship
  • 1806, May 11 – French ship Abeille captures
  • 1806, May 14 – vs French Minerve
  • 1806, May 25 – Merchant ship repels attack by French privateer Fairey
  • 1806, June 21 – captures the East Indiaman at
  • 1806, July 19 – HMS Blanche captures French Guerrière
  • 1806, August 2 – The fireship repels an attack by the French privateer lugger Elize
  • 1806, October 25 – Spanish privateer mistico Generalísimo captures HM [gunboat Hannah |HM gunboat Hannah]
  • 1806, October 26 – captures the French privateer Superbe
  • 1806, December 29 – captures French privateer Deux Frères
  • 1807, January 3 – captures the French privateer Favorite
  • 1807, March 14 – French privateer Alerte captures merchantman
  • 1807, April 25 – French privateer Dame Villaret captures
  • 1807, August 19 – captures the Danish frigate Fredericksvaern.
  • 1807, September 9 – A French privateer captures the British slave ship
  • 1807, October 1 – British packet ship captures the French privateer Jeune Richard.
  • 1807, October 17 – captures the French privateer schooner Tape a L’Oeil.
  • 1807, December 3 – has an inconclusive engagement with French privateer Revanche.
  • 1808, March 2 – HMS Sappho captures Danish privateer Admiral Yawl
  • 1808, March 6–8 – HMS San Fiorenzo captures French frigate Piémontaise
  • 1808, March 7 – A French privateer captures the slave ship
  • 1808, March 14 – HDMS Lougen engages in an inconclusive action with
  • 1808, May 11 and 12 – vs French 16-gun brig of war Requin, later captured by
  • 1808, June 24 – captures the Russian cutter Opyt
  • 1808, July 5 and 6 – captures Turkish frigate Badere Zaffer
  • 1808, July 16&17 – repelled a Spanish and a French privateer in two separate single-ship actions.
  • 1808, August 11 – HMS Comet captures French corvette Sylphe
  • 1808, September 6 – HMS Recruit vs French corvette Diligente
  • 1808, September 29 – French navy corvette Départment-des-Landes captures
  • 1808, October 3 – French brig Palinure captures HMS Carnation
  • 1809, August 7 – The Liverpool merchantman repels an attack by a French privateer
  • 1809, late – The Liverpool merchantman repels an attack by a French privateer
  • 1810, January 11 – captures French brig Oreste
  • 1810, 10 February – captures the Dutch naval vessel
  • 1810, August 10 – His Majesty's Hired armed cutter Queen Charlotte drives off a substantially larger and more heavily armed French vessel.
  • 1810, August 22 – the British letter of marque merchantman repels an attack by a French privateer
  • 1810, October 14 – captures the French privateer schooner Sans Souci
  • 1810, November 1 – The French privateer captures the merchant ship Leander
  • 1811, early – captures an Ottoman polacca off Samos
  • 1811, September 11 – captures the Dutch brig Zephyr off Manado
  • 1811, October 29 – The French privateer Epervier captured the packet off Guernsey
  • 1812, February 22 – captures in Battle of Pirano
  • 1812, July 21 – captures the French privateer Ville de Caen
  • 1812, December 1 – French privateer Sans Souci captures the South Seas whaler Frederick
  • 1812, December 18 – repels an attack by a French privateer
  • 1812, December 29 – captures the French privateer lugger Rusé
  • 1813, February 7 – and the French frigate Aréthuse engage in an inconclusive but sanguinary four-hour night battle
  • 1813, September 10 – French privateer cutter Renard destroys the schooner
  • 1813, October 9 – captures the French privateer Neptune
  • 1814, January 6 – the West Indiaman repels an attack by a Carthaginian privateer just outside Havana
  • 1814, March 27 – captures French frigate Étoile
  • 1815, May 30 – HMS Rivoli'' captures the French frigate off Naples.

    War of 1812

  • 1807, June 22 Chesapeake–Leopard affair – boards USS Chesapeake
  • 1811, May 16 Little Belt affairUSS President fires on HMS Little Belt
  • 1812, June 18 – USS Essex captures
  • 1812, July – the American privateer Matilda captures the British merchantman Ranger
  • 1812, August 1 – the American privateer Yankee captures and burns the British merchantman
  • 1812, August 19 – USS Constitution defeats HMS Guerriere
  • 1812, August 22 – HMS Barbados defeats US Revenue Cutter James Madison
  • 1812, September 8 – French privateer brig Diligent captures the schooner
  • 1812, September 16 – American privateer captures the packet
  • 1812, October 18 – USS Wasp defeats
  • 1812, October 18 – defeats USS Wasp
  • 1812, October 25 – captures
  • 1812, November 2 – British letter-of-marque repels US privateer Retaliation
  • 1812, November 21 – Merchantman repels attack by American privateer brig Alfred
  • 1812, November 22 – captures USS Vixen
  • 1812, December 11 – American privateer Saratoga captures the British letter of marque in the Battle of La Guaira
  • 1812, December 29 – USS Constitution destroys
  • 1812, December – British merchantman repels attack by privateer Alexander, of Salem
  • 1813, January 17 – captures
  • 1813, January 1 – The Falmouth packet repels an attack by an American privateer
  • 1813, January 25 – The American privateer captures the merchantman
  • 1813, February 24 – USS Hornet defeats
  • 1813, March 11 – and the American privateer have an inconclusive engagement
  • 1813, March 22 – The British letter of marque captures the American privateer Matilda
  • 1813, April – The American letter of marque captures the British armed merchantman Malvina
  • 1813, April 14 – The American privateer captures, plunders, and releases the Falmouth Post Office Packet Service's
  • 1813, April 13 – The American privateer Yorktown captures the Falmouth packet
  • 1813, May 23 – vs. Virginia privateer schooner Roger
  • 1813, May 23 – The American privateer Young Teazer captures the Falmouth packet
  • 1813, May 28 – captures the whaler
  • 1813, May 30 – The United States privateer Yankee captures the British merchant vessel
  • 1813, June 1 – captures USS Chesapeake in the Battle of Boston Harbor
  • 1813, June 9 – The Falmouth Post Office Packet Service's repels an attack by an American privateer
  • 1813, June 24 – American privateer Yorktown captures
  • 1813, August 5 – Privateer Decatur captures
  • 1813, August 14 – captures USS Argus
  • 1813, September 5 – USS Enterprise captures
  • 1813, September 23 – USS President captures
  • 1813, October 22 – US Revenue Cutter Vigilant defeats Canadian privateer Dart
  • 1813, December 14 – repels an attack by a 20-gun American privateer schooner
  • 1813, December 25 – captures USS Vixen II
  • 1814, January 11 – British merchantman drives off the American privateer Comet
  • 1814, February – captures American privateer-brig Alfred
  • 1814, February 14 – USS Constitution destroys
  • 1814, March 14 – repels an attack by the American privateer Jacob Johns
  • 1814, March 28 – captures USS Essex in the Battle of Valparaiso
  • 1814, April 19 – The American privateer General Armstrong captures the British letter-of-marque
  • 1814, April 20 –, with approaching, captures USS Frolic
  • 1814, April 29 – USS Peacock captures
  • 1814, May 1 – Falmouth packet repels attack by American privateer
  • 1814, June 22 – captures USS Rattlesnake
  • 1814, June 28 – USS Wasp captures HMS Reindeer
  • 1814, July 12 – American privateer Syren captures
  • 1814, July 12 – captures USS Syren
  • 1814, August 17 – The transport repels an attack by the U.S. privateer York
  • 1814, September 1 – USS Wasp sinks
  • 1814, October – The packet ship repelled an attach by a U.S. privateer
  • 1814, October 11 – defeats the US Revenue Cutter Eagle
  • 1814, October 11 – American privateer Prince de Neufchatel resists
  • 1814, December 20 – captures the American letter of marque Java
  • 1815, January 15 – defeats USS President
  • 1815, January 28 – American privateer Surprise captures the British merchantman Star
  • 1815, February 9 – American privateer Kemp captures the Post Office Packet Service's packet
  • 1815, February 11 – Post-office packet ship repels an American privateer
  • 1815, March 8 – captures the American privateer Avon
  • 1815, March 15 – American privateer Roger captures the British packet ship
  • 1815, March 23 – USS Hornet captures
  • 1815, April 27 – USS Hornet escapes after mistakenly engaging.
  • 1815, June 15 – USS Peacock captures Nautilus, a brig of the Bombay Marine of the East India Company

    Argentine War of Independence

  • 1825, January 25 – Buenos Aires privateer Tupac Amaru captures the Spanish merchantman

    Suppression of the slave trade

  • 1826, March 20 – Nettuno, a Brazilian slave ship and prize to, repels the pirate brig Caroline
  • 1828, April 2 – captures Providentia
  • 1828, May 1 – HMS Black Joke captures Presidenté
  • 1829, February 1 – HMS Black Joke captures Almirante
  • 1829, June 5 – captures Voladora
  • 1829, June 26 – captures Midas
  • 1830, September 7 – captures Veloz Passagera
  • 1832, June 3 – captures the slaver Aquila off Cuba

    Texas Revolution

  • 1835, June 15 – USRC Ingham engages the Mexican schooner Montezuma.
  • 1836, March 6 – Texas schooner Liberty captures the Mexican schooner Pelicano
  • 1836, April 3 – Texas schooner Invincible sinks the Mexican schooner Montezuma.

    War of the Confederation

  • 1837, February 5 – Chilean brig Aquiles, which kept the port of Callao blocked, attacked the Confederate schooner Yanacocha and forced her to return to her anchorage.
  • 1838, January 18 – Chilean corvette Libertad captured the Confederate corvette Confederación on the coast of Callao.

    First Schleswig War

  • 1849, June 27 – Prussian paddle steamer duels inconclusively with Danish brig off Brusterort

    Crimean War

  • 1853, November 17 – Russian steam frigate Vladimir captures Turkish/Egyptian steam frigate Pervaz Bahri in the Black Sea

    American Civil War

  • 1861, July 18 – USS St. Lawrence sinks privateer Petrel off Charleston, South Carolina
  • 1863, January 11 – CSS Alabama sinks USS Hatteras off Galveston Island, Texas
  • 1864, June 19 – USS Kearsarge sinks CSS Alabama off Cherbourg, France
  • 1864, October 7 – USS Wachusett captures CSS Florida in Bahia Harbour, Brazil

    Chincha Islands War

  • 1865, November 26 – Chilean corvette Esmeralda captured the Spanish schooner Virgen de Covadonga.

    Franco-Prussian War

  • 1870, November 7 – French aviso fights German gunboat off Havana.

    Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878

  • 1877, July 23 – Ottoman central battery ironclad Feth-i Bülend duels inconclusively with Russian auxiliary cruiser Vesta in the Black Sea.

    War of the Pacific

  • 1879, May 21 – Peruvian ironclad Huáscar sinks Chilean corvette.
  • 1879, May 21 – Chilean schooner, in the midst of the struggle, caused the to run aground.
  • 1879, July 10 – Inconclusive engagement in Iquique between the and the Peruvian ironclad Huáscar.
  • 1880, April 4 – Inconclusive engagement in Tocopilla between the small Chilean steamer Taltal and the armed Peruvian transport Oroya.

    Spanish–American War

  • 1898, April 25 – Spanish gunboat Ligera repulses an attack by American torpedo boat USS Foote

    Venezuelan Civil War

  • 1902, February 7 – Rebel auxiliary cruiser Libertador sinks Venezuelan gunboat General Crespo.

    Mexican Revolution

  • 1914, March 31 – Huertistas gunboat Guerrero sinks Constitutionalist gunboat Tampico at the Third Battle of Topolobampo
  • 1914, June 16 – Huertistas gunboat Guerrero sinks Constitutionalist gunboat Tampico at the Fourth Battle of Topolobampo

    World War I

  • 1914, August 4 - British light cruiser HMS Bristol indecisively engages German light cruiser SMS Karlsruhe
  • 1914, August 26 – British cruiser defeats German auxiliary cruiser in the Battle of Río de Oro
  • 1914, September 9 – British gunboat HMS Dwarf engages German armed yacht Herzogin Elisabeth in an action in the Wouri River
  • 1914, September 14 – British armed merchantman HMS Carmania sinks German auxiliary cruiser in an engagement off Trindade Island in the South Atlantic
  • 1914, September 16 – British gunboat HMS Dwarf sinks German customs cutter Nachtigal in an action in the Wouri River
  • 1914, September 20 – In the Battle of Zanzibar, the German cruiser attacks and sinks the British cruiser while it is in harbour for repairs.
  • 1914, November 9 – Australian light cruiser defeats German light cruiser in the Battle of Cocos.
  • 1915, June 2 – British gunboat HMS Odin damages Ottoman gunboat Marmaris which beaches itself off Amarah in the Tigris River.
  • 1915, August 8 – German auxiliary cruiser SMS Meteor sinks British Armed Boarding Steamer Ramsey off Fair Isle
  • 1917, February 26 – British gunboat HMS Mantis damages Ottoman gunboat Doğan which runs aground near Al Aziziyah.
  • 1917, March 10 – German auxiliary cruiser sinks New Zealand freighter Otaki but is seriously damaged

    Russian Civil War

  • 1920, May 3 – Soviet floating battery Krasnaya Zarya engages French sloop Le Scarpe off Ochakov, damaging her and forcing her surrender.

    World War II

  • 1940, July 13 – German auxiliary cruiser Atlantis sinks British liner after a short action in the Indian Ocean.
  • 1940, July 28 – German auxiliary cruiser Thor indecisively engages the British armed merchant cruiser.
  • 1940, November 5 – German heavy cruiser sinks convoy escort armed merchant cruiser in the North Atlantic.
  • 1940, November 9 – The Free French aviso ''Savorgnan de Brazza sinks her sister ship, Vichy French aviso Bougainville, off Libreville.
  • 1940, December 5 – German auxiliary cruiser Thor damages British auxiliary cruiser HMS.
  • 1941, February 27 – sinks Italian auxiliary cruiser Ramb I in the Action of 27 February 1941, a brief engagement off the Maldives.
  • 1941, April 4 – German auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks the British armed merchant cruiser HMS Voltaire in the Action of 4 April 1941 off the Cape Verde islands.
  • 1941, May 8 – The British heavy cruiser sinks German auxiliary cruiser in the Action of 8 May 1941 off the Seychelles.
  • 1941, November 19 – The German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran and Australian light cruiser sink each other near Western Australia.
  • 1942, April 1 – German auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks British freighter Willesden after a brief action.
  • 1942, June 6 – German auxiliary cruiser sinks the tanker SS Stanvac Calcutta in the Action of 6 June 1942 in the South Atlantic.
  • 1942, July 20 – German auxiliary cruiser Thor sinks British reefer Indus in a brief action.
  • 1942, September 27 – German auxiliary cruiser Stier'' and American Liberty ship sink each other in the South Atlantic.

    Ecuadorian–Peruvian War

  • 1941, July 25 – Ecuadorian gunboat Abdón Calderón duels inconclusively with Peruvian destroyer Almirante Villar off Jambeli

    Korean War

  • 1950, June 25 – ROKS Pak Tu San sinks a North Korean troop transport in Battle of Korea Strait
  • 1950, September 10 – ROKS PC-703 sinks North Korean minelayer

    Vietnam War

  • 1968, March 1 – USCGC Winona sinks North Vietnamese naval trawler ''T-A''

    Sri Lankan Civil War

  • 2003, March 10 – sinks LTTE logistic vessel MV Koimer off Mullaitivu

    Anti-piracy off Somalia

  • 18 November 2008 – INS Taber sinks the trawler Ekawat Nava 5, which Somali pirates had captured.
  • 29 March 2009 – German naval tanker Spessart engages and repulses a Somali pirate skiff.
  • 10 April 2010 – sinks a Somali pirate skiff in a brief action.
  • 28 January 2011 – INS Cankarso sinks Somali pirate trawler Prantalay 14 off Minicoy Island.
  • 22 March 2011 – HMAS Stuart destroys a Somali pirate skiff being towed by the pirated.
  • 26 March 2011 – Indian off-shore patrol vessel INS Suvarna captures pirated trawler MV Mortaza
  • 12 May 2011 – USS Stephen W. Groves sinks Somali pirate longliner Jih Chun Tsai 68 in the Indian Ocean off Somalia.
  • 12 May 2011 – HDMS Esbern Snare sinks Somali pirate dhow FV NN Iran
  • 22 November 2011 – Italian destroyer Andrea Doria duels inconclusively with a Somali pirate skiff.
  • 12 January 2012 – captures a Somali pirate skiff

    Anti-piracy in the Gulf of Guinea

  • 28 August 2012 – Pirated tanker Energy Centurian fights off a Togolese navy patrol vessel and escapes.
  • 19 February 2016 – Nigerian frigate NNS Okpabana captures the pirated tanker Elvis-3 in the Gulf of Guinea in a contested boarding action.

    Second Libyan Civil War

  • 6 April 2017 – A Libyan Coast Guard vessel captures a migrant smuggling vessel after an action off Zawiya.

    Anti-piracy off Venezuela

  • 30 March 2020 – Cruise-liner RCGS Resolute inadvertently sinks Venezuelan Patrol Boat Naiguatá after being attacked by Naiguatá in international waters.