Maritime Security
Why the world's oceans are contested spaces, from piracy and territorial disputes to naval competition and the protection of global trade routes.
Why Oceans Matter
Roughly 90 percent of global trade travels by sea. The world's oceans are crisscrossed by shipping lanes that carry everything from oil and natural gas to consumer electronics and food. Chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz (through which 20 percent of the world's oil passes), the Strait of Malacca (linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans), and the Suez Canal (connecting Europe to Asia) are strategic prizes whose disruption would send shockwaves through the global economy.
Maritime security encompasses the protection of these sea lanes, the enforcement of international maritime law, the prevention of piracy and smuggling, and the management of territorial disputes over islands, reefs, and seabed resources. As competition between major powers intensifies and climate change opens new Arctic shipping routes, the oceans are becoming more contested, not less.