The 2024 Risk Intelligence annual report offers a stark assessment of maritime security across the world’s strategic waterways. While some indicators suggest improvement, the deeper data reveals a more complex and escalating threat landscape that is reshaping global shipping patterns.
With nearly 90% of global trade transported by sea, evolving maritime threats have far-reaching consequences—not only for seafarers but for the stability of international supply chains and the global economy.
Southeast Asia: Pirates evolve tactics despite statistical decline
Southeast Asia’s modest 5% decrease in reported piracy incidents (99 in 2024 compared to 104 in 2023) masks a deeply concerning evolution—perpetrators have become markedly more aggressive, especially in the Singapore Strait, which remains the epicentre of regional maritime security concerns. In fact, armed attacks in the Singapore Strait surged by 52%, with 67 total incidents reported in 2024.
While the total number of reported incidents has not changed significantly compared to 2023, the increase in violence is alarming. 64% of incidents resulted in property being stolen, and although crew injuries remain rare, perpetrators are reportedly more willing to use force when confronted—often carrying knives, even if not always visible.
The Singapore Strait alone accounted for 70% of all regional incidents. According to Risk Intelligence data, bulk carriers made up 70% of all boardings in the strait (47 incidents), reflecting their predictable routes and physical vulnerabilities. Barges accounted for 12% (8 incidents), while only 7 incidents involved tankers (10%), and notably, no container or cruise vessels were boarded in the strait in 2024.
The overwhelming majority of incidents (94%) involved vessels underway in transit, reinforcing the idea that moving ships—particularly low-speed and low-freeboard ones—are most exposed to attack.
The geographical challenge cannot be overstated. As noted in the Risk Intelligence report, the intersecting borders of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore create jurisdictional obstacles that continue to hamper effective law enforcement and pursuit. The strait’s status as one of the world’s most congested and crucial maritime chokepoints—through which a significant portion of global trade flows—ensures that the region will remain a top maritime security concern throughout 2025.
Middle East: Geopolitical tensions disrupt ancient trade routes
The Middle East maritime security environment exemplifies how regional conflicts directly impact global commerce. The Risk Intelligence data identifies two distinct but interconnected threats: Iran’s vessel detention strategy and the Houthi campaign against merchant shipping.
Iran’s seizure of 4 vessels in 2024 (doubling 2023 figures) represents a calculated policy approach tied to sanctions and regional rivalries. The detention of the St Nikolas in January and Israel-linked MSC Aries in April illustrates Iran’s willingness to use maritime vessels as geopolitical leverage. With the incoming Trump administration likely to intensify pressure on Iran’s “shadow fleet” operations, commercial disputes related to crude oil trade may increase through 2025.
Concurrently, the Houthi campaign in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has fundamentally altered global shipping patterns. With 79 attacks against merchant vessels in 2024, maritime traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb strait has plummeted to 40-50% of normal levels. This represents a significant disruption to global shipping routes that has persisted throughout the year.
The Risk Intelligence report indicates that attacks with aerial drones and missiles as well as naval drones had severe implications for several merchant ships. Seafarers have been injured or killed, ships have been severely damaged and even had to be abandoned in some cases. The maritime security environment in this region remains directly tied to land-based conflicts, with the ongoing war in Gaza continuing to provide justification for the Houthi campaign.
Black Sea: War at sea reshapes eastern European trade
The Black Sea presents perhaps the most explicit example of conventional warfare disrupting maritime commerce. The Risk Intelligence data reveals 43 war-related maritime incidents in 2024 (up from 24 in 2023), predominantly stemming from Ukrainian long-range strikes against Russian naval and energy infrastructure.
These operations serve dual strategic purposes: forcing the Russian Black Sea Fleet to remain within protected harbours, thereby maintaining Ukraine’s unilateral corridor to its Black Sea ports, while simultaneously targeting Russian energy exports to weaken the wartime economy. According to the report, incidents for 2024 included 14 attacks against naval assets and 12 confirmed strikes on energy infrastructure such as oil depots and refineries.
The risk to merchant shipping remains substantial. Twenty-four incidents targeted Ukrainian port facilities in 2024, with 16 ships (compared to 12 in 2023) directly involved in security incidents. Perhaps most concerning were the seemingly deliberate Russian attacks against two merchant vessels in Ukrainian ports, justified through unsubstantiated claims about military cargo.
Despite these risks, the scale of maritime trade continues to be substantial. The Risk Intelligence data notes that with over 3,000 vessel transits to Ukrainian ports of Odesa, Pivdenny and Chornomorsk since July 2023, the proportion of ships involved in security incidents remains relatively low. The number of reported mine incidents also decreased to seven in 2024, although some underreporting is possible.
Gulf of Guinea: Criminal diversification presents evolving threats
West Africa’s maritime security landscape has transformed significantly over recent years. The Risk Intelligence data shows kidnap-for-ransom attacks against merchant ships remained stable at just two incidents in 2024, continuing the dramatic reduction from previous years.
However, this apparent improvement masks the region’s broader security challenges. Suspicious incident reports increased to 6 (up from 2 in 2023), suggesting continued crew concerns despite statistical improvements. More significantly, the region has witnessed a surge in maritime drug trafficking, exemplified by March’s record 10.7-tonne cocaine seizure from a fishing vessel.
The Risk Intelligence report emphasizes that the same conditions which previously facilitated piracy remain firmly in place—political instability in the Niger Delta region and on the neighbouring Bakassi peninsula in Cameroon, limited naval capabilities, and widespread economic hardship. The fact that organized criminal groups have shifted to other activities rather than piracy suggests these are currently considered more lucrative, not that the threat has disappeared.
Latin America and Caribbean: Emergent hotspots of maritime concern
Perhaps the most dramatic regional shift in the Risk Intelligence data comes from Latin America and the Caribbean, which witnessed a ninefold increase in maritime security incidents (9 in 2024 compared to just 1 in 2023). This surge largely stems from Haiti, where gang alliances have significantly enhanced operational capabilities and explicitly targeted maritime infrastructure.
Simultaneously, Ecuador has experienced a marked increase in violence affecting maritime operations. According to the report, youth gangs and larger groups continue to wage war between each other and target security officials despite increased military deployments. The existence of insurgencies and the prevalence of drug trafficking is expected to continue triggering violent conflict that may threaten commercial maritime operations.
The Risk Intelligence report provides significant insight into the cocaine smuggling operations throughout maritime routes in Latin America. Traffickers exploit the vastness of oceans and the complexity of global shipping networks, using merchant ships, fishing vessels, and private yachts to conceal drugs. The report highlights how criminal organizations employ sophisticated and constantly changing methods and routes. Container ships are most frequently targeted as they offer fast and convenient transport to lucrative markets, particularly in Europe.
An important trend noted in the report is the shift in cocaine importation patterns in Europe. Criminal organizations appear to be moving away from traditional import hubs like Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Hamburg toward medium-sized ports across the continent, adapting their routes to evade enhanced security measures.
The Gulf of Mexico likewise saw a resurgence in armed robbery at sea, with 5 confirmed incidents and 2 suspicious activities reported in 2024. These targeted both offshore platforms and supply vessels, highlighting the inadequacy of maritime policing in the region. The Risk Intelligence data notes that coastguard assets often arrive several hours after an incident, and ongoing naval deployments have not deterred criminals from targeting larger vessels off the coast of Mexican states Tabasco and Campeche.
Maritime security: A complex outlook for 2025
The Risk Intelligence data paints a sobering picture for maritime security into 2025. While total piracy numbers have declined in traditional hotspots, the nature of threats has evolved—becoming more violent, more targeted, and increasingly diverse.
At the same time, geopolitical conflicts are impacting maritime commerce on an unprecedented scale—from Red Sea diversions caused by the Houthi campaign to full-scale military disruption in the Black Sea.
Commercial operators must now weigh not only cost and efficiency but also political volatility, jurisdictional complexity, and direct threats to crew and cargo. Maritime security has always reflected broader global currents—and if the Risk Intelligence report is any indication, the world’s key waterways are set to remain troubled for the foreseeable future.