By Abbas Nazil
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has declared that global security cannot be achieved without ensuring maritime security, sounding an urgent call for stronger international cooperation and adherence to international maritime laws.
Speaking at a day-long session of the UN Security Council focused on maritime threats, Guterres emphasized that the world’s oceans and maritime routes are under increasing strain from both traditional and emerging threats, with no region spared.
Opening the high-level debate, Guterres pointed to a surge in piracy, illicit trafficking, and geopolitical tensions affecting the world’s waterways.
He specifically mentioned the escalating Houthi attacks on commercial vessels, the prevalence of trafficking operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Mediterranean, and widespread maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.
Describing these developments as a “clear SOS” from the maritime community, the Secretary-General urged world leaders to recognize that enhanced maritime governance and coordination are crucial for maintaining global peace and stability.
Guterres stressed that the international community must take action in three key areas: reinforcing respect for international maritime law, addressing the underlying causes of maritime insecurity, and building robust partnerships at every level.
He also highlighted the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, as a pivotal moment for global leaders to take collective action.
Echoing these concerns, Melina N. Travlos, President of the Union of Greek Shipowners and Chair of the Board of the Neptune Group, warned the Security Council that the global shipping industry is increasingly being weaponized.
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Travlos reported a 35 percent rise in maritime crime incidents in 2024 compared to the previous year, totaling 116 cases.
She emphasized the evolving nature of piracy, the growing threat of cyberattacks, and the role of organized crime in drug and human trafficking.
During the session, various member states reiterated the necessity of cooperation and shared strategies to combat maritime insecurity.
U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea cited the Registry Information Sharing Compact—an initiative launched by Liberia, Panama, and the Marshall Islands—as a model for transparency and enforcement.
The compact, which now includes registries representing over 20 percent of the world’s flagged vessels, aims to combat practices such as flag hopping and sanctions evasion.
Shea encouraged broader participation in the initiative to uphold international norms.
Contrasting sharply with the general consensus, Russia’s Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia criticized what he called the West’s misuse of maritime security efforts, referring to NATO-aligned nations as “newly-minted Baltic pirates.”
He accused them of violating freedom of navigation and creating artificial threats, and questioned whether many of the issues raised—such as trafficking and illegal resource exploitation—fall within the Security Council’s jurisdiction.
The debate underscored growing global concern that without a unified and law-based approach to maritime security, the world risks not only regional instability but a broader collapse in international peace and commerce.
