The global shipping sector is confronting an unprecedented convergence of crises, with commercial vessels and crews increasingly treated as leverage in conflicts far removed from their operations.
Danger is now unfolding simultaneously in four key areas—the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, waters off Somalia, and the Black Sea—creating a level of compounded risk the industry has not previously faced.
Vessels are being detained, targeted, and attacked amid disputes in which they have no direct role, exposing crews to multiple security threats at once.
Damien Chevalier, director of the Maritime Safety Division at the UN International Maritime Organization, spoke to UN News about the scale of the threat and the measures being pursued to protect ships and crews.
What crisis is the shipping industry facing?
Chevalier said this is the first time so many vessels and seafarers have faced threats across several regions at once. The situation in the Strait of Hormuz alone initially affected nearly 2,000 vessels and approximately 20,000 seafarers—an unprecedented concentration of maritime activity under threat.
The industry now faces a combined set of dangers, including Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and a sharp rise in piracy off Somalia, where crews have been held hostage.
Attacks in the Black Sea have also increased markedly, with parties to the conflict using drones to target oil tankers and vessels carrying grain.
Why has piracy increased off Somalia?
Major naval resources have been directed toward the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz, giving Somali pirates an opportunity to resume their activities, particularly against smaller bulk carriers that are easier to intercept.
A recent maritime law-enforcement meeting placed strong emphasis on counter-piracy efforts, reflecting the surge in incidents and the deteriorating security situation in Somalia.
Somalia is developing new anti-piracy legislation to close a key gap: the absence of a legal framework through which captured suspects can be prosecuted and treated humanely, even when naval forces are present.
What is happening in the Black Sea?
The crisis in the Black Sea is distinct from events in the Strait of Hormuz and has no direct connection to it.
Verifying events is difficult because the warring parties circulate conflicting accounts and disinformation. Exact figures cannot be confirmed, but the reported number of attacks, targeted vessels, deaths, and injuries is deeply alarming.
One concrete indicator is traffic at Ukrainian grain ports. During the harvest season, only one or two vessels a day are currently being loaded, compared with the usual 20 to 30.
Why is shipping common to these conflicts?
What makes the present moment genuinely unprecedented is not simply the number of incidents, but the pattern behind them: shipping is being used deliberately as an instrument of geopolitical leverage.
Drones targeting oil tankers and grain carriers in the Black Sea, Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, and the resurgence of piracy off Somalia are all examples of commercial vessels being treated as pressure points in disputes between states.
Seafarers face the consequences first. They are also exposed to greater risks from substandard ships, including vessels operating under fraudulent registries, an issue the IMO is working to address.
What is the broader economic impact?
The consequences are severe and far-reaching. Because the Strait of Hormuz carries roughly 20 per cent of global oil exports, disruption there can fuel inflation and raise living costs worldwide.
The Strait of Hormuz and the Black Sea are also important routes for fertilizer shipments, while the latter is vital for grain exports. Food security is therefore at stake, and the effects are likely to persist into next year, particularly in developing countries.
Wealthier nations can draw on strategic reserves, but those supplies provide only a temporary buffer. As reserves are depleted, a second phase of the crisis may follow. Higher shipping costs caused by rerouting and added security measures further intensify the pressure on already reduced supplies.
Being a seafarer has become a genuinely dangerous profession.
What are the long-term concerns?
The most serious long-term concern may be the future of the seafaring workforce, upon which the entire shipping industry depends.
Rising casualties in the Black Sea, Red Sea, and Strait of Hormuz have made life at sea even more dangerous. Seafarers are generally not trained to respond to threats arising from broader security or geopolitical crises.
The profession is already struggling to attract younger generations, who may be deterred by long periods away from family and friends and limited internet connectivity.
A shrinking workforce could create a shortage within five to ten years. By then, addressing it quickly would be difficult because recruiting, training, and qualifying new seafarers takes years.
Attacks on ships also pose an environmental threat when damaged vessels spill fuel or cargo and endanger marine ecosystems.
What is the solution?
Chevalier pointed to diplomacy, respect for humanitarian and international law, and a return to constructive engagement through the UN rather than hostile rhetoric.
The international community must not accept threats to shipping as normal or rely primarily on arming merchant vessels. Such measures could prompt attackers to develop smaller, harder-to-detect weapons instead.
Strengthened diplomacy remains the most effective long-term response.