Commercial shipping is operating in an increasingly complex security environment, prompting calls for the maritime industry and regulators to reconsider how merchant vessels are protected in conflict zones.
Speaking at the Nautical Institute Singapore annual conference, AET President and CEO Nick Potter said the maritime sector has faced almost continuous conflict for the past 25 years.
Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, commercial shipping has been exposed to a succession of security threats, ranging from piracy and kidnapping in the Gulf of Aden and Gulf of Guinea to conflicts in Southeast Asia, the Black Sea, the Red Sea and the Middle East.
Potter questioned whether the industry’s approach to maritime security has kept pace with the scale and persistence of these threats.
The Strait of Hormuz has emerged as one of the latest major flashpoints for commercial shipping amid the conflict involving Iran. Potter also drew on his own experience in the region, recalling that he transited the same waterway as an 18-year-old cadet during the Iran-Iraq War, also known as the Tanker War.
At the time, his vessel travelled through the Strait of Hormuz as part of a convoy protected by the Armilla Patrol.
Protection measures aboard the merchant vessel were basic by today’s standards. Sandbags, helmets and flak jackets were used on the bridge, while mattresses were placed around the engine control room to reduce the risk of injury from shattered glass. Windows were also blacked out.
Despite these precautions, Potter noted that such measures offered little protection against the Exocet missiles being used during the conflict.
His experience highlights how the nature of maritime threats has evolved over the decades. Modern commercial vessels can now face a combination of missiles, drones, mines, piracy, electronic threats and other forms of attack.
With conflicts continuing across several major shipping regions, Potter’s remarks raise broader questions about whether existing security frameworks, regulations and industry practices are sufficient to protect seafarers and commercial vessels operating in high-risk waters.
