Maritime Security

The EU actively shapes maritime security through operational engagements and naval presences, investment in capacity-building, support to regional maritime security architectures in the Gulf of Guinea and in the Indian Ocean, and cooperation with a variety of partners – including the UN, NATO, regional organisations as well as a growing number of third countries.

To strengthen the EU’s ability to address maritime threats, protect its citizens and economy, and uphold a rules-based order at sea, the EU adopted in 2023 a revised Maritime Security Strategy and Action Plan. Together, they provide a comprehensive framework for tackling various threats and challenges at sea.

Aligned with the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, the strategy reflects major changes in the global security environment, climate impacts, and growing geopolitical competition at sea, while building on progress made in EU-wide civil-military cooperation and information sharing.

Beyond traditional maritime threats, the resilience of critical maritime infrastructure - particularly undersea communications cables - requires close attention. Safeguarding undersea communications has become a strategic priority. Their vulnerability to accidents, sabotage, and unlawful surveillance underscores the need for enhanced cooperation, monitoring, and investment in resilience.

• Read the EU’s Action Plan on submarine cables.

Countering Russia’s shadow fleet 
By protecting safe sea lanes and upholding the law of the sea, the EU and Member States address broader risks to the maritime domain, such as those posed by Russia's ‘shadow fleet’.

The ‘shadow fleet’ – over 800 sub-standard vessels sailing without real oversight – is exploited by Russia to evade sanctions in the energy sector. While energy revenues are the main source of funding of the Russian war effort, the shadow fleet also undermines maritime security, environmental protection, and safety of navigation. These ships hide their position, destination and origin of the oil they carry, they are insufficiently insured and often operated by undertrained personnel. All this poses severe risks to many aspects of maritime security.

Substandard ships and undertrained personnel risk causing accidents, oil spills, damage to critical maritime infrastructure. They also pose risks to the global economy, by undermining common standards and fair competition. Often underinsured, these ships then leave coastal States and their taxpayers to bear the costs of accidents and environmental clean-up.

The EU and its Member States are stepping up their actions to counter the shadow fleet’s operations:

• Sanctions: the EU has sanctioned around 600 vessels and 40 enablers of shadow fleet operation.
• Surveillance, coordination and enforcement: together with its Member States, the EU uses tracking tools and information-sharing to coordinate responses to shadow fleet activities. This is about enhancing ‘maritime domain awareness’, maritime surveillance and operational coordination, to inform concrete enforcement actions in cases of breach of international law.
• Working with partners: at the same time, the EU works closely with partners all over the globe to raise awareness of the risks posed by the shadow fleet and to provide practical support, including technical assistance and capacity-building.

Women in Maritime Security

In the Gulf of Guinea, Europe, and beyond, women play a critical role for maritime security. Their role across the maritime sector is particularly encouraged by EU cooperation and capacity-building programmes in the field, such as the EU-funded EnMar project, which underline their achievements and challenges.

The EU aims to highlight these achievements also for younger women to see that there is a place for them in this field, that their contributions matter and that they can build rewarding careers in maritime security.

In addition to the naval operations conducted under its Common Security and Defence Policy, the EU implements Coordinated Maritime Presences.

European Union

The Coordinated Maritime Presences initiative – launched in the Gulf of Guinea in 2021 (until 2027) and North-Western Indian Ocean (in 2022, extended until 2026) – improves coordination of Member States’ naval and aerial assets. The initiative enhances maritime situational awareness, and fosters synergies between EU projects, increasing the overall impact of EU efforts. 

Coordinated Maritime Presences also reinforce regional frameworks such as Yaoundé Architecture and the Djibouti Code of Conduct Jeddah Amendment (DCoC-JA), through training, events, and diplomatic outreach.

• Follow the link to read the factsheet on Coordinated Maritime Presences

• Revised Maritime Security Strategy (EUMSS) and its associated Action Plan
• Council Conclusions on Maritime Security (22 June 2021)
• Council Conclusions on Security and Defence (10 May 2021)
• Council Conclusions on an EU Strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific (16 April 2021)