Countering Maritime Security Threats in an Era of Underwater Mayhem

Countering Maritime Security Threats in an Era of Underwater Mayhem
Monday, April 20, 2026 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Perry World House and Zoom

Only four months into 2026, the world has witnessed what could be considered a year’s worth of turmoil, including in the maritime domain. In Europe, threats of suspected Russian sabotage against subsea energy and critical infrastructure continue to confound NATO Allies from the Barents Sea to the Baltic Sea. Meanwhile, the scourge of the Kremlin’s “Shadow Fleet” continues to evade Western sanctions, aimed at holding Moscow to account for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

In the Middle East, Tehran has responded to Israeli and U.S. strikes with a dangerous blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, and kinetic attacks on critical maritime-based energy export infrastructure across Gulf nations. Moreover, maritime norms continue to be eroded worldwide, with examples ranging from China’s illicit fishing fleet to Russia’s search for oil and gas in the Southern Ocean, in violation of the Antarctic Treaty System.

How will the United States and its network of partners and allies respond to this growing list of authoritarian threats on the high seas and littoral waters? Will the world ocean descend further into a domain of global competition and strife? Is it possible to restore earlier eras of maritime security that have driven historical global economic growth?