Maritime Security Report: 1-8 March
- Palaemon Maritime
- 7 hours ago
- 4 min read
This week recorded 32 maritime security incidents as wartime spillovers deeply affect global navigation and shipping, primarily in the Arabian and Black Seas.
Download the full report here:
Executive Summary
Indian Ocean/Arabian Gulf: Maritime security in the Indian Ocean is extremely precarious following the wartime escalation between the United States, Israel, and Iran. This week, vessels were struck by missiles, drones, or explosive projectiles across the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, and Arabian Gulf, reporting fires, hull damage, and near-miss explosions. Port infrastructures in Oman and the United Arab Emirates were also targeted. In parallel, U.S. forces carried out strikes against multiple Iranian naval vessels, including the sinking of an Iranian warship south of Sri Lanka.
Europe: Ukrainian drone strikes damaged the Russian oil export terminal at Novorossiysk, while reports indicate a Russian LNG carrier linked to the shadow fleet sank following explosions in the Mediterranean near Malta. Additional UAV strikes targeted shipping and port infrastructure in Ukraine.
Incident Breakdown
Region | Number of Incidents | Threat Type |
Indian Ocean/Arabian Gulf | 26 | Military threats ranging from UAV and missile attacks to naval combat |
Europe | 5 | UAV strikes |
Southeast Asia | 1 | One robbery |
West Africa | 0 | No incidents reported |
Total | 32 | Conflicts are escalating in the maritime arena |
Daily Incident Tracker
Date | Number of Incidents |
1 March | 10 |
2 March | 4 |
3 March | 6 |
4 March | 6 |
5 March | 1 |
6 March | 3 |
7 March | 2 |
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Key Incidents by Region
Indian Ocean
Several vessels reported attacks or damage across the Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz. To have a more detailed breakdown of each incident read the report here:
1 March 2026
A Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker was struck by an unmanned surface vessel approximately 50 NM north of Muscat, causing an engine-room fire and the death of one crew member.
A Gibraltar-flagged tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile 17 NM northwest of Mina Saqr, UAE, causing a fire that was later extinguished.
A Liberia-flagged tanker reported a projectile exploding close to the vessel 35 NM west of Sharjah, though no damage was recorded.
A Palau-flagged tanker sustained damage north of Khasab Port, with four crew injured, likely as a result of collateral strike effects.
2 March 2026
A U.S.-flagged tanker was struck by two projectiles while berthed at the Port of Bahrain, causing a fire that was quickly contained and forcing crew evacuation.
The tanker Athe Nova was reportedly struck by Iranian drones off Khor Fakkan, briefly catching fire before exiting the Strait of Hormuz.
A UAE-flagged cargo landing craft near Zirku Island suffered explosive damage close to an ADNOC oil terminal. One crew member was killed.
3 March 2026
A Malta-flagged bulk carrier reported an explosion in close proximity 137 NM east of Muscat, likely caused by an aerial projectile.
A Panama-flagged bulk carrier was struck 7 NM east of Fujairah, causing structural damage but no injuries.
A Marshall Islands-flagged tanker anchored near Fujairah reported debris from an aerial strike that caused minor damage to the vessel’s funnel.
Air defenses in the UAE intercepted a UAV over Fujairah, though falling debris ignited a fire in an oil industry zone.
4 March 2026
A container ship transiting the eastbound lane of the Strait of Hormuz was struck above the waterline, causing an engine-room fire and forcing the crew to abandon the vessel.
Another container ship 20 NM west of Dubai reported a near-miss projectile landing nearby without causing damage.
A Bahamas-flagged oil tanker anchored near Kuwait suffered a large explosion and hull damage, possibly caused by an explosive attack from a small craft.
The Iranian naval warship IRIS DENA was sunk south of Sri Lanka, reportedly by a U.S. submarine. The attack resulted in significant casualties and represents the first sinking of a warship by a U.S. submarine since World War II.
Another Iranian naval vessel, IRIS Shahid Sayyad Shirazi, was also reportedly struck near Bandar Abbas.
5 March 2026
Open sources report that the Iranian drone carrier IRIS Shahid Bagheri was struck and set ablaze near Bandar Abbas by U.S. forces.
6 March 2026
A tug vessel assisting salvage operations near Khasab was struck by unidentified projectiles while supporting a previously damaged container ship.
7 March 2026
The tanker Prima was reportedly struck by an Iranian suicide drone after attempting to enter the Strait of Hormuz.
The tanker Louis P was also targeted by an Iranian UAV in the Persian Gulf.
A Liberian-flagged drilling jack-up platform was attacked by a suspected UAV 10 NM north of Jubail, Saudi Arabia, with most crew evacuated while a skeleton crew remained onboard.
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Europe
1 March 2026
Belgian special forces intercepted and seized a Guinea-flagged oil tanker suspected of operating as part of Russia’s shadow fleet in the North Sea.
The MICA Center also warned that missile activity detected near Cyprus and Egypt could signal a potential expansion of Middle Eastern hostilities into the Eastern Mediterranean.
2 March 2026
Ukrainian drones targeted Novorossiysk Port, damaging the Sheshkharis oil terminal and several oil loading berths.
3 March 2026
A Russian-flagged LNG carrier operating in the Mediterranean shadow fleet sank after explosions 20 NM east of Malta, possibly following a Ukrainian drone strike.
6th March 2026
Russian forces launched a UAV strike on the port of Odesa, targeting port infrastructure.
Threat Outlook
Region | Threat Level | Assessment |
Indian Ocean/ Arabian Gulf | Very High | Military confrontation is exposing commercial shipping to collateral damage. |
Red Sea | High | Houthi activity may resume in response to regional escalation. |
Europe | Moderate | Continued drone strikes and attacks linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. |
West Africa | Moderate | Piracy risk in the Gulf of Guinea. |
Southeast Asia | Low | Frequent but low-level thefts. |
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Operational Guidance
Operators should:
Follow BMP5 transit protocols in all high-risk waters.
Exercise extreme caution when transiting the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman.
Maintain continuous monitoring of VHF Channel 16 and relevant maritime security advisories.
Remain aware of possible electronic interference and GPS disruption in conflict zones.
Avoid Iranian territorial waters where possible.
Report suspicious activity or incidents to:
UKMTO
MDAT-GoG
ReCAAP
IMB / IMO
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