Maritime Security Report 19-26 January 2026
- Palaemon Maritime
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Piracy threats, international tensions, and operational oversights
This week ten maritime incidents were recorded across the Caribbean Sea, Europe, the Gulf of Guinea and Southeast Asia. Incidents primarily involve piracy threats, operational accidents and international maritime spillovers.
Executive Summary
Key trends this week:
Americas: U.S. Forces continue to seize sanctioned vessels transiting the Caribbean Sea near Venezuela.
Europe: An oil spill resulted in the release of hazardous chemicals in the North Sea. Tensions in the Black Sea continue to rise, and vessels in the Mediterranean have been seized and capsized.
Gulf of Guinea: A black skiff suspiciously approached a vessel; caution is advised.
Southeast Asia: Robberies continue across the Singapore Strait, and a bulk carrier capsized, resulting in casualties.
Threat levels remain high across the Black Sea and Europe and are increasing across other regions, including the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Guinea, with incidents involving drone warfare, piracy and robbery, geopolitical tensions and operational oversights.
Key Incidents By Region
Mediterranean Sea
23 January 2026
Sanctioned oil tanker PROGRESS, part of the Russian shadow fleet, is drifting off the coast of Algeria loaded with 730,000 barrels of Russian crude oil.
22 January 2026
The French Navy seized the falsely Comoros-flagged oil tanker Grinch, intercepted South of Cartagena, Spain. Investigations are ongoing.
19 January 2026
The cargo vessel Mini Star capsized and sank 20 NM North of Libya due to poor maintenance conditions. All crew members were safely rescued.
North Sea
22 January 2026
The oil tanker Capewater leaked between 100 and 1,000 liters of aniline at the port of Brunsbüttel, Germany.
Southeast Asia
22 January 2026
The bulk carrier Devon Bay capsized 55NM northwest of Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, whilst carrying iron ore. This resulted in:
17 crew members rescued
2 crew fatalities
4 members still missing
19 January 2026
A Malaysia-flagged tugboat was robbed in the Eastbound Lane of the Singapore Strait. The perpetrators stole metal scraps.
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Black Sea
21 January 2026
A Ukrainian drone strike on Tamam Port, Russia, caused a fire that ignited four oil tankers, resulting in the deaths of three civilians and injuries to eight others.
19 January 2026
A Cameroon- flagged container vessel was hit by a UAV, 90 NM North of Samsun, Türkiye, damaging several containers and causing a fire.
Caribbean Sea
20 January 2026
The Liberian-flagged sanctioned tanker MV Sagitta was seized by U.S. Forces, likely while carrying Venezuelan oil.
Gulf of Guinea
20 January 2026
A small black skiff carrying four people suspiciously approached a vessel 38 NM South of Lagos, Nigeria. Caution is advised.
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Weekly Threat Outlook
Region | Threat Level | Assessment |
Mediterranean Sea | High | Shadow fleet seizures, sanctioned tanker adrift, multiple vessel casualties. |
Southeast Asia | Moderate | Robberies in Singapore Strait ongoing. |
North Sea | Low | Isolated chemical leak |
Black Sea | Very High | Indiscriminate UAV strikes on ports and commercial vessels. |
Caribbean Sea | Moderate | State-led seizures of sanctioned vessels. |
Gulf of Guinea | Moderate | Suspicious skiff activity with no boarding. Caution is still advised. |
Operational Guidance
Operators should:
Follow BMP- MS transit protocols.
Steer clear of conflict zones and high-risk areas.
Monitor for drone activity.
Enhance watchkeeping and harden barriers.
Report any suspicious activity to MDAT-GoG, UKMTO, IMB, IMO.
Our Sources
Ambrey. Retrieved from https://ambrey.com/
ClearWater Dynamics. Retrieved from https://www.cwdynamics.com/alerts/
Dryad. Retrieved from https://www.dryadglobal.com/
EOS Risk Group. Retrieved from https://eosrisk.com/
ICC Commercial Crime Services. Retrieved from https://icc-ccs.org/map/
International Maritime Organization (IMO). Retrieved from https://gisis.imo.org/Public/PAR/Incident.aspx?Action=View&ID=10211
Marine Domain Awareness for Trade - Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG). Retrieved from https://gog-mdat.org/home
Marine Traffic. Retrieved from https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:8.4/centery:-0.2/zoom:2
Office of Naval Affairs (US Navy). Retrieved from https://www.oni.navy.mil/ONI-Reports/Shipping-Threat-Reports/Worldwide-Threat-to-Shipping/
ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre. Retrieved from https://portal.recaap.org/OpenMap
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). Retrieved from https://www.ukmto.org/recent-incidents
Vessel Tracker. Retrieved from https://www.vesseltracker.com/
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