The United Nations has given a stark warning to world leaders, stressing that oceans and seas face unprecedented pressure from geopolitical conflict, crime, piracy and emerging cyber threats. UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued the warning during a UN Security Council high-level maritime debate. Without stronger international maritime cooperation, he warned, global trade, peace, and marine ecosystems risk irreversible damage.
“The oceans are sending an SOS,” Guterres said, urging nations to enforce maritime law and act collectively against rising instability. He called maritime security the backbone of global security and said its breakdown would affect every country and economy.
PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY SPIKE IN EARLY 2025
Guterres pointed to a 47.5% surge in piracy and sea-based robberies this year compared to early 2024, citing IMO data. The spike is most visible in Asia’s Straits of Malacca and Singapore, two of the busiest and most vital shipping corridors.
Houthi forces are primarily responsible for criminal attacks on vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. These attacks continue to threaten international routes. Disruptions in the Black Sea and Gulf of Guinea increase the risks. Additionally, trafficking networks in the Atlantic and Mediterranean contribute to these dangers.
Organized criminal groups increasingly traffic people, arms, and narcotics by sea, growing faster than the international response can contain.
SHIPPING COLLAPSE COULD CRASH GLOBAL ECONOMY IN 90 DAYS
Melina Travlos, President of the Union of Greek Shipowners, gave a chilling estimate. If we halt global shipping, the economy collapses in 90 days.
Travlos described shipping as “the silent guardian of global welfare,” moving 90% of all international goods annually across oceans. She said over 12 billion tonnes of goods depend on maritime logistics, a system now threatened by piracy, geopolitical conflict, and cyberattacks.
“Shipping unites the world daily,” she said, urging better protection for seafarers and infrastructure amid growing risks and geopolitical uncertainty. The collapse of this system, she warned, would trigger a global supply chain disaster within weeks, not months.
A SINGLE SHIP BLOCKED THE WORLD IN 2021
Christian Bueger, a University of Copenhagen professor, reminded the Council of the Ever Given’s 2021 Suez Canal blockage. The six-day disruption cost the world economy billions and highlighted global overreliance on a fragile, overstretched maritime system.
Bueger emphasized that maritime trade has grown 300% since the 1990s, showing how much modern life depends on sea routes. “We’ve never been this dependent on the sea,” he said. “Maritime disruptions today carry economic and political consequences we can’t ignore.”
He urged countries to adopt data-driven maritime security strategies. These strategies must match the scale and speed of the emerging threats.
A THREE-PILLAR SECURITY PLAN
Guterres outlined a strategy focused on three goals. The first goal is to enforce international maritime law. The second is to address root causes of sea crime. The third is to expand partnerships.
He urged all nations to respect the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Nations must also implement the global maritime treaty. He said, “This framework only works if states fully commit to it.” He warned that partial compliance weakens the system for everyone.
States that undermine maritime law endanger the rights, resources, and sovereignty of others, creating fertile ground for conflict and exploitation. He urged leaders to reaffirm their legal obligations and close gaps that criminals and extremists continue to exploit at sea.
ROOT CAUSES DEMAND GLOBAL INVESTMENT AND REFORM
Guterres stressed the need for investment in vulnerable coastal communities. These communities suffer from poverty, corruption, and weak institutions. He urged nations to expand surveillance, improve port infrastructure, and build capacity for enforcement in developing countries with strategic sea routes. Solutions must target corruption, unemployment, and poor governance — root causes that drive desperate individuals into smuggling or piracy networks.
Judicial reforms, anti-poverty programs, and sustainable development can build resilience and reduce the appeal of crime and trafficking by sea. “Security at sea depends on justice and opportunity onshore,” Guterres said, calling for long-term, people-centered maritime development.
WOMEN AND CIVIL SOCIETY KEY TO MARITIME PEACE
Guterres emphasized that women and girls suffer most from maritime crime and must be included in policymaking and security responses. He called for greater participation from civil society groups, especially those working on gender justice, community safety, and environmental protection.
“Lasting peace depends on inclusion,” he said, adding that maritime strategies must protect both ocean ecosystems and vulnerable communities alike. Programs that empower women and girls also reduce violence, boost economic productivity, and strengthen resistance to illegal maritime activity. Maritime peace must reflect human rights, climate resilience, and equal representation — not just naval strength and legal frameworks.
UN OFFERS GLOBAL SUPPORT FOR MARITIME STABILITY
The UN is ready to assist all countries in strengthening maritime law, building port resilience, and training naval forces. Guterres said the international community must act now to prevent maritime threats from spiraling into wider global economic and humanitarian crises.
He warned that ignoring these early warning signs would expose global trade, peace, and sustainability to long-term instability and chaos.
“Together, we must secure peaceful and prosperous maritime spaces for future generations.” He also promised full UN support to countries in need. The message was clear: inaction today means economic collapse, environmental ruin, and humanitarian disaster tomorrow.
A GLOBAL WAKE-UP CALL FROM THE SEA
Guterres’ message to world leaders was urgent — restore maritime order now or risk collapse across global trade, peace, and ecosystems. The ocean’s rising distress calls are impossible to ignore, with piracy, terrorism, and lawlessness threatening economic stability and human security.
Maritime routes connect every continent, but now face growing risks that transcend borders and demand a united, urgent international response. The law of the sea must be enforced, partnerships strengthened, and root causes addressed to ensure lasting peace and protection. If nations fail to act now, the world could face a future defined by broken trade, broken peace, and broken seas.
