The contemporary global energy system relies heavily on maritime transportation for the delivery of critical energy resources, including crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and refined petroleum products. Approximately 80–90% of global trade is transported by sea, while around 20% of the world’s oil supply transits through key maritime chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz. As a result, the security and reliability of major maritime routes play a fundamental role in ensuring the continuity of energy supply and the stability of energy markets worldwide. While technological, environmental, and geopolitical risks affecting energy systems are widely discussed, maritime piracy remains an underexamined yet persistent non-technical threat to global energy security.
The primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of maritime piracy on energy security through disruptions in global maritime energy supply chains. The analysis adopts a global perspective while using the Middle East as a case study, particularly in the context of heightened geopolitical tensions in 2026 affecting strategic routes such as the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. The study is based on piracy incident data (e.g., International Maritime Bureau reports), AIS-derived maritime traffic data, and spatial analysis of key energy shipping routes.
The study highlights that the consequences of maritime piracy extend well beyond direct material losses or immediate threats to vessel crews. Piracy incidents frequently result in delays in energy deliveries, forced rerouting of vessels, increased fuel consumption, and higher greenhouse gas emissions due to longer shipping distances. Rerouting tankers around the Cape of Good Hope instead of transiting through high-risk areas can significantly increase voyage distance and fuel costs. Moreover, heightened piracy risk leads to increased insurance premiums, higher freight rates, and additional security expenditures, which may raise shipping costs by several to over a dozen percent in high-risk regions.
These costs are ultimately transferred to energy markets, influencing energy prices and increasing volatility, particularly in import-dependent regions. In the context of the 2026 Middle East tensions, additional disruptions and perceived risks in critical maritime corridors further amplify these effects, contributing to concerns over fuel availability and market stability.
In addition, the paper discusses the implications of maritime piracy for energy policy and long-term investment decisions. Persistent security risks in maritime transport corridors may discourage investment in energy infrastructure, alter trade patterns, and undermine efforts to build resilient and sustainable energy systems. The role of modern technological solutions, including satellite surveillance, Automatic Identification System (AIS) data analysis, and artificial intelligence-based risk assessment tools, is examined as a means of mitigating piracy-related risks and enhancing the resilience of maritime energy supply chains.
The findings of this study indicate that maritime piracy remains a significant and often underestimated threat to global energy security. The paper contributes to the literature by integrating maritime security risks into energy economics and energy security analyses, which have traditionally focused on technical and geopolitical factors. Addressing piracy through coordinated international security measures, technological innovation, and integrated energy and maritime policies may improve the stability and resilience of global energy supply systems.
