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Maritime Terrorism
The issue of maritime terrorism is becoming increasingly significant in international politics, as more states are interested in the maritime domain, which has become a major economic frontier. This has led to an increase in the number of actors involved and interested in the power of the sea, which is also used for economic development, security, and political agendas. The maritime domain plays a pivotal role in both the economic and political development of individual countries, as well as in the broader context of global economic growth. Currently, maritime trade routes account for approximately 90% of global trade, representing a critical conduit for global commerce. The free navigation of these trade routes is essential for global economic stability and depends on the "freedom of the seas". A clear definition of maritime terrorism remains elusive, which can also be attributable to the absence of a consensus on the parameters of land-based terrorism. The geopolitical dimension is of significant importance due to its intersection with states and their respective political objectives. The pursuit of the actors is typically driven by politics, in contrast to piracy where the goal typically is financial gain. Furthermore, the objective of maritime terrorism frequently entails a strategic approach to achieving a specific political outcome, with the intention of influencing the political decision-making process. However, the distinction is not always straightforward. For instance, pirates may evolve into terrorists with a political ideology and pursuit, and piracy can be used to finance terrorist attacks. While the planning and organizing of maritime terrorism and piracy occurs on land, the execution of maritime terrorism may occur from land to sea, whereas piracy occurs and is executed at sea.

Importance and evolvement
The oceans have specially been important to states to project their (military) power, but it is relatively recent that it has become a key interest to policymakers. The growing attention to maritime security and the concerns about maritime terrorism can be traced back to the attack on the USS Cole in 2000 However, the initial concerns regarding maritime terrorism can be traced back to the 1985 Achille Lauro bombing. This attack seems to have had a direct effect on the international cooperation between states in the arena of the UN, as in the aftermath of the 1985 bombing, the UN established the SUA Convention in 1988. In addition to these attacks is a crucial moment in the history of maritime terrorism the 9/11 attacks in 2001. The terrorist attacks at the beginning of the 2000s demonstrated further how maritime terrorism could have far-reaching consequences for international cooperation between states and impact the global economy. An example would be the occurrence of maritime hijackings, whereby the global shipping industry may be affected by a rise in costs of up to 1.2% in a given year, thus demonstrating the extent to which maritime attacks can influence the global economy and the wider global shipping industry. The consequences of the mentioned attacks included alterations to consumption habits, investment, stock market shifts, and the impact on foreign direct investment and trade. In response to this,  SUA Convention got extended in 2005.

At the current moment, there has been a lot of focus on the maritime domain but still mainly due to incidents of piracy, but a bigger variety of actors are now getting involved and sometimes there is an overlap. This can be attributed to several factors, 1) Many actors possess similar equipment's, so the skillset can be used to different means, 2) The actors may operate in the same area, thereby they already have some familiarity with the sea and how to navigate it , 3) and as mentioned above, some terrorist attacks are financed by pirate activities  . A drive for this change can simply be due to its (organizational) capability .  As technology advances and the actors receive greater resources and attention from the international community and the media, it is becoming increasingly probable that maritime terrorist attacks will evolve and become more frequent. Another contributing factor to the rising incidence of maritime terrorism may be the spillover of geopolitical issues   . As seen by the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea instances of spillover where these incidents occurred in the wake of the Israeli war in Palestine specially in the Gaza Strip. These maritime terrorist attacks can serve to exacerbate existing crises and create openings for new political opportunities. The attacks  prompted the UN Security Council to adopt Resolution 2722 (2024) (UNSC 2024).

Counter instrument to maritime terrorism
A common target for maritime terrorist attacks are maritime trade routes, commercial vessels, ports, infrastructures, oil vessels, and navies that are used to control the seas. The navies respond directly to state political demands and are often in collaboration with other state or non-state interest groups. The navies are therefore also an important player when it concerns terrorist attacks at sea. In contrast to the rapid changes, upgrades, and creative equipment belonging to the pirates and terrorists, navies tend to undergo refinement and not radical changes and tend to be over a longer period of time. Nevertheless, although they rarely undergo radical changes, navies do have a wide range of roles, and they can be employed in many different ways, from warfare to diplomatic missions at sea. This common response to maritime terrorism or the rising maritime tension is being discussed, as it is not always the best solution, as they can increase the geopolitical tensions which can have a negative effect on possible cooperation between actors. It is unlikely a reduction in the number of navies will occur, as they continue to be necessary to mitigate maritime threats, to guarantee the security of shipping routes, and to ensure the compliance of the law of the sea.

Geopolitics and grey-zone areas
Interstate disputes can influence how states choose to approach maritime security issues, as well as which policies they develop. This can hinder cooperation between states and non-state actors. This encompasses the pursuit of specific political gains through participation in international organizations or the conduct of proxy wars. One example of participation in international institutions is the five veto-states in the United Nations Security Council when passing Resolution 2722 (2024), where Russia and China abstained from voting. As the international hegemonic structure has become less unipolar since the end of the Cold War, it is increasingly challenging for states engaged in competing for hegemony to form alliances. This dynamic is also evident in the adoption of maritime domain policies. Nevertheless, there have been instances of collaboration between states that are not part of the same world order. One such example is the implementation of policies against piracy in 2009 by NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield. Despite the geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan, China and Japan, and the United States and Russia, states chose to collaborate. The maritime domain can be utilized by states to cultivate allies for economic gain. However, states are often more preoccupied with geopolitical concerns and ambitions than with non-state actors. This also explains why the presence of navies in the maritime domain can increase geopolitical tension and grey-zone operations, rather than creating security, due to the fact that navies are an extension of state policies.

Current evolvement from the international community: Houthis attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea
Prior to January 10th of this year, the UNSC had not been directly engaged in maritime terrorism. This changed following the Houthis' attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The attacks have been ongoing since November 2023 In adopting this resolution, the Security Council has focused on the attacks' impact on navigational rights and freedoms, as well as the potential for a further spike in food and energy prices. During the meeting for the adoption of the resolution, it was also observed that there was a lack of precedent in the legal domain for this resolution. The resolution cites, among other resolutions, Resolution 2216 (2015) from the Permanent Representative of Yemen, which also condemns the Houthis. In this resolution, maritime concerns are primarily focused on the potential for illicit cargo to be transported to Yemen via maritime routes. Furthermore, the resolution addresses Resolution 2624 (2022), which places further emphasis on the development of the maritime situation, including the environmental and humanitarian risks, as well as the risk for navigation in the Red Sea Furthermore, the Security Council’s Panel of Experts issued a report, S/2023/883, which highlighted the rising levels of violence in the Red Sea. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has only recently (2019) begun to address the issue of high seas crime.

Ongoing discussion
There is a continued need to clarify the concept of maritime security, as there are few academic studies and journals on the subject. Consequently, there is ongoing debate about the definition of maritime terrorism and its importance, given that the majority and deadliest terrorist attacks are still land-based. One significant factor contributing to this is the fact that a terrorist attack at sea necessitates greater capabilities and opportunities than land-based attacks. The subject of maritime terrorism is a relatively recent phenomenon, but its growing importance is becoming increasingly evident as globalization intensifies and the potential impact on the economies of nations becomes more apparent.