“Contemporary Maritime Security Challenges: Confronting Disorder Amid Multipolar Competition”

Abstract

The global maritime security landscape in 2026 faces a profound paradox: while piracy has fallen to its lowest level in 35 years, strategic competition for control of the world’s sea lines of communication has intensified to levels not seen since the Cold War. This article examines the convergence of geopolitical rivalries in the South China Sea, the weaponization of commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, the institutional transformation of maritime governance in Southeast Asia, and the emerging strategic frontier of the Arctic. Employing a qualitative comparative case study approach based on data from January to June 2026, the article argues that a fundamental shift is underway from a US-led unipolar maritime order toward a more fragmented and contested multipolar system. This transition does not necessarily lead to armed confrontation; rather, it manifests in what can be termed a “maritime security disorder,” characterized by overlapping jurisdictions, emerging norms, and the strategic exploitation of maritime ambiguity.