Weekly Maritime Intelligence Brief: Rising Cyber Threats & Persistent Global Instability

Dryad Global’s latest Maritime Intelligence Brief highlights a shifting global threat landscape, with the convergence of kinetic and cyber threats creating fresh risks for maritime operators worldwide.

This week’s brief reveals increased targeting of transport infrastructure, escalating regional instability, and persistent threats in key shipping corridors.

Explosive Threats in the Black Sea

On 22 July, a maritime mine detonated beneath the Liberian-flagged vessel M/V PEGASUS SKY near the Bystre Canal, a key Ukrainian export route. This incident reinforces the persistent danger posed by drifting or deliberately placed mines in contested waters—especially in Ukraine’s Danube Delta and key Black Sea approaches. Notably, this event marks the 26th maritime mine incident in the region since the full-scale invasion began.

Simultaneously, Russian warships conducted aggressive manoeuvres in the Baltic Sea, culminating in the interception of a Finnish Border Guard vessel. Though resolved without injury, the incident underscores heightened maritime friction in NATO-adjacent waters.

🛡 Cyber Sabotage Targeting U.S. Transportation

In a parallel front, cybersecurity took centre stage. On 26 July, pro-Russian group Solntsepek, previously affiliated with Killnet, launched sustained DDoS attacks against U.S. transportation entities including CSX, Amtrak, and Port of Houston. This campaign continues a trend of ideologically driven cyber operations designed to disrupt key logistics infrastructure in retaliation for perceived NATO provocations.

The increasing frequency and ambition of these cyber-attacks reinforces the need for robust digital resilience across the maritime supply chain. Dryad Global advises all operators to assess their exposure to both physical and cyber threats—particularly as geopolitical tensions remain elevated.

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📉 Key Regional Threat Insights

West Africa:

• Kidnap-for-ransom incidents have declined dramatically since 2021, with zero crew kidnapped reported so far in 2024.

• Overall maritime incident rates, including robbery and approach, remain low but sporadic.

Indian Ocean:

• Despite a notable 21% drop in total incidents, there is an uptick in vessel boarding attempts, highlighting persistent opportunistic threats.

• Armed groups remain active near Yemeni and Somali coasts.

Southeast Asia:

• While robbery and boarding incidents are down by over 40%, the Singapore Strait remains a hotspot requiring vigilant passage planning.

• Notably, no hijackings or kidnappings have been reported in 2024 to date.

🌍 Global Risk Mapping – July 2025 Snapshot

Dryad’s heatmap of global maritime threats continues to highlight:

• High and Critical Risk Zones in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Guinea, Eastern Mediterranean, and Northern Venezuela.

• Elevated threats in the Horn of Africa, with continued Houthi targeting of commercial vessels.

• Cyber threat levels remain high across Europe, the U.S., Middle East, and several Asian ports.

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