10 Types of Maritime Crimes

International shipping and sea travel is dependent on the safety of the high seas and a network of ports and terminals. However, maritime crimes have become a major concern as they threaten the safety and security of ships and seafarers and the entire maritime industry economically.

Though maritime crime is as old as the industry itself and has evolved, its implications remain the same i.e. a loss of life and property. Since the high seas do not come under the jurisdiction of a particular state, global cooperation is vital for handling maritime crimes like piracy to protect ships from becoming the targets of organised transnational criminal groups that take crew members as hostages, demanding a hefty ransom in return for freeing the vessel.

Maritime Piracy is just one category of a crime at sea and there are many others which will be discussed in this article.

However, before categorising the different types of maritime crimes, let us define what a maritime crime is.

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