Maritime

Russia’s Shadow Fleet: The Dangerous Tanker Network Threatening Global Waters

Russia’s so‑called “Shadow Fleet” operates in plain sight, turning the world’s shipping lanes into a tool of economic and ecological risk. Hundreds of these shadow tankers carry crude through European waters each day, many beyond their service life and registered under opaque holding structures. The result is

George Janjalia

Aug 05, 2025

Articles Maritime James Park

Maritime Domain Awareness or Silent War?

By James Park President Trump’srecent bilateral summits with Japan and India underscore a tacit trend: the central role of US allies in the Indo-Pacific region. In particular, evolving US-India ties have significant implications for the rest of the Quadrilateral Dialogue (QUAD) member states and other US alliance

James Park

May 20, 2025

Articles Maritime Ben Connable

Waterborne Assault: A Constant in Both Irregular and Conventional War

Western militaries have a knowledge gap with major force design implications. Despite several excellent histories of individual waterborne operations in irregular warfare, there appears to be no comprehensive study of these cases. Absent holistic analysis, the frequency, scale, and impact of activities like amphibious and riverine assault in irregular wars

Ben Connable

Apr 08, 2025

Articles Maritime Christopher Booth Walker Mills

Secret Alliances and Silent Sabotage: Q & A with Dr Tony Insall

Main Image Credit: The Norwegian Resistance Museum | Norges Hjemmefrontmuseum Editor’s note: This article is part of Project Maritime, which explores modern challenges and opportunities in the maritime dimension at the intersection of irregular warfare and strategic competition. We warmly invite your participation and engagement as we embark on this

Christopher Booth Walker Mills

Multiple authors

Mar 27, 2025

Articles Maritime Brian Kerg

To Beat China’s Navy to the Punch, Defend Forward in Taiwan

The US cannot keep pace with China’s exponential growth in naval power. Ship for ship, the People’s Liberation Army Navy outnumbers the US Navy, and this disparity will only grow with time. This makes conventional naval power an unreliable means by which the US could deter or combat

Brian Kerg

Feb 11, 2025

Articles Maritime Christopher Booth Walker Mills

Ethics, Integrity, and the Toll of Modern Irregular Warfare: A Conversation with Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist Dave Philipps

Editor’s note: This article is part of Project Maritime, which explores modern challenges and opportunities in the maritime dimension at the intersection of irregular warfare and strategic competition. We warmly invite your participation and engagement as we embark on this project. Please send submissions with the subject line “Project

Christopher Booth Walker Mills

Multiple authors

Jan 09, 2025

Articles Maritime Laurel Baker

Autonomous Ghosts are Reshaping Irregular Warfare and Maritime Security

This article is part of Project Maritime, which explores modern challenges and opportunities in the maritime dimension at the intersection of irregular warfare and strategic competition. We warmly invite your participation and engagement as we embark on this project. Please send submissions with the subject line “Project Maritime Submission” and

Laurel Baker

Sep 12, 2024

Articles Maritime Christopher Booth

Irregular Warfare at Sea: Using Privateers To Seize Chinese Commerce

Editor’s Note I: This article is part of IWI’s Project Maritime, a series exploring the intersection of irregular warfare and the modern maritime dimension. Focusing on current events and their underlying geographical and historical patterns, we aim to contextualize the drivers of conflict in the maritime domain and

Christopher Booth

Aug 20, 2024

Articles Maritime Guido L Torres

Sailing through the spyglass: The strategic advantages of Blue OSINT, ubiquitous sensor networks, and deception

In this insightful article published by the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, IWI Executive Director Guido Torres and co-author Austin Gray explore the revolutionary impact of Blue Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) on maritime security. "Sailing Through the Spyglass" delves into how advancements

Guido L Torres

Aug 09, 2024

Articles Maritime Umar Ahmed Badami

Under the Radar: Weaponizing Maritime Transponders in Strategic Competition

Throughout the summer and fall of 2023, People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels have repeatedly blockaded Filipino shoals and naval outposts in the South China Sea, restricting freedom of movement and preventing resupply efforts. The CCG continues to employ water cannons, lasers, and floating

Umar Ahmed Badami

Dec 05, 2023

Showing of 39 posts

Exploring modern challenges and opportunities in the maritime dimension at the intersection of irregular warfare and strategic competition. With a focus on current events and their underlying geographical and historical patterns, recent changes to policy & doctrine, and emerging technologies, we aim to contextualize underlying drivers of conflict in the maritime dimension and inspire dialogue toward integrated statecraft approaches.

Our program is aligned around the following areas:

Irregular Warfare in Maritime Environments | Riverine, Littoral, Subsea & Seabed
Malign Maritime Activity | Illegal, Dangerous, and Destabilizing, including:
- Russia’s use of its illicit oil-smuggling Shadow Fleet
- Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
- 21st Century Piracy
Historical Case Studies | Lessons to be learned for modern practitioners from past campaigns, strategies, and novel solutions from military, intelligence, and other irregular warfare actors
Maritime Domain Awareness | Emerging technology and novel approaches

Check out our Project Maritime Look Book.

Meet the Team

Christopher D. Booth Co-Director, Maritime

Walker Mills Co-Director, Maritime

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Meet the Team