From Brexit, to refugees, to spillovers from the Syrian and Libyan civil wars – there’s plenty to keep Europeans up at night. And these are just the things we can see. What about the stuff we can’t?
The second edition of our European Threat Map reveals some of the anomalies found when applying AI-driven, behavioral analysis to vessels, enabling organizations – such as Frontex and Italy’s Guardia di Finanza – to anticipate threats, and stay ahead of their adversaries.
Amid the drug smuggling, human trafficking and sanctions evasion detected, there are a number of key findings, including:
The Black Sea is significantly riskier than the Mediterranean; there are about three times as many “risky” vessels visiting the Black Sea vs the Med.
Despite EU sanctions on Syria and Crimea, commercial shipping activities continue to take place in the waters around these territories, indicating probable sanction evasions.
In Europe, Guernsey and Romania have the highest proportion of incorporated companies whose vessels display “risky” behavioral patterns.
Over the previous year, 42 vessels displayed patterns of behavior similar to ships caught with drugs on board.
Stay tuned for threat maps for other parts of the world. For now, stay safe!
Download a PDF of the map
Featured posts
Border Security & Intelligence
Maritime Defense Weekly: Enforcement Tightens Across Global Shipping
The Week in Focus Maritime Enforcement Is Shifting From Designation to Constraint Maritime enforcement is increasingly focused on restricting how vessels operate in practice, not just on whether they appear on a sanctions list. Rather than relying solely on designations, recent actions are targeting the services and access that make maritime trade possible, including insurance,…
EU-Owned Tankers Ship 35% of Russia’s Oil in January Ahead of EU Ban
EU Moves to End Maritime Workarounds EU-owned tankers shipped 35% of Russian oil in January, ahead of a planned “full maritime services ban” that will end Western marine service providers’ ability to transport crude sold to fund the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine. The ban was announced on February 6 by European Commission President Ursula von…
Tracking RAIDER: How Long-Term Vessel Behavior Uncovered a Pacific Drug Operation
At a Glance How a Dormant Vessel Triggered a Major Seizure In January 2026, French naval forces interdicted the MV RAIDER, a 41-meter pontoon vessel, in French Polynesian waters, seizing nearly five tonnes of cocaine, with an estimated value of nearly $150 million. Although the vessel was released without charges, its risk profile illustrates how…
Venezuela’s Oil Policy Shift and the Rising Maritime Risk Landscape
At a Glance How Venezuela’s Oil Reform Is Changing Maritime Risk In late January 2026, Venezuela’s legislature approved sweeping reforms to the nation’s oil laws, effectively opening its state-dominated energy sector to private and foreign investment in a dramatic policy shift after more than two decades of socialist control. This overhaul aims to attract capital…
Maritime Defense Weekly: Maritime Enforcement Accelerates Across Global Energy Routes
The Week in Focus Enforcement Is Expanding Beyond a Single Theater Western maritime enforcement is no longer confined to designation, monitoring, or administrative friction. Recent activity indicates a growing reliance on physical constraints at sea, including boardings, safety-based interventions, and access denial, applied across multiple regions rather than within a single sanctions theater. This approach…
How the 2026 U.S. National Defense Strategy Reframes Maritime Access
Key Takeaways Why Maritime Access Can No Longer Be Taken for Granted For decades, maritime access was treated as a given. Shipping lanes remained open, chokepoints functioned, and infrastructure disruption was framed as an exception, something to manage during conflict or crisis. The 2026 U.S. National Defense Strategy challenges that assumption. It treats maritime routes,…
Ground Truth: Windward’s 2026 Commitment to Verified Maritime Intelligence
By Ariel Zibziner, VP Business Services, Windward Data Integrity in an Era of High-Frequency Signal Manipulation As we conclude 2025, the maritime domain is characterized by a trust deficit in digital signaling. The convergence of major global conflicts — continued hostilities in Ukraine, Houthi attacks disrupting Red Sea transit, suspected infrastructure sabotage in the Baltic,...
Windward Launches WhatsApp Integration for Instant Risk Insights
At a Glance Redefining Vessel Screening for a Real-Time World In global trade and shipping, decisions are rarely made from behind a desk. A call from port control, a sudden request from a counterpart, or a time-sensitive deal can trigger the need for immediate screening. Whether it’s a compliance check to prevent sanctions breaches or...
Navigate 2025’s Maritime Risk Landscape with Maritime AI™ at London International Shipping Week
As the global shipping community gathers for London International Shipping Week (LISW) 2025, one reality stands out: disruption is the operating environment, not the exception. The maritime ecosystem is under sustained pressure, and adapting to this high risk era is now a prerequisite for business continuity. From sanctions and signal interference to fraudulent documents and...
AI-Automated Document Validation: Streamlining Trade Against Real Maritime Activity
Global trade still runs on paper. Bills of Lading, certificates of origin, price attestations, and other documents remain the backbone of maritime trade, yet also its most persistent Achilles’ heel. Forged paperwork fuels fraud, delays compliance, and stalls cargo worth millions. Windward’s new AI-Automated Document Validation changes that, by cross-checking every document against what actually...
From Risk Platform to Collaborative Ecosystem: Reducing Friction in Chartering
By Ami Daniel, Co-Founder & CEO, Windward When we founded Windward.ai in 2010, we were a small startup of engineers and maritime experts using AI to bring order to chaotic oceans. Today, with nearly 300 customers — including governments, shipowners, energy firms, insurers, and traders — our Maritime AI™ platform influences billions in daily trade....