A US Warship Just Pulled into Mombasa — And the Timing Matters
The arrival of the USS Ross (DDG-71) in Mombasa on September 5 is being presented as a routine port visit. On the surface, that description is accurate. The Arleigh Burke-class…
The Silent Fleet: Why Small, Unregistered Vessels Are the Greatest Threat to Maritime Security Across Africa’s Western Indian Ocean and Gulf of Guinea
In October 2025, the Kenyan Navy intercepted a modest fishing boat 340 nautical miles off the coast of Lamu. The vessel, the MV Mashallah, bore no registration marks, flew no…
The Return of the Somali Pirate: A Spectre of Chaos in a World at War
The hijacking of the small cargo ship Lutuf on August 17, was a story many believed had been relegated to history. Yet the mystery enveloping the vessel—unconfirmed cargo, Turkish officials…
When the Classroom Becomes a National Asset: The First Activation of Empire State VII
The U.S. Maritime Administration’s decision to activate SUNY Maritime College’s training ship Empire State VII for an approximately 170-day federal mission marks a quiet but consequential turning point in American…
Can Africa Build Its Own Maritime Future?
For years, the story of African maritime security has been written elsewhere. International navies patrol African waters. Foreign consultants advise African governments. Distant capitals determine which threats merit attention and…
The Return of Somali Piracy: A Crisis of Complacency
The waters off the Horn of Africa are once again a hunting ground. After nearly a decade of relative calm, Somali piracy has re-emerged as a material threat to commercial…
The Resurgence of Somali Piracy: Lessons from the MT ASANA Hijacking
The hijacking of the Tanzanian-flagged chemical tanker MT ASANA in the Gulf of Aden represents more than a single maritime crime—it signals the unraveling of years of hard-won progress against…
Mombasa Hosts Global Maritime Security Summit This Week
From 9 to 12 June 2026, Mombasa will once again assume its historic role as a crossroads of international maritime engagement when it hosts the IORIS ISC High-Level Summit. The…
Why Japan’s UN engineering training mission to Kenya matters
Major Hiroya Takemori and three other personnel from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) are headed to Kenya under the United Nations Triangular Partnership Program (UNTPP) as part of military…
Port of Mombasa’s Strategic Moment in the New Global Maritime Order
The recent high-level engagement between the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) and a delegation from the United Kingdom’s Defence Academy is far more than a routine diplomatic courtesy. It is a…