Maritime security identifies the issues of the maritime domain and is related to the maritime environment, national security, human security, and economic development. The term has been widely used to define the international and national challenges to the maritime domain. It has become a buzzword of international relations as states have started to consider maritime security.

There is a lack of consensus over the definition of maritime security which increases the constant risk of political conflicts and disagreements. The United Kingdom, the European Union, and the African Union launched its maritime security strategies in 2014. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) made maritime security one of its objectives in the 2011 Alliance Maritime Strategy. Moreover, the Maritime Security Committee (MSC) on the International Maritime Organization made maritime security a part of their task list.