Crew of ship missing after drone attacks on 2 commercial vessels in Black Sea near Bulgaria

Shipping firms are bolstering their defenses against drone threats in the Black Sea and Middle East, following recent attacks. Counter-drone firms including Marss, Drone Defence and D-fend report a surge in inquiries from shipowners, particularly those handling oil and gas cargo and working near offshore energy infrastructure. Commercial vessels are facing attacks in the Gulf and Black Sea as warring parties aim to disrupt vital commodity supply chains. Shipowners are now commanding premium freight rates for their vessels.

Jeffrey Starr, D-fend Solutions' chief marketing officer, notes a significant increase in demand from the shipping sector. The company, founded by Israeli cyber experts, specializes in taking control of hostile drones before safely landing them. "Shipowners, shippers, and naval forces are encountering an asymmetric threat that is causing a substantial uptick in inquiries about our technology," Starr states. "This drone threat is no longer confined to high-intensity war zones."

Richard Gill, Drone Defence's CEO, reports a higher influx of inquiries from oil tankers and liquefied natural gas carriers. He adds that if shipowners can safeguard their vessels, they can navigate riskier routes. John Stawpert, marine director at the International Chamber of Shipping, observes that drone threats have escalated over recent years, particularly in conflict zones like the Gulf, Red Sea, and Black Sea.

Over 20 seafarers have perished from drone and missile strikes in the Gulf since the US-Israeli war on Iran ended in February, according to the International Maritime Organization. Around 30 have lost their lives in the Black Sea this year. The cost of chartering a supertanker to navigate the Strait of Hormuz has reached an all-time high of $1.2 million daily for voyages to China, up from an average of $79,000 in September last year.

Offshore energy infrastructure, including pipelines, cables, and wind farms, has also become a target, with European security officials reporting drone surveillance and sometimes clandestine attacks. NATO countries have expressed concerns about Russian interference in European waters.

Anti-drone technology at sea was initially sought primarily by superyacht owners to protect against paparazzi. However, counter-drone specialists now see a "step change up" for vessels serving offshore oil and gas, as the technology and software have become affordable enough for the investment to justify the costs from lost days due to such threats.

Marss' radar and camera-based systems can include kinetic responses depending on regional laws. Drones can also be disrupted through jamming GPS signals or interfering with their control frequencies. A radar-based system with cameras and a jamming system for an oil tanker costs about $500,000. For ships unable to afford such technology, rudimentary defenses like nets and suspended water tanks have been employed to entangle or destroy drones before they reach critical areas of the vessel. D-fend's technology was utilized to secure US ports during the recent football World Cup.