The world's most dangerous waters are not the Persian Gulf, and the crisis could arise not only from the collapse of the oil trade.

By autumn 2026, the Black Sea has become the world's most dangerous maritime shipping route, with over 570 attacks on vessels since the beginning of the year, resulting in at least 40 sailor deaths. This area has surpassed the Persian Gulf in risk, despite the latter being more frequently reported due to the US-Iran conflict. Initially, a grain corridor was established amid the Russian-Ukrainian war, but it collapsed in 2023, leading to an escalation of attacks. From July to September, 387 vessels were attacked, significantly more than in the previous quarter. Ukrainian forces have targeted Russian tankers to disrupt supply lines, adopting tactics that have made these attacks increasingly lethal.