Today maritime security is one of the most used terms in political and legal discourses concerning maritime affairs. The multiplying attacks on international shipping in the recent years in the Red Sea, and currently in the Strait of Hormuz, entailing catastrophic repercussions on global economy, human security and inevitably on international peace and security, illustrate the point.

Maritime Security is also a high-priority challenge in our neighborhood, the Mediterranean Sea, as smuggling of migrants, threats to critical infrastructure, environmental crime, and the use of unmanned maritime systems loom large. Thus, the timing could not have been better to host the 49th Annual Conference on Oceans Law & Policy (COLP49) in Athens, Greece, and bring together leading international experts and stakeholders to engage in a profound and fruitful discussion on maritime security, with the focus on the Mediterranean Sea.