Maritime Security - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)

The maritime security market size is expected to grow from USD 24.67 billion in 2025 to USD 28.02 billion in 2026 and is forecasted to reach USD 44.29 billion by 2031 at a 9.59% CAGR over 2026-2031. This report is Segmented by System (Screening and Scanning, Communication Systems, Surveillance and Tracking, and More), Type (Port and Critical Infrastructure Security, and More), End User (Commercial Shipping Companies, Port Authorities and Terminal Operators, and More), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and More). The Market Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

Global Maritime Security Market Trends and Insights

Rising Piracy and Maritime Threats

The International Maritime Bureau reported 137 incidents in 2025, up from 116 in 2024, with the Singapore Straits accounting for 80 incidents, or 58% of the global total. This concentration has shifted security investments toward chokepoints, where fusing AIS, radar, and electro-optical sensors into unified dashboards enables faster interdiction and incident documentation. ReCAAP alerts reinforce the pattern across Southeast Asia and provide operational details that port authorities and ship operators translate into patrol routing and crew procedures. The Red Sea disruption across late 2023 and 2024 led to rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope. It extended voyages, tightening vessel schedules, and increasing the risk of crew fatigue on longer routes. The maritime security market is expected to grow as operators integrate vessel tracking, shoreside surveillance, and incident reporting to align with insurance and regulatory compliance requirements.

Stricter International Security Regulations

The US Coast Guard’s cybersecurity rule, effective July 2025, mandates incident reporting, cybersecurity training, and comprehensive governance controls, including risk assessments and independent validations, ensuring robust cybersecurity compliance across operations. The EU’s NIS2 has tightened disclosure requirements with 24-hour reporting timelines and widened the scope to cover ports and connected services within the maritime transport ecosystem. GMDSS modernization in January 2024 enhanced distress alerting and vessel-to-shore connectivity, raising baseline expectations for resilient communications in security-critical operations.

High Upfront Cost and Budget Constraints

Major port-security upgrades require capital that many terminal operators cannot mobilize on short timelines, slowing the rollout of screening lanes, integrated C2, and biometrics. Public budget commitments in the US, along with targeted allocations by authorities such as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, highlight what a fully funded cybersecurity program looks like. Still, regional and municipal ports often face multi-year prioritization cycles that delay similar initiatives. Procurement for complex inspection equipment spans long bid and commissioning cycles, leaving specifications behind as threat evolution advances if refresh planning is not embedded in yearly budgets. Insurance incentives encourage earlier adoption, but cash-strapped operators often postpone cyber-hardening until mandated by audits or obligations. Emerging financing mechanisms link cybersecurity to ESG outcomes via retrofit funds, yet their scale remains limited compared to the extensive modernization needs of legacy systems globally.

Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:

• Growth of Global Seaborne Trade
• Adoption of Integrated Surveillance and Screening
• Legacy Infrastructure Integration Complexity

For complete list of drivers and restraints, kindly check the Table Of Contents.

Segment Analysis

Surveillance and tracking systems accounted for 34.41% of the maritime security market size in 2025, supported by mandatory AIS carriage and the January 2024 GMDSS modernization, which improved distress alerting and reinforced the need for reliable ship-to-shore communications. C2 systems are projected to grow at 11.28% through 2031 as the USCG cybersecurity rule requires designated cybersecurity officers on vessels and MTSA facilities, incident reporting, and formal governance, which together drive unification of radar, AIS, video, and access-control data. Screening and scanning systems are moving toward AI-enhanced detection and adaptive workflows, supported by product launches that aim to increase container throughput and improve anomaly flagging at busy terminals.

System integrators are consolidating feeds into role-based dashboards that align with incident reporting workflows under US and EU rules, thereby improving audit readiness and reducing response times. Shifts in the maritime security market drive increased C2 adoption, as operators focus on leveraging real-time intelligence for operational value rather than limiting cybersecurity to compliance obligations.

Complete Report Scope:

• By System
  • Screening and Scanning
  • Communication Systems
  • Surveillance and Tracking
  • Access Control and Biometrics
  • Command and Control (C2) Systems
  • Navigation Management and AIS
• By Type
  • Port and Critical Infrastructure Security
  • Vessel Security
  • Coastal and Border Security
• By End User
  • Commercial Shipping Companies
  • Port Authorities and Terminal Operators
  • Naval and Coast Guard
  • Oil and Gas Offshore Operators
  • Cruise and Ferry Lines
• By Geography
  • North America
    • United States
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • Europe
    • United Kingdom
    • France
    • Germany
    • Italy
    • Russia
    • Rest of Europe
  • Asia-Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • India
    • South Korea
    • Australia
    • Rest of Asia-Pacific
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Rest of South America
  • Middle East and Africa
    • Middle East
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Turkey
      • Rest of Middle East
    • Africa
      • South Africa
      • Rest of Africa

Geography Analysis

North America maintains a leading revenue position with a 37.41% share in 2025, sustained by strong public funding, rigorous compliance timelines, and active modernization programs at high-traffic hubs. Demand centers on integrated C2, cyber-hardened communications, and AI-enhanced screening that can deliver measurable risk reduction and meet audit requirements. These investments reinforce the capability baseline for critical ports and are likely to cascade into mid-tier facilities as funding and vendor capacity scale.

Asia-Pacific shows the fastest growth trajectory at 11.05% through 2031 as greenfield developments and major terminals adopt AI-based inspection systems and autonomous harbor patrols. Regional maritime services continue to modernize surveillance networks and integrate satellite AIS with coastal radar and electro-optical sensors to track risk signals and speed interdictions. These deployments are supported by active exercises and demonstrations that validate the effectiveness of autonomous and semi-autonomous systems in diverse coastal environments.

Europe is aligning with NIS2 reporting obligations, raising the operational bar for ports and associated services and compelling greater transparency and accountability across terminal operators, service providers, and logistics partners. National modernization programs, coastal surveillance upgrades, and defense procurements add momentum, especially where airborne maritime patrol and coastal defense systems plug into national and regional C2 networks. These elements position Europe for steady growth as compliance timelines converge with budget cycles and project delivery capacity.

List of Companies Covered in this Report:

• Saab AB
• Thales Group
• Leonardo S.p.A.
• Elbit Systems Ltd.
• Airbus SE
• BAE Systems plc
• Kongsberg Gruppen ASA
• Terma A/S
• Westminster Group Plc
• Smiths Detection Group Limited (Smiths Group plc)
• OSI Maritime Systems Ltd.
• Nuctech Technology Co., Ltd.
• ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH
• ARES Security Corporation
• HGH Systèmes Infrarouges SAS
• HALO Maritime Defense Systems
• Teledyne Technologies Incorporated
• Honeywell International Inc.

Additional Benefits:

• The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format
• 3 months of analyst support