3GIMBALS

Grey Zone Maritime Threats in European Waters Demand New Security Strategies

Shadow conflicts are rising across European waters. Grey zone maritime tactics, from sabotage to espionage, are reshaping the seabed battlespace NATO must now defend

Grey zone maritime threats in European waters are reshaping the landscape of transatlantic security. From the Baltic to the Mediterranean, covert operations targeting undersea cables, pipelines, and strategic infrastructure are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated. Russia and China are leveraging the opacity of the seabed and the ambiguities of international law to press their aims while avoiding open conflict. NATO and its allies are now racing to detect, deter, and counter these hybrid tactics before they undermine Europe’s economic and military resilience.