Shipping on high alert amid warning of more drone attacks

Armed, unmanned aerial vehicles will increasingly be used in politically motivated attacks against shipowners with certain characteristics that make them key targets, writes Bridget Diakun of Lloyd's List

More attacks against merchant ships involving armed UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) are likely given the accessibility and ease of use of such weapon systems, warn security analysts. The fatal UAV attack on the Liberia-flagged product tanker Spring Street, previously named Mercer Street, in July 2021 gave the first evidence that drones could be used to target the shipping industry.