EU CRIMARIO launches new phase to strengthen maritime security and safety

This new phase underscores the EU’s commitment to promoting maritime security, safety, and sustainable blue growth as part of its wider foreign policy engagement under the NDICI – Global Europe instrument. 

Enhancing global maritime security through cooperation 

Launched in 2015, CRIMARIO was designed to strengthen maritime governance and improve safety in the Western Indian Ocean. Over the past decade, it has evolved into a trusted partner in the global effort to address maritime challenges that no single nation can face alone.  

With around 90% of global trade depending on maritime transport, secure and open sea lanes are essential to global stability and economic growth. CRIMARIO helps partner countries strengthen their ability to monitor, coordinate, and respond to maritime incidents, ensuring safer seas for commerce, livelihoods, and the environment. 

A focus on information sharing and interoperability 

At the heart of CRIMARIO lies IORIS, a secure, neutral information-exchange platform developed by the EU to enable real-time communication and coordination among maritime agencies. IORIS connects national authorities, regional organisations, and international partners to manage maritime incidents collaboratively. 

By promoting information sharing and interoperability, CRIMARIO supports both civilian and military authorities, including regional and national Maritime Operations Centres, to strengthen their collective response to maritime security and safety threats. 

“IORIS is more than a platform, it is a shared space where countries build trust, respond together, and keep their seas safe,” said Martin Cauchi Inglott, Project Director. 

Training and exercises to build lasting capacity 

CRIMARIO’s activities are designed to build both skills and confidence among partner countries. Through tailor-made training programmes, national operators learn how to use IORIS to improve maritime domain awareness, enhance coordination across agencies, and respond jointly to emerging threats. 

To ensure these skills are sustained, CRIMARIO regularly conducts realistic maritime exercises that simulate operational scenarios such as search and rescue, anti-smuggling operations, or responses to environmental incidents. These exercises test standard operating procedures, identify capacity gaps, and build trust between neighbouring countries, which is a critical element for any successful joint maritime operation. 

Thematic workshops to address shared challenges 

Complementing training and exercises, CRIMARIO organises country-specific thematic workshops that bring together policymakers, coastguards, navies, and port authorities. The workshops take an interagency approach, encouraging cross-sector collaboration on issues such as: 

• Counter-narcotics operations 
• Maritime law enforcement and legal processes 
• Search and Rescue (SAR) and MARPOL compliance 
• Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) 
• Port safety and security 
• Protection of critical maritime infrastructure 
• IUU fishing and sustainable fisheries management 

This holistic approach ensures that maritime security is not treated in isolation but linked to broader themes of governance, environment, and economic resilience. 

A modernised IORIS platform to meet operational needs 

The third phase of CRIMARIO will further develop the Maritime Cooperation, Coordination and Communication (MARCO³) capabilities of IORIS, expanding its functionality to support a wider range of maritime operations. 

Over the next 30 months, CRIMARIO will introduce mission-focused variants of IORIS tailored to specific operational needs, such as ports, shipping, fisheries, counter-piracy, and search and rescue. Each version will include custom tools, overlays, and digital forms designed to make the platform more intuitive and relevant for both public authorities and private-sector users. 

Proven results and tangible impact 

Since 2019, CRIMARIO has achieved impressive results that demonstrate its impact in strengthening maritime capacity worldwide: 

• Over 3,000 officials trained through 237 IORIS courses 
• More than 140 regional exercises conducted 
• Over 150 agencies from 57 countries engaged 
• Six humanitarian and disaster-relief workshops delivered 
• Over 180 online operational areas created on IORIS for real-time collaboration 

IORIS has also supported at least eight successful search and rescue operations, helping save over 80 lives, and facilitated more than ten anti-trafficking operations targeting illicit goods worth an estimated €250 million. 

Working together for safer seas 

Maritime threats, whether linked to trafficking, piracy, terrorism, or environmental degradation, are inherently transnational and require a unified response. CRIMARIO works in synergy with other EU-funded initiatives, international organisations, and regional missions to foster a cohesive and cooperative maritime security framework. 

As CRIMARIO expands beyond the Indo-Pacific, it will continue to promote partnerships built on trust, cooperation, and shared responsibility. By empowering partner countries and supporting joint maritime action, the project contributes to the EU’s broader goal of a rules-based, open, and secure maritime domain, which are essential for global peace and prosperity.