Navigating New Waters: The Rise of Private Maritime Security Companies

The Forum for Private Security Research invites you to an insightful seminar focusing on the emergence and evolution of Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs) over the past two to three decades, particularly in relation to counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean.

This event is based on the speaker’s ongoing research as a visiting fellow at the Defence Studies Department, King’s College London. It will specifically explore the structural factors that have led to the resurgence of PMSCs in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, including globalization, the expansion of the merchant fleet, and shifts in naval capabilities and strategic priorities. Attendees will gain insights into the ongoing challenges of balancing various diverse maritime security threats, securing vast sea lines of communication, and the implications of PMSCs for state authority and maritime governance. Additionally, the discussion will place PMSCs within a historical context, highlighting their role in the broader narrative of maritime and naval history.

Pieter Zhao is a Visiting PhD Fellow with the Forum for Private Security Research at the Defence Studies Department. He’s a PhD Candidate in History at the Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands, particularly focusing on the emergence and evolution of private maritime security companies.

More broadly, his research explores how nonmilitary and irregular actors have shaped maritime warfare and security throughout history, and how historical perspectives can inform contemporary debates on maritime security and strategy. Pieter holds a BA and an MA in History from Erasmus University Rotterdam, specialized in the history of international relations and maritime history. He also holds a second Master’s degree in International Security from the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po, with concentrations in Strategic Studies and Asian Studies.

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Attribution: Photo: POA(Phot) Terry Seward/MOD

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