Amid rising geopolitical tensions, a new campaign has been launched in an effort to increase the world’s tanker fleet’s onboard security.

Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) has launched a Focused Inspection Campaign (FIC) under its SIRE 2.0 tanker inspection programme aimed at reinforcing maritime security readiness across the global tanker fleet.

OCIMF is a voluntary association of oil companies dedicated to the safe and environmentally responsible transport and storage of crude oil, oil products, petrochemicals, and gas.

The Forum said the initiative comes in response to increasing geopolitical tensions, regional conflicts, and evolving security regulations that directly impact crew welfare, safety, and operational continuity.

In the Red Sea Houthi rebels have attacked over 100 merchant vessels including the Greek-registered tanker Sounion, carrying 150,000 metric tons of crude oil, which was struck by several missiles and drones and caught fire on August last year. The attack triggered fears of an oil spill that could cause catastrophic environmental damage. It took months for the vessel to be declared safe and the cargo removed.

The campaign, which began this month will run for a minimum of six months and focuses on ship staff’s familiarity with company procedures and plans for vessel hardening, as well as their understanding of the SIRE 2.0 question 7.2.1 – Ship hardening and access control.

Throughout the campaign inspectors will address this question during every SIRE 2.0 inspection conducted regardless of where the vessel operates.

“Security at sea begins with preparedness and familiarity,” said Dave Cudbertson, Programmes Director at OCIMF. “This campaign reinforces the importance of well-trained crews and effective company procedures in maintaining safety and resilience in a complex global environment.”

OCIMF said the campaign will seek to verify that Masters and ship staff understand and can apply company procedures for hardening their ships when operating in areas of increased maritime threats, and to ensure plans and equipment used for ship hardening are effective and well-maintained. An interim review will take place in February 2026, when OCIMF will assess preliminary findings and provide further guidance or updates as necessary.

In the year since the launch of SIRE 2.0 24,000 tanker inspections have been conducted across the global tanker fleet. Findings from the campaign will be analysed to identify trends and common challenges across the industry. OCIMF may issue recommendations or updates to inspection protocols based on the results and the data will feed into OCIMF’s Maritime Security Committee’s publications and advocacy work, supporting continuous improvement in security and compliance guidance.

OCIMF encourages all operators, ship managers, and crews to review their company procedures and ship hardening plans to ensure they remain robust, effective, and fully implemented.

Russel Pegg, OCIMF security advisor, added: “Running a Focused Inspection Campaign through SIRE 2.0 will provide evidence of vessel and crew preparedness against a range of maritime security threats and enable OCIMF to further support industry with updated best practices and guidance. With a changing maritime security landscape it is of paramount importance vessels are correctly hardened and crew familiar, and drilled, with the appropriate operational response. This is underpinned by the guidance in Best Management Practices (BMP) Maritime Security and related publications.”

In the Red Sea Houthi rebels have attacked over 100 merchant vessels including the Greek-registered tanker Sounion, carrying 150,000 metric tons of crude oil, which was struck by several missiles and drones and caught fire on August last year.