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The 2025 Strategic Assessment Report by the Maritime Policy and Strategy (MPS) Institute, presented today in Haifa, paints a disturbing picture of the security and economic realities in the maritime domain. According to the report, the State of Israel is operating without a grand maritime policy, a fact that has led to significant operational failures - ranging from boat infiltrations on October 7th to the paralysis of Red Sea trade routes by the Houthis.
Experts emphasize that Israel was caught off guard by the level of multi-dimensional threats in the Eastern Mediterranean, and that total dependence on foreign shipyards for strategic force building, such as the submarine fleet, poses a national risk in scenarios of diplomatic isolation. One of the central recommendations for the logistics and freight forwarding sector is the formulation of an 'Iron Fleet' policy.
Professor Shaul Chorev, head of the institute, calls on the state to ensure the existence of Israeli-controlled shipping to guarantee regular supplies even when foreign carriers refuse to call at Israeli ports under fire. This move includes a demand for wage and tax incentives to restore the status of the Israeli seafarer, recognizing that the professional maritime manpower base has eroded in a way that endangers the country's independent operational capacity during emergencies. Operationally and technologically, the report warns that Israel lags behind foreign navies in implementing unmanned vessels and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
While threats to economic lifelines—such as subsea communication cables and gas rigs—become more sophisticated, Israel requires a technological response in the underwater domain. Simultaneously, the report sharply criticizes legislative stagnation: the 'Maritime Areas Law,' which has been stuck in the Israeli Knesset since 2017, leaves Israel without clear legal sovereignty in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), complicating enforcement and the protection of national and environmental infrastructure. Alongside the threats, the report identifies a historic opportunity in Israel's integration into the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
According to the plan, the Port of Haifa is intended to serve as the primary exit port to Europe, requiring the government to declare the Haifa metropolitan area a global logistics hub.
Recommendations include allocating land for smart warehouses, connecting the rail network to the international corridor, and transforming Haifa Airport into a complementary international airport to support planned trade volumes and improve Israel's connectivity to Western economies.
In conclusion, the report's authors emphasize that the maritime arena is the 'seventh arena' where national resilience will be determined. Without the approval of a long-term strategic plan, including underwater protection and legislation to regulate maritime zones, Israel will struggle to protect its strategic assets and supply chain continuity against evolving regional threats.
