The terms used on this site

The JMIC threat scale

The risk label on each region of the board is the one the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) publishes. We copy it as written and do not change it. JMIC defines its five levels like this:

JMIC level	JMIC definition	Colour on Naupal
Low	An attack is highly unlikely	Green
Moderate	An attack is possible but not likely	Yellow
Substantial	An attack is a strong possibility	Orange
Severe	An attack is highly likely	Red
Critical	An attack is almost certain	Red

Source: JMIC Advisory Note, Update 103 (8 October 2026), page 5. JMIC uses five colours of its own. Naupal groups them into four colours (green, yellow, orange, red) so the board is easy to scan. The label in the text is always JMIC’s exact word. Where JMIC does not rate a region, the badge says “Not rated by JMIC”.

ISPS security levels

These are a different thing. ISPS levels are set by governments and flag states for ships and ports. They are not the same as the JMIC scale, and Naupal does not show an ISPS level next to any region.

ISPS level	IMO wording
Level 1	Normal, the level at which the ship or port facility normally operates
Level 2	Heightened, the level applying for as long as there is a heightened risk of a security incident
Level 3	Exceptional, the level applying for the period of time when there is the probable or imminent risk of a security incident

• A ship’s flag state sets the security level for its ships (SOLAS regulation XI-2/3).
• The government of a country sets the level for its ports.
• A ship in a foreign port follows that government’s level if it is higher than the ship’s own.
• At sea, governments advise ships and the flag state.

Source: IMO, Frequently Asked Questions on Maritime Security.

How UKMTO labels events

UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations) publishes warnings and advisories. Its Weekly Overview Report uses these definitions, which it says are aligned with BMP Maritime Security:

• Attack: aggressive approach or hostile action against a vessel, including the discharge of weapons or missiles, or the impact of loitering munitions on or near the vessel.
• Suspicious Activity: unaccountable actions, behaviours, or circumstances that may indicate a potential threat to a vessel.
• Hijack: attackers take control of a ship against the crew’s will for purposes such as robbery, cargo theft, or kidnapping.
• Illegal Boarding: boarding of a vessel without lawful authority and with intent to steal, cause harm, or commit another criminal act, without taking control of the vessel.
• Attempted Boarding: a close approach to a vessel with visible boarding paraphernalia or indicators of intent to board, where the boarding is unsuccessful or prevented by defensive measures.
• Kidnap: unauthorised forcible removal of one or more persons from a vessel.
• Warning: notifies the maritime industry of attacks, boardings, hijackings, and other maritime security incidents within the UKMTO Voluntary Reporting Area.
• Advisory: a security-related report received within, or relevant to, the Voluntary Reporting Area that does not meet the BMP criteria for issuing a warning.

Source: UKMTO VRA Weekly Overview Report No. 10 (9 October 2026), lexicon.

Who is who

• UKMTO: describes itself as “a neutral and impartial information provider”. Vessels in its reporting area are encouraged to report anomalous behaviour. For contact details use the official website only: ukmto.org.
• JMIC: see the methodology page.
• NCAGS: US Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping.