His writings have ranged from domestic and foreign policy to commentary on everyday life. In July 2015 the newspaper published his highly acclaimed series called, “The Outlaw Ocean,” that took an in-depth look at the current lawless state of the world’s ocean including piracy, illegal fishing, environmental damage, rampant murder, the use of unregulated private security forces, even the use of slave crews on pirate and high seas fishing vessels. Urbina’s compelling series generated a high-level of public interest, a Times editorial call for action and discussion of new regulatory and law-enforcement approaches at the national and international policy-making levels. He continues reporting on the links between commercial fishing, pirate fishing, at seas human trafficking, various risks to mariners and organized crime.