Richard Phillips commands a U.S.-flagged container ship, the MV Maersk Alabama, bound for Mombasa, Kenya, loaded with cargo. With a vigilant eye for potential danger, Phillips enforces strict security measures among his crew, aware of the piracy threats off the coast of Somalia. Despite all precautions, while sailing near the Somali coast, the ship is chased and eventually boarded by a small group of armed Somali pirates seeking ransom and riches.

The pirates, led by a man named Muse, navigate the ship's tight corridors as Phillips and his crew execute strategies to hide and delay the invaders’ intentions. As the situation intensifies, Phillips offers himself as a bargaining chip to protect his men, and an uneasy relationship forms between captain and pirate leader. The pirates demand millions in ransom, and the U.S. government responds with naval might, setting off a high-stakes standoff on the high seas.