With transnational military institutions against the threat to sea routes

Amongst other things, a series of special military cooperative institutions and transnational command actions by various navies shall counteract the growing threat to sea routes and thus also international trade. At the MS&D 2009, the international conference and exhibition “Maritime Security & Defence” (MS&D), which will be held at the Hamburg Fair site from 30 September to 2 October 2009, several of these institutions – such as NMIOTC und SUCBAS – will report and inform the audience. In exclusive interviews during the run-up to the MS&D 2009, Commodore Konstantinos Mazarakis-Ainian from the Hellenic Navy will describe the tasks of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre (NMIOTC) on Crete, and Rear Admiral (LH) Veli-Jukka Pennala, Deputy Chief of the Finnish Navy, will present the new Sea Surveillance Cooperation Baltic Sea (SUCBAS) project.
“NATO is not a static organization. The world is changing and the Alliance itself is also transforming. NATO is continually improving its maritime capabilities for the three core missions of the Alliance, namely: the collective defence response, Article V; crisis response operations, as well as consultation and cooperation,” says NMIOTC Commander Commodore Konstantinos Mazarakis-Ainian in describing the initial situation for the establishment of the maritime training centre that started working on 20 September 2007 at Souda Naval Base on Crete and reached full capacity on 17 March 2008. Captain Servet Bilgin from the Turkish Navy is Deputy Commander of the NMIOTC. The dangerous so-called Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) of the NATO formations requires very well-trained sailors. This is why this training centre is necessary, says Commodore Mazarakis-Ainian. In the event of justified suspicion, merchant ships engaged in the forbidden transport of certain goods which could serve to support international terrorism will be controlled with these MIO. For instance, the transport and trade of weapons, munitions, drugs, etc. shall be prevented. “The required professional education of personnel and training of units involved in maritime security, generally and more specifically in maritime interdiction, need to be conducted in commonly agreed standards and bring them to an acceptable level of performance. This is the “raison d’être” of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operations Training Centre”, explains Commodore Mazarakis-Ainian.
The NMIOTC is led through the Hellenic Navy. At present, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania, Turkey and shortly Italy, provide parts of the centre’s personnel. A situation in which a navy ship stops a merchant ship, the crew goes on board and controls the cargo and papers will be trained. “Boarding a merchant ship necessitates that the boarding team proceeds with maximum safety precautions”, says the NMIOTC commander with regard to the training objectives. However, Mazarakis-Ainian is convinced the NMIOTC can be very valuable for the Alliance beyond the mere training task: “The NMIOTC can and must provide valuable services in the realm of maritime cooperation with NATO partner nations in a world which requires a closer understanding and interoperability between the countries with the goal of more efficient cooperation in the maritime environment on the road to stability and prosperity.”
Further details can be gathered from the NMIOTCwebsite: http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/kenap/.

In the Baltic Sea operational area, Rear Admiral Veli-Jukka Pennala, Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander of the Finnish Navy, leads the new project “Sea Surveillance Cooperation Baltic Sea” (SUCBAS), and will introduce it at the MS&D 2009. “SUCBAS is a cornerstone for sea surveillance, information exchange and cooperation within the Baltic Sea area and its approaches”, says Admiral Pennala in praising the project founded in March 2009 in Helsinki. The overriding goal is the improvement of maritime situational awareness with the help of reliable technical solutions and common procedures. SUCBAS is the continuation of the joint sea surveillance between Sweden and Finland existing since the beginning of 2000, but on an expanded basis. In addition to Finland and Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Germany and Lithuania are also involved. Latvia and Poland have recently inquired about membership. Admiral Pennala outlines the practical goal of the cooperation as Follows: a concept, technical solutions and procedures shall be developed in the project, which enhances maritime situational awareness with regard to maritime security, environmental protection and the cost incurred through the exchange of sea surveillance information between important institutions of the participating nations. The cooperation with other military missions such as anti-pirate missions is also conceivable for the future, whereby the SUCBAS Commander currently estimates the danger of piracy or terrorist attacks in the Baltic Sea as relatively slight.

The MS&D 2009 from 30 September to 2 October 2009 brings together security experts from numerous navies and other organisations and bodies concerned with the security of harbours and sea routes as well as governments, science, shipping and industry in the security and defence panels of the conference at the Hamburg Fair site. At the accompanying exhibition, about 60 companies, shipyards as well as suppliers and institutions will present the latest technologies and products which will be required for safeguarding international shipping routes and harbours against piracy terrorist attacks or for the utilisation of crisis management through naval forces.

More than 20 navy delegations and numerous high-ranking naval officers from around the world have already announced their participation. Also planned for exhibitors and conference participants is a podium evening under the aegis of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), at which high-ranking representatives from the realm of politics and economics will discuss the opportunities and challenges in the sphere of maritime security in the maritime atmosphere in the harbour city.