• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

NATO joins forces with global shipping industry in Exercise Dynamic Master 25

NATO Allied Maritime Command

Nov 7 2025

NORTHWOOD, United Kingdom -- NATO is reinforcing its partnership with the civilian shipping community, boosting civil-military maritime coordination through Exercise Dynamic Master 25, which is being held at MARCOM in Northwood, United Kingdom from Nov 3 to 14, 2025.

Led by the NATO Shipping Centre (NSC), the exercise equips staff with the skills to support, reassure and guide merchant vessels during crises or NATO operations, ensuring safe and efficient maritime operations.

Dynamic Master is structured to enhance maritime security and the Alliance's readiness through realistic, multi-domain training. It focuses on vital areas such as naval cooperation and guidance for shipping (NCAGS), safe-navigation coordination, and interoperability between Allied naval forces.

Personnel from multiple Allied nations participated in simulated operational scenarios, including real-world shipping traffic, cyber attacks and threats to critical undersea infrastructure.

"This exercise enhances the NATO Shipping Centre's critical role as a central hub and liaison between the commercial shipping industry and Allies," said Royal Danish Navy Captain Niels Markussen, NSC director. "Our NATO team, with the cooperation of Allies and our shipping partners, are creating a stronger security network that benefits Allied maritime security and a better environment for our commercial shipping partners."

Teams were deployed to the ports of Mallorca in Spain, Piraeus in Greece, Portsmouth in the UK and Toulon in France. They briefed ships, local companies and authorities on the role of the NSC, NATO's vigilance activities in the Baltic Sea (Baltic Sentry) and Mediterranean Sea (Operation Sea Guardian). They also covered the military doctrines of Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) and Allied Worldwide Navigational Information System (AWNIS). These are essential guides for military cooperation with merchant shipping in a crisis or conflict.

Sixteen Allied nations took part in Dynamic Master - Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.

The NSC is NATO's single point of contact with the merchant shipping industry in peace, crisis and war. It provides reassurance and advice during a developing crisis, including areas to avoid and recommendations for safe routes. It also provides guidance on self-protective measures, up to the implementation of a group transit scheme of merchant shipping, with or without a naval escort.

Story by Public Affairs Office at MARCOM