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Maritime Security Conference to Address Future Plans Through Combined Efforts

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS110503-23
5/3/2011

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Brian Goodwin, Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet Public Affairs

KIEL, Germany (NNS) -- The first-ever Centre of Excellence (COE) Combined Maritime Security Conference (MCS 2011) kicked off at the Sparkassen-Arena in Kiel, Germany, May 2.

The conference will run through May 5, and is being co-sponsored by the Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Centre of Excellence (CJOS COE) based out of Norfolk, Va., and the Centre of Excellence for Operations in Confined and Shallow Waters (COE CSW), co-located in the German Navy Flotilla and in Kiel at the Baltic Sea.

"This conference is a tremendous opportunity for collaboration to take place and to potentially challenge expected norms," said Commander, U.S. Second Fleet and Director, CJOS COE Vice Adm. Daniel P. Holloway. "When we capitalize on the synergy of a collective group of military and civilian professionals, new ideas can be hatched as we turn the page to write the next chapters of the playbook for maritime operations."

By bringing together civilian and military professionals who are involved in maritime security and safety affairs all over the world, the conference will discuss a range of issues such as enhancing global maritime security, improved information sharing, and maritime surveillance. An overarching goal is to contribute to a more effective global network for maritime security cooperation.

"The combined research effort of both COEs will serve to strengthen our collaborative efforts to improve maritime security initiatives which will contribute to a more coherent global framework for maritime security cooperation," said Canadian Navy Capt. Ken Hoffer. "The MSC series of conferences invites leading civilian and military experts from a wide cross-section of the maritime community to contribute tangible outputs that strengthen our collective access to maritime commons."

Data and statistics show roughly 90 percent of global commerce moves by sea. Civilian organizations are largely responsible for those shipments while militaries and coast guards help keep sea lanes and ports open. These distinct roles often require efforts to work together in order to maintain safety and security.

The conference is designed to have participants interact and familiarize themselves with the worldwide military and civilian counterparts in order to better plan for future operations.

"Once the conference is over, we will all have a plan of action as to how we go from there to focus on global security," said Cmdr. Margaret Hoskins.

The COEs are nationally hosted organizations supported by sponsoring nations. They are manned by teams who possess in-depth multinational joint maritime expertise and experience to help address evolving operational capabilities. They offer leading edge advice on ways by which allies and partners may improve education, training, doctrine and interoperability in the multinational context. The COEs also actively engage in testing and validating new concepts through collaborative experimentation.