- new maritime security strategy sets out how the UK will enhance its capabilities in technology, innovation and cyber security
- the 5-year strategy will officially recognise environmental damage as a maritime security concern to address modern issues such as illegal fishing and polluting practices
- improving the quantity and quality of seabed mapping data available to expand our knowledge and help to identify emerging threats
A new strategy that will strengthen capabilities in technology, innovation, and cyber security will secure the UK’s status as a maritime powerhouse in the world.
The UK government’s approach to managing threats and risks at home and abroad is laid out in the 5-year strategy, which was unveiled today (August 15, 2022).
These principles include making use of the UK’s internationally renowned seabed mapping community and combating illegal fishing and polluting maritime activities.
A free, fair, and open maritime domain is delivered by upholding laws, regulations, and norms, according to the new strategy.
With this new strategy, the government now correctly acknowledges that any illicit, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing as well as environmental harm to our oceans pose a threat to maritime security.
In order to improve the UK’s understanding of marine security, the government has created the UK Centre for Seabed Mapping (UK CSM), which aims to encourage cooperation among the country’s world-class seabed mapping industry in order to gather more and better data.
Almost every sector in the marine realm, including maritime commerce, environmental and resource management, shipping operations, national security, and industrial infrastructure, is supported by the foundation dataset that seabed mapping offers.
The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development has recognised the UK CSM as a voluntary commitment from the UK government.
Working with the recently created UK CSM, run by the UK Hydrographic Office, will provide the government access to improved seabed mapping data that, as a crucial part of our infrastructure, supports the UK’s goals for maritime security, economic growth, and environmental protection.
Mankind has better maps of the surface of the moon and Mars than of our own ocean. To ensure the UK’s maritime security is based on informed and evidence-based decisions, we must build our knowledge of this dynamic ocean frontier.
Our new maritime security strategy paves the way for both government and industry to provide the support needed to tackle new and emerging threats and further cement the UK’s position as a world leader in maritime security.
Secretaries of State from the Departments of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Transport, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Home Office, and Ministry of Defense (MOD) will concentrate on five strategic goals while collaborating with business and academia:
- Protecting our homeland: delivering the world’s most effective maritime security framework for our borders, ports and infrastructure.
- Responding to threats: taking a whole system approach to bring world-leading capabilities and expertise to bear to respond to new, emerging threats.
- Ensuring prosperity: ensuring the security of international shipping, the unimpeded transmission of goods, information and energy to support continued global development and our economic prosperity.
- Championing values: championing global maritime security underpinned by freedom of navigation and the international order.
- Supporting a secure, resilient ocean: tackling security threats and breaches of regulations that impact on a clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically-diverse maritime environment.
Sarah Treseder, CEO of the UK Chamber of Shipping, said:
A proactive maritime security strategy is essential to keeping trade routes and energy supplies secure, especially for an island nation. Today’s welcome commitments to improve collaboration, both with industry and governments across the world, will help deliver a more secure maritime environment and help provide confidence to the shipping community.
Professor of International Security at the University of Bristol Tim Edmunds, who is also the co-director of the SafeSeas Network, said:
The new national strategy for maritime security (NSMS) comes at a critical time for the UK maritime sector. Maritime security is key to delivering the UK’s ambitions in foreign, security and defence policy, as well as for blue economic growth and environmental sustainability.
SafeSeas and the University of Bristol were privileged to be part of this effort. We are delighted that our research was able to inform the strategy process. We look forward to engaging with UK maritime security actors and assisting with the strategy implementation process in future.
British Ports Association Director of Policy and External Affairs Mark Simmonds stated:
UK ports work closely with government and law enforcement to facilitate nearly half a billion tonnes of trade and tens of millions of passengers every year, whilst at the same time bearing down on threats to our collective safety and security. We look forward to strengthening that relationship as we help to deliver on these strategic objectives.
The new Centre for Seabed Mapping is a huge step forward for the maritime sector. It will help everyone better understand the UK seabed and be the foundation for numerous benefits, including more informed management of the marine environment.
In order to improve awareness of risks to the global marine domain, the UK will continue to collaborate closely with business, academics, international partners, and allies in the implementation of this outward-focused policy.