Strengthening Maritime Security Amongst Regional Practitioners

The Information Fusion Centre (IFC) and the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) co-organised the 11th Regional MARSEC Practitioner Programme (RMPP), held at the RSS Singapura - Changi Naval Base from 17 to 21 Jul 2023.

Close to 120 participants from 28 countries came together to share professional knowledge and perspectives on maritime security (MARSEC) issues. They included professionals from navies, coast guards, maritime agencies and the shipping industry.

“ We need honest and open dialogue with each other, and we need such dialogue taking place across various levels between our organisations. This is the driving objective of RMPP, where we bring together middle management and mid-ranking officers to exchange views, perspectives, experiences, and best practices to enhance maritime security. ”

- COL Michael Chan, Deputy MARSEC Command/Maritime Security Task Force during his opening address.

Renowned academia and subject matter experts shared on topics like United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea, Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported Fishing, Theft, Robbery and Piracy at Sea, Maritime Counter Terrorism, Emerging MARSEC Threats, and Maritime Cybercrimes. Many insightful discussions took place over the five days and were led by the IFC's International Liaison Officers. 

Dr Leonardo Bernard provided a detailed explanation on how rules governing all uses of the ocean and their resources were established under UNCLOS.

Participants of the 11th RMPP also had the opportunity to visit the refreshed Navy Museum, Singapore Maritime Gallery, and the Police Coast Guard's headquarters in Brani. These visits provided our partners a broad perspective of Singapore's growth and focus as a maritime nation, and how Singapore takes a Whole-of-Government approach to MARSEC. 

Participants were treated to an immersive experience at the refreshed Navy Museum. 

As part of the 11th RMPP, participants also attended the IFC's 44th Shared Awareness Meeting (SAM), which was co-organised with both the Singapore Shipping Association and the Asian Shipowners' Association for the first time. During the 44th SAM, participants interacted with key shipping stakeholders and were updated on the concerns and developing trends in the shipping domain. 

Invited speakers at the 44th SAM (from right): INSP Kweon Dong Hee, Korea Coast Guard International Liaison Officer (ILO), IFC; Mr Jody Sheilds, Manager Commercial APAC, SMIT Salvage; Capt David Bancroft, CSO International Fleet and Senior Security Advisor, Chevron; CDR Daniel Randall, US ILO, IFC; CDR Stephan Litzler, France and European Union ILO, IFC; and CAPT Lee Stuart, Operations Director, IMSC (presented virtually and not shown in the picture). 

To wrap up this RMPP, a Senior Commanders' Dialogue, facilitated by Ms Jane Chan from RSIS, was conducted. Five distinguished panelists from across Asia and Pacific Ocean shared on the key MARSEC challenges they faced in their respective roles, and provided perspectives on topics ranging from evolving Maritime Domain Awareness technology, to adapting to manpower shortages, generating lively discussion with the audience during the Q&A segment.

Invited panelists (from left): Ms Jane Chan (moderator), AIRCDRE Guy Wilson, Maritime Border Command; RADM (Rtd) Tsuguo Awai, Japan Coast Guard; CG VADM Roy A Echeverria, Philippine Coast Guard; Mr James Movick, Pacific Fusion Centre; and ADM Amnuay Thongrod, Thailand Maritime Enforcement Command Centre.

“ I came here with limited knowledge of what maritime security is about. The presentations and face-to-face discussions opened my mind on a whole new world of intelligence, how different countries work and their mindsets, information, sharing of thoughts, people and experts. It is definitely the highlight of my career. ”

- Supervisor Roberto Olivares, Maritime Border Command, Australian Border Force

“ The programme has been very helpful for the shipping community to deepen their understanding of key maritime security development and challenges, as well as to gain an appreciation of the various maritime enforcement agencies' set up. The panel discussions helmed by leading maritime security academics resulted in a robust exchange of views between industry, enforcement officers and scholars on how we can collectively navigate an operating environment where security threats are increasingly intertwined and complex. ”

- Ms Tay Hsu Chern, Head Communications, Singapore Shipping Association

Photos courtesy of IFC