Delivering Maritime Security in Global Partnership: Identify Cooperative Strategies for Future Maritime Security Engagement

The Maritime Security Conference 2012 took place at the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, from 4 to 7 June, 2012. Building on the success of the previous year, the conference was co-sponsored by the Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Centre of Excellence (CJOS COE) and the Centre of Excellence for Operations in Confined and Shallow Waters (COE CSW).

The Centre of Foreign Policy Studies (CFPS) at Dalhousie University in Halifax provided academic support to the conference and set the scene from a North American perspective, based on the findings of the Maritime Security Workshop that was held 27-29 October 2011 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Over 220 attendees from 30 countries attended the conference, including 17 flag officers representing 11 countries.  As Vice Admiral Buss noted in his closing address, the aims were achieved through open dialog and healthy debate, and from this, we now have a clear way ahead.

Four Panels were conducted during the conference:

a. Enhance National Maritime Security Governance: Develop a comprehensive, whole of government approach

b. Enhance Interregional Maritime Security Governance: Develop the way ahead for international maritime security cooperation and awareness

c. Improve Capabilities - Data Fusion Systems - Design and Standards: Design effective, interoperable and affordable maritime security cooperation and awareness infrastructure

d. Identify Future Maritime Security Challenges: Provide a projection for maritime security challenges and how to engage them.