NATO has expanded its work with the global shipping sector through Exercise Dynamic Master 25, a two week civil–military maritime coordination drill hosted at MARCOM in Northwood from 3 to 14 November, the organisation stated.
The exercise is run by the NATO Shipping Centre, which acted as the central hub for cooperation between Allied forces and the commercial maritime community. According to NATO, the aim was to strengthen the Alliance’s ability to support and advise merchant vessels during crises or during NATO operations, ensuring safer and more efficient maritime movements.
Royal Danish Navy Captain Niels Markussen, director of the NATO Shipping Centre, said the event “enhances the NATO Shipping Centre’s critical role as a central hub and liaison between the commercial shipping industry and Allies.” He added that “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.”
Dynamic Master 25 incorporated multi domain scenarios designed to test naval cooperation and guidance for shipping, safe navigation coordination and interoperability across Allied navies. Simulated challenges included real world maritime traffic, cyber intrusions and threats to undersea infrastructure.
Teams were deployed to Mallorca, Piraeus, Portsmouth and Toulon to brief local authorities, shipping companies and crews on NATO vigilance activities in the Baltic and Mediterranean, as well as key doctrines such as Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping and the Allied Worldwide Navigational Information System. NATO describes these frameworks as essential for cooperation with merchant shipping during crises.
Sixteen Allied nations took part, including Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.
NATO said the Shipping Centre remains the Alliance’s single point of contact with the merchant fleet, providing reassurance and guidance ranging from route recommendations and self protective measures to coordinated transit schemes supported by naval escorts when required.
