No cause for excitement - not even for the Chinese When a German unit, consisting of the then brand new frigate F 217 "Bayern", the frigate F 207 "Bremen" as well as a supply ship and a tanker, showed a German presence in the waters around China in 1997, the public in Germany took no notice. They were on friendly terms, and the harbour visit in Shanghai deepened the impression. In 2002, the frigates F 209 "Rheinland-Pfalz" and F 218 "Mecklenburg-Vorpommern" visited the Chinese harbour of Qingdao, among other places, and crossed the Taiwan Strait on their course. This had no significance; the Chinese PLAN (Peoples Liberation Army Navy), which was still in its infancy, had no reason to antagonise the German Navy. There were visits and invitations, and the then inspector of the navy, Lutz Feld, was also with his unit at times. They travelled through the Taiwan Strait because it is free sea space. Anyone can sail through there, without restriction. Then as now. What did the naval units want in the Indo-Pacific waters? They were on friendly visits to Japan, South Korea and Singapore, among others. An expression of Germany's interest in Asian trading partners, a symbolic presence in the sea areas that are important routes for Germany as a trading nation. In addition, embassies in...

The maritime world is exposed to multiple threats, the armed conflicts in the Black and Red Seas being just two of them. Maritime security is an issue all over the world, and not just for the defence sectors. From piracy to illegal fishing: trade and free sea lanes are under threat. Against this backdrop, prominent figures from politics, industry, science and navies will meet next September. They will discuss urgent issues of security and defence at sea. The forum for this will be provided by the MS&D Conference, which will take place from 5-6 September as part of the SMM. For the first time, the "Conference on maritime security and defence" is cooperating with the German Maritime Institute (DMI). The motto of this year's MS&D conference is "Challenges of Transition in the Naval and Maritime Domain". In addition to current geopolitical challenges, this year's MS&D conference will also focus on the industry's technical responses to invasion threats, dealing with critical underwater infrastructures, the use of dual-use technology and the latest trends in naval shipbuilding. In four panels and around 20 open presentations, the high-calibre speakers will provide an insight into their respective areas of expertise. Agenda Challenges of Transition in the Naval and Maritime Domain Thursday, 5 September 2024 10:30-10:40 Opening Remarks: Plotting the Course of MS&D Rear Admiral (ret.)...

After many previous announcements and protracted negotiations, the German government has finally formulated and published a national port strategy. It was welcomed by the federal states, all associations and other stakeholders, albeit with reservations due to the lack of statements on the financing of the ambitious goals. In general, it is said that efficient ports are an important prerequisite for Germany's economic success and general prosperity. They would not only secure the supply of industry, trade and the population, but also directly and indirectly secure up to 5.6 million jobs nationwide. Well-functioning sea and inland ports are of great importance, not least in view of the worsening security situation. The Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport, Volker Wissing, who is responsible for the ports, pointed out when presenting the National Ports Strategy that it had not been easy to reconcile the different interests of the individual ports with those of the environmental and business associations. However, the result is convincing: almost 140 measures have been developed that point to solutions for the most pressing challenges facing ports - from digitalisation to scarce space and a lack of skilled workers to insufficient funding. Five fields of action were defined: - Strengthening the competitiveness of Germany as a port location - Developing the...