After six Chinese fishing boats violated the fishing laws of the Republic of Vanuatu, a group of islands east of Australia, they were inspected by the local police. The special thing about this is that the inspection was carried out from a US Coast Guard ship, which was patrolling the waters of the Pacific island state for the first time. The basis for such 'missions' are...
Another eye-catching visitor is likely to keep the Baltic Sea neighbours busy. On 13 May 2024, the "Tchusovoy", GS 31 (project 1454), was photographed in the Great Belt by Michael Nitz. In Russian terminology, it is referred to as a 'hydroacoustic reconnaissance vessel', also known as a 'small reconnaissance vessel'. The ship, which displaces 1,700 tonnes and is almost sixty metres long, looks...
In early March, immediately after President Joe Biden's State of the Union address, the U.S. Department of Defence declared an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier facility on the Gaza coast to deliver 2 million meals a day in humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. Under the direction of the U.S. Central...
Obituary of the ISPK (Institute for Security Policy at Kiel University) By Dr Sarah Kirchberger and Dr Sebastian Bruns We mourn the loss of Vice Admiral (ret) Sir Clive C. C. Johnstone KBE, CB, Royal Navy, who died suddenly and unexpectedly on 12 May 2024 at the age of 60. As a British naval officer...
A Russian cargo ship coming from Saint Petersburg has been detained by German customs since 4 March on suspicion of violating European sanctions against Russia. After weeks of checks, the ship was allowed to leave the port of Rostock in mid-April. The 193 metre long "Atlantic Navigator II" is operated by a Canadian shipping company.
The eastern section of the Kiel Canal (NOK) is currently being widened as large ships cannot pass each other in this section in some areas; this results in waiting times and sometimes also damage to the banks. The freighters are getting bigger and bigger and the NOK is being widened by the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV) to...
The task force provider "Frankfurt am Main" departs from Wilhelmshaven, the frigate "Baden-Württemberg" from Rota in Spain. It is a major undertaking, not a normal training trip abroad, but actually an "operation". That's what the inspector of the navy wants it to be called. It is a demonstration of clearly formulated security, economic and climate policy interests...
The frigate "Hessen" is back in its home port of Wilhelmshaven after its deployment in the Red Sea as part of EU Operation ASPIDES. It was actually the same as always when it arrived: Relatives on the exceptionally crowded pier, waving, loud shouts of "there he is", posters and whole families. And yet the moving atmosphere was interspersed with...
International trade drives the global economy and is responsible for around 80 % of global goods transport by sea. Access to the two most important canals, the Panama and Suez Canals, is fundamental for uninterrupted supply chains and therefore also for economic growth. Current disruptions show the vulnerability of these important shipping routes. Suez Canal...
Six countries bordering the North Sea signed an agreement on 9 April to jointly protect the underwater infrastructure from possible (Russian) attacks. The signatories include Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the UK, Norway and the Netherlands - only France is missing. The North Sea is Europe's powerhouse, driving forward its renewable energy ambitions, and...
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