Editorial: Things are not going well

Recent maritime headlines are causing concern. Is the public aware of what is happening? Where do we actually stand in terms of maritime blindness? More than half a century ago, the German Maritime Institute and its marineforum set out to spread the "maritime idea" south of the Moin equator, something like this: "Understand that industry and trade, jobs and prosperity depend on the open sea and its access points. If that's too complicated for you, you can make do with the "no shipping - no shopping" sticker for the time being. The trend gradually reversed: attentive TV viewers noticed that the background of business news was changed from industrial chimneys to sea containers, from 2000 there was a Maritime Coordinator of the Federal Government and this became a separate post in 2018. Has the maritime idea now reached the centre of German government policy after all?

The National Maritime Conferences since 2019 and the prospect of fresh national concepts fuelled hope. And then many unpleasant events happened that may have elicited a "see you!" from you, dear marineforum readers, in the hope that society and politics would wake up. Whether "Ever Given" or "Moskva", whether Huthi attacks or Russia's shadow fleet: the seas are politics. And now even the last small-minded person in parties and parliaments should understand what the German Navy is doing not only in the North and Baltic Seas, but also in the Pacific and the Red Sea.

Is the DMI's goal close? Not at all: It's like gardening, it has to be explained again and again here on page 3, whether by the experts of the VSM, the VDR and BDSV, the DMI or the German Navy itself. One must not believe that the realisation has been made, even if good news from the naval shipbuilding of submarines and frigates announces. This is just a race to catch up, as the minister himself said in January during his visit to the NVL shipyard. New mine countermeasures units, combat boats and other specialised ships for all security agencies are still a long way from being commissioned. The time required for tendering, construction and maintenance is already causing white knuckles when you consider what unpleasant things may be in store for Europe. The fact that more staff and even more money are needed for this should be stubbornly stamped into government programmes. After all, money that is not lost in the value chains of the German shipyard and defence industry.

Speaking of money: the National Ports Strategy from 2024 was intended to strengthen the competitiveness of German seaports and inland ports. With what? This question also arises after the meeting of the NATO countries bordering the Baltic Sea in Helsinki, at which the Federal Chancellor announced that the German Navy should also participate. In January, the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) was launched to protect the Baltic Sea. Without Germany, which is only a "partner" there - why? Answer from the BMVg and the AA? None. The Baltic Sea is not Las Vegas, wrote Dr Sebastian Bruns years ago, and it is confirmed: what is happening on a small scale in the Baltic Sea is a symbol for the entire Western world. The provocateurs are exposing our weakness and ridiculing our system: look what we can do - and you can't do anything about it! We need stable authorities, including the navy, a judiciary that is capable of taking action and courageous politicians to be as consistent as Sweden and Finland are showing us. Only when this example also becomes reliable German behaviour will I believe that the maritime idea has become a public spirit. Just as a new government should appreciate what the inspector of the navy is offering with his 2035+ plan and a national headquarters in Rostock: A response to possible Russian intentions from 2029. Looking at our own holistic maritime capabilities will also be sorely needed, because the behaviourally conspicuous golfer in Washington only plays on his own greens.

The European handicap therefore needs to be diligently improved. And what can marineforum do? We form maritime opinions, not just around RAL 7000, as I occasionally have to correct. Our topics are the sea and shipping in Europe and the world, trade, free sea lanes and maritime threats. There is a lot that is not going well - or is there? Perhaps there is an expert among you who can enrich us with creative contributions in the new year. We'd love to have them on marineforum.online, which is more than just what you're holding in your hands.

Holger Schlüter