German Navy and GDWS secure maritime traffic

On 30 June 2025, an agreement on civil-military cooperation was signed between the German Navy and the Directorate-General for Waterways and Shipping (GDWS). The agreement regulates cooperation for the management of civilian maritime traffic on German sea routes.

Against the backdrop of the security policy situation, we are positioning ourselves in line with the "Operational Plan Germany". National and alliance defence includes defence of the state as a whole. The new agreement comes against the backdrop of NATO's strategic reorientation. Germany will become a "hub" in the event of defence, and supplying Germany by sea also requires the consolidation of working relationships between the GDWS traffic centres and the naval shipping command.

The importance of this agreement was also emphasised by the signatories, Vice Admiral Jan Christian Kaack, Inspector of the German Navy, and Eric Oehlmann, Head of the GDWS. "This agreement is an important building block of the overall national defence capability and security provision. Above all, it clearly defines responsibilities and procedures between the naval command and GDWS. In an emergency, we can use it to tell merchant ships where and when they can sail along German waterways or call at German harbours - or even assemble in a convoy," said the naval inspector. The head of the GDWS also emphasised the importance of the agreement: "Together, we are ensuring that maritime traffic on our sea routes remains safe, reliable and coordinated. Together, we are strengthening our ability to guarantee supplies even under challenging conditions - whether in daily operations or in exceptional situations." The detailed planning set out in the cooperation agreement includes, among other things, the prioritisation of maritime traffic off Germany's coasts in the event of a crisis or conflict. The agreement therefore has a considerable influence on the processes of Germany's hub function and logistical planning within NATO. At a strategic level, this civil-military cooperation affects not only military supplies, but also the supply of the population.