Located in Istanbul, Türkiye, the Maritime Security Centre of Excellence serves as NATO’s focal point for advancing expertise, cooperation, and capability development in maritime security. Since its accreditation in 2020 as NATO’s 26th accredited Centre of Excellence, it has worked to strengthen Alliance and partner capabilities through research, training, concept development, and outreach across the field of Maritime Security Operations.
Convening Global Stakeholders on Emerging Challenges
The Centre’s fifth Maritime Security Conference, held in June 2025, brought together over 250 experts from 22 nations to address evolving maritime threats and opportunities. Participants explored the application of autonomous maritime systems, artificial intelligence, and underwater sensor networks to enhance the protection of seabed infrastructure. Emphasis was also placed on interoperable maritime situational awareness systems and collective strategies to address hybrid threats in the maritime environment. Senior leaders from NATO and national naval forces contributed keynote remarks, underscoring the strategic relevance of the event.
Advancing Training and Operational Readiness
Over the last year, the Centre delivered a comprehensive programme across four core areas. A suite of specialized courses provided in-depth instruction on maritime security operations, counter-terrorism at sea, instructor development, and naval cooperation. These were complemented by workshops and coordination meetings supporting strategic planning and institutional collaboration.
Scheduled for October 2025, the upcoming EXER MARSEC-25 is a computer-assisted exercise which will focus on improving maritime security coordination within the Straits of Malacca and Singapore region. The exercise is designed as a “safe-to-fail” environment to support experimentation, build relationships, and promote best practice sharing among regional and NATO stakeholders.
Driving Concept Development and Outreach
The Centre continues to contribute to NATO transformation through focused research and experimentation. A recent project on maritime situational awareness culminated in a published study paper. Proceedings from the fourth Maritime Security Conference, which focused on critical infrastructure and seabed protection, were also released.
Through its Defence Capacity Building activities, the Centre expanded regional engagement, delivering training and awareness programmes in partner nations such as Mauritania. These efforts aim to bolster local capabilities while enhancing NATO’s collective security posture.
Expanding Partnerships and Strategic Engagements
The Centre also engaged with a wide range of diplomatic, academic, and military stakeholders. High-level visits included delegations from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan. A letter of intent was signed with Istanbul Technical University to foster research collaboration, and Azerbaijan formally became a contributing partner.
By advancing maritime knowledge, building trust among stakeholders, and delivering practical solutions to operational challenges, the Maritime Security Centre of Excellence continues to serve as a strategic enabler for NATO. Its integrated approach (linking research, training, capacity building, and multinational collaboration) ensures that NATO and its partners remain agile and prepared in an increasingly complex maritime security environment. As the Alliance confronts emerging threats at sea, the Centre’s work will remain vital to enhancing resilience, fostering interoperability, and promoting stability across the global maritime domain.
To learn more, visit: https://www.marseccoe.org/.
