November 5/12, 2012 • Canadian Sailings • 7 T he 5th bi-annual Maritime Security Challenges 2012 conference was held in Victoria, British Columbia from October 1-3. Over the last ten years this con- ference has grown in popularity and importance, and for good reason. With Canada's strategic position on the edge of the Indo-Pacific basin, this vast maritime area is growing in both complexity and economic power. The region is critical to Canada’s eco- nomic future. Marine security and defence issues in the region are as real as these waters, on which much of world’s trade is carried by ship, have seen the rapid rise of regional navies, including China’s which has just commissioned its first aircraft carrier. Sixty per cent of the world’s submarines now operate in Indo-Pacific waters. With potential exports of crude oil from Alberta oilsands and liquefied natural gas (LNG) adding to Canada’s exports of natural resources to Indo- Pacific countries, maritime issues are becoming increasingly important to Canada's economic future. The control of sea lanes and maritime security impacts global trade and commercial shipping patterns. Maritime Security Chal- lenges 2012 addressed some of these challenges. The wide-ranging three-day conference brought together senior leaders from the region’s Navies, as well as government offi- cials, commercial interests and academics. Vice Admiral Paul Maddison, Chief of Maritime Staff and head of the Royal Cana- dian Navy (RCN) presented the opening address. His thought-provoking comments set the tone of the conference: Coverage of “Maritime Security Challenges 2012” BY JOE SPEARS “There are other parts of the world where strategic competition for oceanic resources is being driven by national interests towards confrontation rather than coopera- tion. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the South China Sea. Much like the Arctic basin, the South China Sea is a region believed to be rich in seabed energy resources. Unlike the Arctic, the South China Sea today is critical to global commerce.” “It remains to be seen whether or not the international consensus that lies behind the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) will continue to hold in the face of what may become existential pres- sures upon many states, both large and small. But there are few issues of greater importance in the second decade of the 21st century mar- itime century.” “That is why the South China Sea mat- ters to all of us, and not merely to the coastal states of Southeast Asia. It is also why the Arctic matters to all of you. Cooperation in the Arctic is not simply Canada's vital national interest. Strategic cooperation rein- forces the legal maritime order upon which our collective security and prosperity surely depends”. The following two days of the confer- ence various speakers dealt with the following subjects: • decision-making during a crisis situation • the state of global fisheries • an update on the Brazilian Navy. There were panels on topical maritime issues including the development of aircraft carriers, maritime applications of unmanned autonomous vehicles, security issues and the Gulf of Guinea, the illegal movement of people and illicit cargoes at sea and, impor- tantly from the Canadian perspective, shipbuilding and future naval requirements. These panels were all followed by question- and-answer sessions. Some of the takeaways that became evident from the conference included diminishing budgets, the cost of new naval vessels, increasing use of drones, cyberspace capabilities of new weapons, and the challenges of interacting in a complex marine threat environment. The other reality that became quite clear is that navies still need to provide greater capabilities despite shrinking budgets, which is a real challenge when technology is changing rapidly. Rear Admiral (Retired) Girouard had this to say: “This year’s conference took a more strategic approach.” He thought the insightful presentation by Dr. Pauly of the University of British Columbia, one of the world’s leading fisheries ecologists, was very relevant to ten- sions in a 21st century. “In the maritime security business, we often tend to think that the ocean is merely a highway but it is also a source of resources. Nations draw the resources from both the seabed and the water column.” Reflecting on Dr. Pauly’s comments about the state of the world’s fisheries, Rear Admiral Girouard noted “protecting the Left to right, Commander (Retired) Rick Gerbrecht, RCN, Atlas Elektronik Canada, Dr. James Boutilier, Special Advisor Asia-Pacific to MARPAC, Dr. Stan Weeks, Centre for Strategic Studies at the Center for Naval Analyses, Adjunct Professor, Naval War College. Rear Admiral Bill Truelove addresses the conference. Photo: Courtesy HBMG Collection Photo: RCN Office of Public Affairs, Captain Annie Djiotsa
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
November 5/12, 2012 • Canadian Sailings • 7
The 5th bi-annual Maritime SecurityChallenges 2012 conference was heldin Victoria, British Columbia from
October 1-3. Over the last ten years this con-ference has grown in popularity andimportance, and for good reason. WithCanada's strategic position on the edge of theIndo-Pacific basin, this vast maritime area isgrowing in both complexity and economicpower. The region is critical to Canada’s eco-nomic future. Marine security and defenceissues in the region are as real as thesewaters, on which much of world’s trade iscarried by ship, have seen the rapid rise ofregional navies, including China’s which hasjust commissioned its first aircraft carrier.Sixty per cent of the world’s submarines nowoperate in Indo-Pacific waters. With potentialexports of crude oil from Alberta oilsands andliquefied natural gas (LNG) adding toCanada’s exports of natural resources to Indo-Pacific countries, maritime issues arebecoming increasingly important to Canada'seconomic future.
The control of sea lanes and maritimesecurity impacts global trade and commercialshipping patterns. Maritime Security Chal-lenges 2012 addressed some of thesechallenges.
The wide-ranging three-day conferencebrought together senior leaders from theregion’s Navies, as well as government offi-cials, commercial interests and academics.
Vice Admiral Paul Maddison, Chief ofMaritime Staff and head of the Royal Cana-dian Navy (RCN) presented the openingaddress. His thought-provoking comments setthe tone of the conference:
Coverage of “Maritime Security Challenges 2012”BY JOE SPEARS
“There are other parts of the worldwhere strategic competition for oceanicresources is being driven by national intereststowards confrontation rather than coopera-tion. Nowhere is this more apparent than inthe South China Sea. Much like the Arcticbasin, the South China Sea is a regionbelieved to be rich in seabed energyresources. Unlike the Arctic, the South ChinaSea today is critical to global commerce.”
“It remains to be seen whether or notthe international consensus that lies behindthe United Nations Convention on the Law ofthe Seas (UNCLOS) will continue to hold inthe face of what may become existential pres-sures upon many states, both large and small.But there are few issues of greater importancein the second decade of the 21st century mar-itime century.”
“That is why the South China Sea mat-ters to all of us, and not merely to the coastalstates of Southeast Asia. It is also why theArctic matters to all of you. Cooperation inthe Arctic is not simply Canada's vitalnational interest. Strategic cooperation rein-forces the legal maritime order upon whichour collective security and prosperity surelydepends”.
The following two days of the confer-ence various speakers dealt with thefollowing subjects:• decision-making during a crisis situation• the state of global fisheries• an update on the Brazilian Navy.
There were panels on topical maritimeissues including the development of aircraftcarriers, maritime applications of unmannedautonomous vehicles, security issues and theGulf of Guinea, the illegal movement ofpeople and illicit cargoes at sea and, impor-tantly from the Canadian perspective,shipbuilding and future naval requirements.These panels were all followed by question-and-answer sessions. Some of the takeawaysthat became evident from the conferenceincluded diminishing budgets, the cost ofnew naval vessels, increasing use of drones,cyberspace capabilities of new weapons, andthe challenges of interacting in a complexmarine threat environment. The other realitythat became quite clear is that navies stillneed to provide greater capabilities despiteshrinking budgets, which is a real challengewhen technology is changing rapidly.
Rear Admiral (Retired) Girouard had thisto say: “This year’s conference took a morestrategic approach.” He thought the insightfulpresentation by Dr. Pauly of the University ofBritish Columbia, one of the world’s leadingfisheries ecologists, was very relevant to ten-sions in a 21st century. “In the maritimesecurity business, we often tend to think thatthe ocean is merely a highway but it is also asource of resources. Nations draw theresources from both the seabed and the watercolumn.” Reflecting on Dr. Pauly’s commentsabout the state of the world’s fisheries, RearAdmiral Girouard noted “protecting the
Left to right, Commander (Retired) Rick Gerbrecht, RCN, Atlas Elektronik Canada,Dr. James Boutilier, Special Advisor Asia-Pacific to MARPAC, Dr. Stan Weeks,Centre for Strategic Studies at the Center for Naval Analyses, Adjunct Professor,Naval War College.
Rear AdmiralBill Truelove
addresses theconference.
Phot
o: C
ourt
esy
HBM
G Co
llect
ion
Phot
o: R
CN O
ffice
of P
ublic
Affa
irs, C
apta
in A
nnie
Djio
tsa
sailings995p01 to 40 v7:Layout 1 11/5/12 3:03 PM Page 7
8 • Canadian Sailings • November 5/12, 2012
world's diminishing protein sources in the form of fisheries is going tocreate regional tensions between states with declining stocks.” Thiswill lead to regional conflicts and tensions, which we are already seeingin the South China Sea. The reality is these are not new issues, and afisheries dispute with the United States in the early part of the 20thcentury was the rationale for the creation of the Canadian Naval Serv-ice, as it was then known.
The evening dinner speech at the Union Club was hosted by theFirst Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope KCB,OBE, ADC and Chief of Naval Staff. Admiral Stanhope provided a for-ward-looking examination of the challenges maintaining a robust Navyat a time of fiscal restraint, and reported that the UK is pushing aheadwith the construction of two aircraft carriers. The Royal Navy is longexperienced in the importance of keeping sea lanes open to global trade
and the need to maintain operational readiness by keeping ships at sea.The First Sea Lord’s frank comments were insightful and made it clearthat we need to work together to meet challenges in a complex future.
The Canadian Chief of Maritime staff, Vice Admiral Maddison hadthis to say about the Canadian shipbuilding program:
“Propelling us forward is a new and, for Canada, unprecedentednational shipbuilding procurement strategy. Through this strategicpartnership with industry … and all with the stated intention of cre-ating and sustaining a continuous program to build ships in Canada… is something I view as an extremely positive policy developmentfor the Navy. Why? Because we're going to need ships – perhapsnever before have the world's oceans been as important to nationalsecurity and prosperity as they are today, as ocean politics both athome and abroad continues to intensify in this increasingly maritime21st-century.”
The conference closed with the address by MARPAC commanderRear Adm. Bill Truelove who said “Being able to come together to dis-cuss and debate the many maritime challenges facing us all, as well asbeing able to build on relationships that will help us navigate throughincreasingly uncertain times, I hope will prove tremendously helpfuland that these experiences will yield dividends well beyond these pastfew days.
“As a maritime nation, Canada, like the twenty other countriesrepresented in this room, has a profound interest and responsibility inensuring the safety and security of the world's oceans.”
Joe Spears has a long-standing interest in naval affairs and has family con-nections to the Royal Canadian Navy. His great-uncle Father Basil Martinof Ketch Harbor, Nova Scotia, was the RC Chaplain of the Fleet duringWorld War II and was awarded an OBE for services. Two of his uncles alsoserved at sea in the RCN in during the World War II. He spoke at the 2008Maritime Security Conference in Victoria. He can be reached [email protected].
Vice Adm. Paul Maddison, Chief of Maritime Staff and headof the Royal Canadian Navy delivers the keynote address.
Canada and the United Statesannounced the official launch of thePrince Rupert pilot project that will
facilitate greater trade and strengthen cargosecurity at the Canada-U.S. border as part ofthe Integrated Cargo Security Strategy in theBeyond the Border Action Plan. Ed Fast, Min-ister of International Trade and Minister forthe Asia-Pacific Gateway, made theannouncement today in Vancouver with JimNealon, Deputy Chief of Mission from theUnited States Embassy and Anne Callaghan,U.S. Consul General.
“The Canada-U.S. relationship is one ofthe world's greatest trade success stories andwe are working together not just at theborder, but beyond the border, to increase ourshared prosperity,” said Minister Fast. “Accel-erating the movement of secure cargobetween our two countries by removing redtape and other unnecessary barriers will con-tribute to job creation, strong economic
growth and greater long-term prosperity forhard-working Canadians and their families."
The pilot project, in operation sinceOctober 1, 2012, is located at the port ofPrince Rupert and focuses on marine cargo. Itis based on a harmonized approach developedby Canada and the United States whichallows for the screening of inbound cargoarriving from offshore. As a result, there isincreased security and the expedited move-ment of secure cargo across the Canada-U.S.border under the principle of "cleared once,accepted twice". This pilot is the first of anumber of pilots which will be undertaken byCanada and the U.S. to shape and inform theimplementation of the Integrated Cargo Secu-rity Strategy. The strategy is part of theBeyond the Border Action Plan announced byPrime Minister Harper and President Obamaon December 7, 2011.
"The pilots that will be implementedunder the Integrated Cargo Security Strategy
Canada and the U.S. announceBeyond the Border pilot project
are key to the ongoing efforts to facilitatelegitimate trade while still maintaining oursecurity mission at the border,” said U.S.Consul General Anne Callaghan. “Harmo-nization of the cargo screening processesbetween the United States and Canadashould result in a more efficient and securedsupply chain and increased competitive eco-nomic posture." Recognizing the benefits ofensuring that trade flows efficiently betweenCanada and the U.S. while also maintaininghigh security standards, this project is sup-ported by industry and business groups inCanada.
"The Beyond the Border pilot will intro-duce efficiencies in cross-border cargomovements, further enhancing Canadiancommerce with our largest trading partner,said Don Krusel, President and CEO of PrinceRupert Port Authority." And as the site of oneof the two Canadian pilot projects, we antici-pate building on the Port's reputation as aworld-class trade gateway."
Canada and the United States enjoy thelargest bilateral trading relationship in theworld, with two-way trade in goods and serv-ices reaching almost $709 billion last year.
Phot
o: R
CN O
ffice
of P
ublic
Affa
irs, C
apta
in A
nnie
Djio
tsa
sailings995p01 to 40 v7:Layout 1 11/5/12 3:03 PM Page 8
Related Documents
