In the picture, from left: Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė, Co-founder at the Council on Geostrategy, Charlotte Kleberg, Associate Fellow at the Council on Geostrategy, Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre, and representative of Wallenius Lines, Lt Cdr David Carter, Merchant Navy Liaison Officer, Royal Navy, Emma Salisbury, Sea Power Research Fellow, Council on Geostrategy, Eric Ebeling, President and CEO, American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC), Chris Chant, Deputy Director, Ministry of Defence
The seminar was held on June 13 at the Army and Navy Club in London and is part of the Maritime Leaders Programme, which brings together the maritime leaders of tomorrow. Wallenius Lines is the main sponsor of the programme. The seminar focused on how civilian merchant vessels are becoming increasingly important as strategic national assets, and why collaboration between merchant and military fleets needs to improve – a highly relevant topic given today’s geopolitical security situation.
- Eric Ebeling, President and CEO, American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC)
- Chris Heibel, COO, American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC)
- Lt Cdr David Carter, Merchant Navy Liaison Officer, Royal Navy
- Chris Chant, Deputy Director, Ministry of Defence
Opening speaker was Charlotte Kleberg, educated in maritime strategy and defence policy, Associate Fellow at the Council on Geostrategy, Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre, and representative of Wallenius Lines.
Key topics of the seminar
In an uncertain world, collaboration between civilian and military maritime actors is becoming increasingly vital to secure supply chains in times of crisis. The seminar addressed several major challenges:
- Lack of vessel capacity: National merchant fleets have shrunk, making it difficult to scale up quickly when needed.
- Weak cooperation: There are insufficient routines, exchanges, exercises, and mutual understanding between shipping companies and defence forces.
- Lack of incentives: Few countries offer support or legal frameworks that encourage shipping companies to contribute to national defence efforts.
Key insights
- Collaboration is crucial: Improved cooperation and joint exercises between defence forces and civilian actors build trust.
- National incentives are needed: Support and regulations are essential to make it easier for shipping companies to contribute.
- Shared global challenges: Many countries face the same issues, making international cooperation important. The United States has made significant progress in civil-military cooperation and offers financial incentives for shipping companies to make vessels available when needed.
- The merchant fleet is a vital national resource: It must be ready when it truly matters.
What does this mean in a swedish context?
Several of the seminar’s key questions are directly relevant to Sweden:
- How can the role of the merchant fleet in total defence be strengthened?
- How can civilian and military actors train together in practice?
- Does Sweden need to introduce incentive structures to ensure maritime transport capacity in times of crisis
Many of the issues discussed in London will now be brought to Almedalen Week in Sweden, where Wallenius Lines and Nordic Way Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Wallenius Lines, is organizing a seminar on civil-military cooperation in shipping and how Sweden can strengthen its preparedness in its new NATO role. Read more about our Almedalen seminar here.