by Vice Admiral Ahmed Saeed HI(M)
President, National Institute of Maritime Affairs, Pakistan
Pursuing a truly comprehensive understanding of “Maritime Security” necessitates a deep dive into its conceptual evolution, an arduous analysis of contemporary global governance architecture, and a keen awareness of its dynamic forces. “Maritime Security” broadly encompasses protecting vital maritime domains of the world’s oceans, seas, and crucial waterways from a complex and evolving spectrum of threats and vulnerabilities.
Maritime security is defined by a multifaceted approach, incorporating integrated policies, adaptive strategies, proactive activities, and robust measures. These are meticulously designed to safeguard maritime commerce, strategically important infrastructure, the delicate marine environment, and its invaluable biodiversity. The increasing interconnectedness of the world and the rapid pace of technological change, together with our dependence on the ocean’s resources and maritime pathways, make ‘Maritime Security’ a critical necessity with global implications. It is now rightly recognised as an indispensable element of effective ocean governance and a fundamental pillar of sustainable development for all. Alfred Thayer Mahan, whose insights on naval strategy remain highly influential, remarked that “mastery of the sea through naval supremacy is the key to the rise of ‘Maritime Power’ as it helps safeguard maritime nations’ sovereignty, territorial integrity, and interests“.
The burgeoning expansion of trade and travel across the seas, facilitated by their relative safety and economic advantages compared to overland routes, inevitably spurred the development of legal frameworks to govern maritime activities and ensure the well-being of seafarers. While the ancient Egyptians were pioneers in widespread shipping, any rudimentary maritime legal codes they may have developed remain lost to the annals of history. The earliest documented maritime legal codes, providing structure and order for ships and shipping, emerged between 900 and 300 BCE, later preserved and codified in the Roman Law Digest of 530 AD. Rome’s rise to maritime prominence coincided with the Punic Wars of the 3rd Century BC. Given their close alliance with the Rhodians, it is highly probable that Roman maritime law was significantly influenced by the established legal traditions of Rhodes (modern-day Greece), often regarded as the “cradle of maritime jurisprudence”. The “Rhodian Sea Law”, the maritime code of the later Eastern Roman Empire dating from the 7th or 8th Century AD, is a testament to this enduring legacy. From these initial codes in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, maritime law gradually and organically evolved into the intricate and comprehensive system of rules that governs seafaring activities across successive historical epochs. Significant milestones, like the Treaty of Ghent (1814) and its “Cannon Shot Rule“, which for the first time defined the extent of territorial waters as extending to the range of a “Cannon Shot” from the shore, approximately three nautical miles, marked crucial turning points in this continuous evolution.
The long-standing and often vigorous debate between “Mare Liberum” (freedom of the seas) and “Mare Clausum” (closed seas) has profoundly shaped the very foundations of maritime legal thinking. In his seminal treatise “Mare Liberum” (1609), Hugo Grotius advocated that “seas should remain free for navigation and commerce”, laying the groundwork for the modern doctrine of “freedom of the seas”. Conversely, in his “Mare Clausum”, John Selden forcefully argued for “exclusive sovereign rights over designated maritime zones”. The enduring echoes of this historical debate continue to resonate in contemporary geopolitical challenges, particularly in the complex dynamics of the South China Sea, concerning competing sovereignty claims over artificial island archipelagos, the fundamental principle of freedom of navigation, the right of innocent passage, the increasingly important use of underwater drones, and the imperative to maintain a robust and universally respected rules-based order.
The post-World War II era represented a transformative period for maritime law’s codification and progressive development. The Truman Proclamation (1945), asserting U.S. jurisdiction over its continental shelf for resource exploitation, triggered a cascade of similar claims by other nations, highlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive and universally accepted international legal framework. This imperative led the United Nations to assume a central and guiding role in the evolution of maritime law. This process, initiated in 1958, ultimately concluded in the modern international maritime legal regime, comprehensively embodied in the “United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 82)”. Widely acclaimed as the “Constitution of the Ocean,” UNCLOS embodies a range of fundamental principles, including the 12 nautical miles territorial sea, the 200 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and robust provisions for the peaceful settlement of disputes through both arbitration and judicial mechanisms. UNCLOS conceptualises the maritime domain as a “Global Commons”, a shared heritage of all humankind, emphasising the collective responsibility to safeguard our oceans for the benefit of present and future generations. It promotes effective ocean governance through collaborative partnerships between international organisations and maritime nations, prioritising the “Common Good” through the maintenance of good order at sea, the promotion of sustainable development, the proactive prevention and skilful management of crises, safeguarding the fragile marine environment and preserving its rich biodiversity, the urgent mitigation of climate change, and the resolute combatting of “Blue Crimes”.
UNCLOS-82 provides the overarching legal framework for “Maritime Security”. While the global governance of maritime security is prominent on the United Nations agenda, no single agency has been explicitly mandated to coordinate this complex and multifaceted field. The UN Security Council addresses these critical issues on an “ad hoc” basis, responding to specific threats and crises as they arise. Despite the existence of a general coordination mechanism, a truly integrated and holistic “Maritime Security” mechanism remains a critically important gap. The Security Council has engaged in numerous discussions, often inconclusive, concerning developing a UN-sponsored, cohesive, and effective maritime network. Under present arrangements, five principal UN agencies and 24 others administer significant “Maritime Security” programs under diverse, often overlapping mandates. These agencies include the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
As previously noted, the UN’s current maritime governance structure does not provide a cohesive and unified approach, particularly when it comes to ensuring consistent technical assistance, uniform norms and standards, and a shared understanding of UNCLOS provisions. Regional actors have developed comprehensive programs, adaptive strategies, and policy frameworks for their respective member states to address this critical deficiency, offering more tailored, responsive, and effective governance models. These include various initiatives, such as Maritime Security Cooperation agreements, information-sharing centres, contact groups, navy-to-navy forums, globally operating NGOs, influential think tanks and dedicated university research programs. Maritime Security is being addressed through a complex and often overlapping interplay of formal and informal governance arrangements and organisations.
The growing strategic importance of “Maritime Security,” driven by the continuing expansion of maritime activities and ever-increasing reliance on the world’s seas and oceans, has significantly elevated the crucial role of regional initiatives. Regionally led and owned maritime arrangements are vital complements to the UN’s broader agenda of promoting good governance at sea through collaborative multinational efforts. Since 2004, Pakistan, being a responsible maritime nation and a key stakeholder in the region, has actively and consistently participated in multinational maritime security operations, including those conducted under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) framework (Task Forces (TFs) 150 and 151). The Pakistan Navy established Regional Maritime Security Patrols (RMSP) to further reinforce these collaborative maritime security endeavours, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to regional stability and maritime diplomacy. Against this backdrop of evolving strategic dynamics, the Pakistan Navy, in 2007, launched the AMAN Exercise, a visionary initiative explicitly designed to bolster regional maritime security and stability. Held biennially under the inspiring and universally resonant theme “Together for Peace”, AMAN has matured into a highly effective and impactful platform for international cooperation and a key event in the maritime calendar. It provides an invaluable shared space for participating navies to exchange innovative ideas, observe, learn, and implement best practices, forge standard and Standardised Operating Procedures (SOPs) and communication protocols essential for seamless interoperability, and critically formulate collaborative strategies to mitigate evolving and increasingly complex challenges, including the escalating and multifaceted threat of “Blue Crimes”. This year, AMAN 2025, scheduled from 7-11 February in Karachi, will proudly host participants from over 60 countries, including a potent and dynamic mix of ships, aircraft, Special Operations Forces (SOFs), and high-level delegations. The “AMAN Dialogue” has been strategically integrated into the event’s overall architecture to amplify the forum’s impact further and broaden its strategic scope. Hosted by the Pakistan Navy and co-hosted by the National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA), this timely and significant addition promises to elevate AMAN to new heights of diplomatic engagement, collaborative problem-solving, and proactive partnership in pursuing shared maritime security objectives.
The AMAN Dialogue’s compelling logo, “Secure Seas, Prosperous Future”, eloquently encapsulates the initiative’s core objective. Over 120 delegates, including more than 25 Chiefs of Navies, Heads of Coast Guards, and representatives from a wide range of maritime security agencies, will participate in this important event. Inaugurating this highly anticipated maiden event, the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf NI(M) T.Bt, will articulate the strategic vision that underpins the AMAN Dialogue and its critical role in promoting maritime security cooperation. The two-day program comprises eight focused sessions, addressing the full spectrum of maritime security activities and challenges. Discussions will encompass the efficacy and potential improvements of existing maritime security mechanisms, the evolving threat of maritime terrorism, the growing problem of “Blue Crimes”, the increasingly important role of navies in “Green Defence” initiatives, the transformative potential of emerging technologies, the complex challenges of cybersecurity, the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on maritime operations, the proliferation of low-cost but highly effective weapons, the growing vulnerability of subsea data cables, the increasing frequency and intensity of maritime disasters and other impending maritime concerns.
Pursuing maritime security in the 21st century is a complex equation, balancing historical precedent, present challenges, and future uncertainties. From ancient maritime codes to UNCLOS, the concept has constantly evolved, shaped by geopolitics and the changing maritime landscape. The enduring tension between open seas and sovereign claims, echoing the “Mare Liberum/Clausum” debate, highlights the ongoing quest for consensus and “effective maritime diplomacy”. While UNCLOS provides the legal bedrock, the lack of a unified global authority highlights the crucial role of regional initiatives and “incentivising collaborative solutions”. The AMAN Exercise, now significantly amplified by the AMAN Dialogue, epitomises this “diplomacy-driven” approach. Embracing many perspectives, including naval commanders, policymakers, academicians, and experts, ignites dialogue, fosters understanding, and drives collaborative strategy. AMAN incentivises maritime diplomacy by providing a neutral platform for nations to engage, build trust, address shared concerns, and enhance integration, cohesion, and interoperability. As technology rapidly transforms the maritime domain, creating both opportunities and vulnerabilities, these platforms for maritime diplomacy become ever more vital. From “piracy and terrorism” to “cyber threats, Blue Crimes, and subsea infrastructure protection”, the AMAN Dialogue, under the powerful banner of “Secure Seas, Prosperous Future,” is key to safeguarding our oceans. Mahan’s vision of sea power remains relevant. Today, the command is achieved through dominance, partnership, diplomatic engagement, and a shared commitment to a secure and sustainable maritime future.
