Germany and Norway propose to strengthen the protection of underwater infrastructure

20 October, 2024 Nuclear submarine HMS Vanguard. Photo: Royal Navy Germany and Norway propose establishing five underwater monitoring centers to protect NATO's critical underwater infrastructure.

Hartpunkt reported on this. Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius agreed to this on October 17, 2024, on the sidelines of the NATO Defense Ministers meeting in Brussels. The two ministers signed a declaration on a proposal to further strengthen NATO's role in protecting critical undersea infrastructure in the vast maritime areas of the Alliance's responsibility.

Communication cable between Sweden and Estonia

"Germany and Norway are determined to move this important work forward.

The Alliance has vast maritime areas in the Black, Mediterranean, Atlantic, and North and Baltic Seas. They are full of underwater infrastructure that ensures the safe transportation of energy and communications. That is why we must continue to work closely together," Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram stated.

"Hybrid attacks on critical undersea infrastructure pose a significant threat to our economy, communications, and energy supply. Norway and Germany have come up with concrete joint proposals to build on this initial initiative and further strengthen NATO's role in protecting critical undersea infrastructure," German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius noted. Maritime security centers for critical underwater infrastructure

NATO has recently opened a new Maritime Centre for Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure (CUI) to protect thousands of kilometers of undersea cables and pipelines. This center ensures interoperability between Allied forces. It assists the UK Allied Maritime Command in making decisions, deploying forces, and coordinating activities.

The center achieved initial operational capability in May 2024. Norway and Germany also propose to establish five regional CUI centers for five maritime areas: the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea. One or more Allied partners could operate these five centers.

They are designed to monitor underwater infrastructure and share expertise on the local underwater environment. Norway offers to host a CUI center for the High North. Germany is ready to assume responsibility in the Baltic Sea.

In June 2024, Russian civilian vessels were suspected of spying on North Sea infrastructure.

According to Belgium's security and intelligence services, Russian civilian vessels are spying on North Sea infrastructure.

The study found that non-military Russian vessels have been spying on pipelines and cables in the North Sea for years, and this is happening on a much larger scale than previously reported.