Nautilus head of international relations Danny McGowan reports on efforts to make national governments understand the vital role of the Merchant Navy in national security
On 8 May, I had the opportunity to present research developed jointly by Nautilus International and Nautilus Federation affiliate the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots (MM&P) to NATO's Transport Group Ocean Shipping (TGOS).
Members will be aware of the report from previous articles, but it remains relevant as the decline of national merchant fleets and the shrinking supply of domestically trained seafarers across NATO countries continues to be a concern for maritime unions, whether their country is a member of the defensive alliance or not. While often viewed as an economic challenge, it is increasingly becoming a question of national resilience and security.
Representatives from several member countries – referred to as allies within NATO meetings – highlighted common concerns around recruitment and retention. One of the allies stressed the importance of making maritime careers more attractive, particularly for women, providing an opportunity to discuss the work being undertaken by Nautilus, the ETF and the ITF to support diversity and inclusion across the industry.
Another ally spoke about difficulties attracting younger people into deep-sea shipping, while Germany highlighted demographic pressures and the need for better working conditions, greater job security and more stable employment. These contributions reinforced a key finding of the report: the maritime sector faces structural workforce challenges that cannot be solved without addressing the realities of life at sea. It also gave me the opportunity to refer to the Nautilus Federation’s report on recruitment and retention.
The discussion also focused on resilience during times of crisis. Other allies outlined work being undertaken to assess wartime crewing requirements and raised concerns about the availability of foreign seafarers in a conflict scenario, with a small number of meeting attendees arguing that discussions should examine not only a vessel's flag state but also where ships are owned and effectively controlled.
While there were different perspectives around the table, there was broad agreement that maritime transport remains an essential but often overlooked component of national resilience.
Perhaps the most significant outcome was a proposal that NATO should convene a summit focused on transport workers and seafarers. Such a meeting would be a welcome development. Too often, discussions about maritime capability focus on ships and infrastructure while overlooking the workforce that makes the system function.
The conversation is only beginning. Nautilus will continue working with trade unions across NATO countries to ensure that the voice of maritime professionals is heard. As governments increasingly recognise the strategic importance of shipping, there is a real opportunity to move these issues from discussion to action.
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