What are the key maritime security centers of the world? Singapore is clearly one of them. Institutions such as the Navy’s Information Fusion Centre (IFC) or the RSIS think tank‘s maritime security programme are major hubs for the international debate.

Over the last few days I was back in the city for discussions on the Strait of Hormuz crisis and for IFC’s annual flagship capacity-building programme, the Regional Maritime Security Practitioners Programme (RMPP). It was illuminating to discuss what the current Strait of Hormuz crisis means for Southeast Asia, for Singapore’s shipping industry, and for maritime security more broadly.

On one side, the growing shift toward grey-zone tactics at sea, the decline of traditional naval hegemony, and the new politicisation of strategic waterways are unsettling trends that demand sharper analytical tools. On the other side, the shipping industry remains remarkably resilient, and new thinking on maritime security and peace is gaining real momentum.

🙏 Big thanks to the Danish Embassy and Jakob Brix Tange for hosting a dinner with shipping industry representatives, to Darshana Mozinder Baruah and International Institute for Strategic Studies for organizing an afternoon seminar on the Hormuz crisis, and to RSIS and IFC for flying me in and giving me the chance to discuss maritime security trends with the RMPP participants.

It was also a privilege to witness the 50th anniversary of IFC’s Shared Awareness Meeting, one of Southeast Asia’s premier exchanges on the state of maritime security and what it means for industry. Digital interference — the jamming and spoofing of navigational signals — was the biggest concern raised this time.

Also wonderful to catch up with so many old friends in the maritime field. I already look forward to return to Singapore next year.