Norway and Germany join forces to strengthen undersea infrastructure protection

Recent events, such as the attacks on the Nord-Stream and Baltic Connector pipelines, have underscored the vulnerability of undersea infrastructure to sabotage. These networks are essential for delivering energy and ensuring global communications, making their protection vital for the stability of economies, national security, and the defence of the NATO Alliance. Recognising these risks, the new Norwegian-German proposal aims to bolster NATO’s capabilities to deter, detect, and respond to threats against these critical systems.

“Germany and Norway are determined to take this important work forward,” said Norway’s Defence Minister, Bjørn Arild Gram. “As an Alliance, we cover vast maritime areas that contain critical undersea infrastructure, which ensures the safe delivery of energy and communication. We need to continue joining forces to protect these vital networks from potential threats.”

Germany’s Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, echoed this sentiment, stressing the importance of maritime security for NATO as a whole. “Hybrid attacks against critical underwater infrastructure pose a considerable threat to our economy, our communications, and our energy supply. Together, Germany and Norway have made concrete proposals to strengthen NATO’s role in protecting these infrastructures as part of our overall deterrence and defence. We invite all Allies to join us in this initiative and contribute their maritime knowledge and capabilities.”

Since the proposal was first introduced in 2022, NATO and its Allies have taken significant steps to strengthen the protection of undersea infrastructure. One major achievement was the launch of NATO’s Maritime Centre for Security of Critical Undersea Infrastructure (CUI), which reached its Initial Operational Capability in May 2024. This centre, located in the United Kingdom, serves as a networking and knowledge hub, assisting NATO’s Allied Maritime Command in making decisions, deploying forces, and coordinating actions to protect undersea systems.

The new Norwegian-German initiative proposes further advancements, including the establishment of five regional hubs dedicated to monitoring and safeguarding undersea infrastructure in key maritime zones. These hubs, which could be hosted by individual Allies or groups of Allies, would improve situational awareness and enhance NATO’s ability to detect suspicious activities in the underwater domain.

The five proposed hubs would cover the Baltic Sea, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Black Sea. Each hub would bring in regional expertise and capabilities to provide round-the-clock monitoring of undersea infrastructure. Personnel and resources from national authorities would be mobilised to detect, deter, and respond to potential threats. Norway has already offered to implement a hub for the High North, while Germany has committed to taking responsibility for the Baltic Sea region.

This new initiative reflects the growing recognition among NATO members of the importance of securing critical undersea infrastructure as part of broader efforts to protect the Alliance’s security and economic stability. “Maritime security is crucial not only for Germany and Norway but for all NATO partners,” said Pistorius. “We invite all Allies to contribute their unique maritime knowledge and capabilities to help secure these vital infrastructures from a 360-degree perspective.”

The creation of the regional CUI hubs will ensure that NATO can respond more effectively to potential threats and attacks on undersea networks. These hubs are expected to work closely with national authorities, sharing intelligence and coordinating responses to any emerging risks. The initiative also aims to strengthen cooperation among NATO members in areas such as technology development, intelligence sharing, and crisis management.