The 8th International Maritime Security Conference (IMSC) was held at the Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore on 4 May 2023. Held in conjunction with the International Maritime Defence Exhibition, otherwise (IMDEX) Asia 2023, the event featured distinguished speakers including Chiefs of Navy, Heads of Coast Guard, policy makers, and prominent academics.
The theme for the 8th IMSC was “Safe and Secure Seas – Emerging Stronger as a Maritime Community”. Panellists and participants shared their assessments on developments in the maritime security environment, and considered how the maritime community with its various stakeholders can work together to protect the maritime commons. With coast guards and maritime law enforcement agencies playing larger roles in contributing to security at sea, dialogue involving all stakeholders in the maritime domain was central to the event. The 8th IMSC featured a special session to lead a discussion on the roles of coast guards and maritime law enforcement agencies. It was attended by more than 400 international and local participants.
In conjunction with the 8th IMSC, RSIS also hosted a series of track 2 side lines event featuring prominent academics and policy makers. Highlights include a fireside chat which featured Brigadier General (BG) Ng Pak Shun, Group Chief, Policy & Strategy, MINDEF Transformation, MINDEF, Singapore. RSIS and the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources & Security (ANCORS) also co-hosted a closed-door workshop on “Military Access in Maritime Southeast Asia”.
