The Finnish Border Guard’s chairmanship of the North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum came to an end
The Finnish Border Guard hosted the North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum’s (NACGF) Summit in Helsinki from 16 October to 19 October 2023. With this meeting, the Finnish Border Guard’s chairmanship came to an end, and the chairmanship was transferred to the Swedish Coast Guard.
The summit brought together nearly 60 chiefs and experts from coastal guard authorities from Europe and North America. During the four-day meeting, participants discussed current issues related to coastal guard operations.
The theme of the Finnish Border Guard's chairmanship was autonomous and unmanned systems, which was evident in the speeches and presentations at the meeting. Topics discussed included the impact of regulation and technological development regarding maritime autonomy, as well as cyber and hybrid threats in the maritime operating environment. One of the main topics of the meeting was a thematic paper How climate change, greening, and climate adaptation initiatives are impacting coast guard operations and functions led by the Canadian Coast Guard. Issues related to cyber security and maritime critical infrastructure were also discussed. Additionally, the meeting week included a company visit to Aker Arctic.
At the end of the meeting, the chairmanship was transferred to the Swedish Coast Guard, which will continue to develop international cooperation within the framework of the North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum in 2024.
International cooperation plays an important role in the operations of maritime authorities. By participating in the operations of the North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum, the Finnish Border Guard is able to share best practices, monitor international developments in coastal guard operations, and effectively enhance its own capabilities.
- The meeting was a great success, says captain Juha Vuolle from the Finnish Border Guard Headquarters who chaired this year's Forum Secretariat.
- The arrangements went according to plan and the issues discussed at the meeting were particularly important and topical this year. The NACGF cooperation is going strong after the end of the Finnish chairmanship and we are pleased to hand over the chairmanship of the Forum to the Swedish Coast Guard.
The North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum (NACGF) was established in 2007. The forum's aim is to promote cooperation and information exchange among coastal guard authorities in matters related to maritime security and coastal guard operations. The members of the forum consist of coastal guard authorities from the Baltic Sea region, Western and Southern Europe, as well as North America. Additionally, decentralized maritime agencies of the European Union participate in the activities.
More information:
captain Juha Vuolle, juha.vuolle(at)raja.fi
project manager Heikki Kontro, heikki.kontro(at)raja.fi
The Finnish Border Guard has received funding from the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund to develop coastal guard cooperation and to carry through the chairmanship.
European Union
