The international security conference MS&D - Maritime Security & Defence Conference - will take place this afternoon. Around 200 participants are expected at the fully booked International Maritime Museum Hamburg, including high-ranking representatives of European navies and coast guards as well as officials from government and industry.
Against the backdrop of increasing geopolitical tensions, strengthening military capabilities in Germany and among European allies has become a central priority. According to a recent analysis by consulting firm McKinsey, European NATO members alone will need to invest an additional €165 billion annually in military equipment. “In the naval sector, the need for exchange, strategic orientation and cooperation is greater than ever,” says Claus Ulrich Selbach, Vice President Exhibitions at Hamburg Messe und Congress. “This is precisely where MS&D places its focus – on acceleration and collaboration.”
Cooperation as the key: Voices from industry
Events like today’s conference are essential, confirms Wolf Rüdiger von Toll, Business Director Navy at the classification and advisory company DNV: “MS&D provides a platform to bring ideas together and discuss new approaches to maritime security and the industry. Exchange is crucial, because these challenges can only be addressed through close cooperation. The conference creates space to set priorities, drive innovation and identify more efficient processes.”
This year, MS&D is being held for the first time not as part of the leading international maritime trade fair SMM, but as an independent forum bringing together the maritime security and defence community. “I am impressed to see MS&D taking place as a stand-alone event for the first time. This is an important milestone for this platform of international experts in maritime security. And the International Maritime Museum Hamburg is the perfect venue,” says Jörg Dammrich, Head of Business Unit Naval Surface Combatants at technology company Anschütz.
Strategic insights: Keynotes and panels
One of the keynote speakers is Admiral (ret.) Joachim Rühle, former Chief of Staff at NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). In his keynote, he outlines the current security situation in Europe. This is followed by a discussion on EU initiatives such as Readiness 2030, aimed at strengthening Europe’s defence capability.
In another keynote, Norbert Blumenthal, Deputy Director General for Armament III at the German Federal Ministry of Defence, explains the procurement priorities at both national and European level. Understanding these parameters is crucial for industry – for established companies as well as newcomers entering the defence sector for the first time.
“We need young companies with smart ideas that bring new technologies into the defence sector,” says Rear Admiral (ret.) Karsten Schneider, President of the German Maritime Institute (DMI), which is responsible for programme development and speaker selection. The two panels, “New German Programs” and “Business and the Bundeswehr”, will explore concrete projects as well as the challenges and obstacles facing companies wishing to engage in the defence market. “The factor of time is critical for restoring our defence capabilities,” Schneider emphasises. “Our conference can provide important impetus to better connect industry, procurement authorities and the navy.”
About MS&D
The Maritime Security & Defence Conference (MS&D) is Germany’s only international specialist conference dedicated to maritime security and defence. It brings together senior representatives from the military, politics, industry and academia, addressing geopolitical challenges, European procurement strategies and technological developments – from unmanned systems to dual-use innovation.
MS&D is firmly anchored within the SMM, the world’s leading maritime trade fair held every two years in Hamburg. With the MS&D Special 2025, the conference is being hosted for the first time as an independent event outside the trade fair context – focused, compact and with a special emphasis on European procurement.
