CIMSEC: The Center for International Maritime Security

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CIMSEC: The Center for International Maritime Security Non-partisan think tank building a global community of practitioners and academics in maritime security. CIMSEC is a non-profit, non-partisan think tank.

The Center for International Maritime Security is a non-profit, non-partisan think tank. Formed in 2012, it brings together forward-thinkers from a variety of fields to examine the capabilities, threats, hotspots, and opportunities for security in the maritime domain. We encourage a diversity of views. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the official viewpoints or policies of the contributor’s employers, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. For media inquiries please contact [email protected]

"Why Modern Navies Still Need a Mine Countermeasures Force in the Age of Artificial Intelligence", by Admiral Massimo Vi...
09/30/2026

"Why Modern Navies Still Need a Mine Countermeasures Force in the Age of Artificial Intelligence", by Admiral Massimo Vianello, Italian Navy (Ret.) and Master Chief Petty Officer Giovanni Giorguli, Italian Navy (Ret.)

Even as artificial intelligence and autonomous systems transform naval warfare, naval mines remain a low-cost threat capable of disrupting operations, restricting access, and imposing significant costs on modern fleets. Effective mine countermeasures will therefore continue to require a dedicated force that combines advanced technology with specialized expertise and the ability to operate in complex maritime environments.



By Admiral Massimo Vianello, Italian Navy (Ret.) and Master Chief Petty Officer Giovanni Giorguli, Italian Navy (Ret.) Introduction Throughout naval history, few weapons have demonstrated the strategic endurance of the naval mine. Despite successive advances in military technology, it remains a high...

"Hymn to Hai Kun: The Gap Between Ceremony and Capability", by Meng Kit TangChina’s first domestically built aircraft ca...
09/28/2026

"Hymn to Hai Kun: The Gap Between Ceremony and Capability", by Meng Kit Tang

China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier, Fujian, has drawn significant attention as a symbol of the country’s growing naval ambitions and industrial capacity. Yet the gap between ceremonial displays and operational capability highlights the importance of examining training, doctrine, logistics, and real-world readiness—not just platforms and public demonstrations.



By Meng Kit Tang A Myth Before the Launch In June 2026, the chairman of Taiwan's China Shipbuilding Corporation's (CSBC), announced that the Hai Kun submarine was "on track" for delivery in 2026, but something else he said was even more telling. He added that pressure from the People's Republic of C...

"What Naval Power Cannot Buy", by Hervé AuffretNaval power can deter aggression and secure access, but ships alone canno...
09/25/2026

"What Naval Power Cannot Buy", by Hervé Auffret

Naval power can deter aggression and secure access, but ships alone cannot build the institutions, relationships, information systems, and rules that sustain maritime order. Effective maritime strategy therefore requires persistent engagement through coast guards, security cooperation, information infrastructure, and international institutions alongside traditional naval power.



By Hervé Auffret Ships can deter a competitor, compel a rival, and es**rt a convoy. What they cannot do is build the institutions, relationships, information systems, and rules that keep maritime order running when the guns are silent. China has worked this out. Washington and most of its partners ...

CIMSEC Call For Articles: Fiction Week 2026In annual tradition, CIMSEC will be featuring a series of short stories that ...
09/24/2026

CIMSEC Call For Articles: Fiction Week 2026

In annual tradition, CIMSEC will be featuring a series of short stories that explore the nature of conflict and competition through fiction.

Authors are invited to craft gripping narratives that illuminate the unforeseen and carve realistic detail into visions of future conflict. Send all submissions to [email protected].

For past CIMSEC Fiction Weeks, feel free to view our 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, and 2020 fiction lineups.



Stories Due: November 10, 2026 Week Dates: December 7-11, 2026 Story Length: 1,500-3,000 Words Submit to: [email protected] By Brian Kerg In annual tradition, CIMSEC will be featuring a series of short stories that explore the nature of conflict and competition through fiction. Fiction has long ser...

"Review of Polar War: Submarines, Spies, and the Struggle for Power in a Melting Arctic", by Kenneth R. RosenThe Arctic ...
09/23/2026

"Review of Polar War: Submarines, Spies, and the Struggle for Power in a Melting Arctic", by Kenneth R. Rosen

The Arctic is becoming an increasingly important arena for strategic competition as climate change opens new waterways and exposes previously inaccessible resources and operating areas. Submarines, intelligence operations, and great-power rivalry are shaping the future of security in a rapidly changing Arctic.



by Tatum Delaney The countdown ticks forward, each second marching the Arctic ice closer to its liquid form. Some see opportunity in what will be left behind: new sea lanes, access to resources, and expanded commercial activity. Others see danger in a region where governance structures and territori...

Sea Control 610 — Offshore Rocket LaunchersTom Marrotta, CEO of The Spaceport Company, joins discuss the use of mobile o...
09/22/2026

Sea Control 610 — Offshore Rocket Launchers

Tom Marrotta, CEO of The Spaceport Company, joins discuss the use of mobile offshore platforms for launching rockets, and the future of space access.



Tom Marrotta, CEO of The Spaceport Company, joins the program to talk about the use of mobile offshore platforms for launching rockets, and the future of space access. Tom Marotta is CEO of The Spaceport Company, leading the team that operates America's only commercial launch pad ship. Previously, T...

"The Surface Navy in an AI World: Rethinking the FFX", by James J. WirtzAs artificial intelligence and autonomous system...
09/21/2026

"The Surface Navy in an AI World: Rethinking the FFX", by James J. Wirtz

As artificial intelligence and autonomous systems reshape naval warfare, the future frigate may need to do more than carry weapons—it could serve as the human command node within a distributed network of unmanned systems. Rethinking the FFX around human-machine teaming, spiral development, and integration with LUSVs, MUSVs, and XLUUVs could give the Navy greater combat capability without simply building a smaller version of today’s destroyers.



By James J. Wirtz No one disagrees that the Navy has not had much luck constructing warships this century. It also continues to face significant challenges when building the next small surface combatant, the Future Frigate (FFX). It is becoming increasingly difficult to pack meaningful warfighting c...

"Strategic Messaging, Deterrence, and RIMPAC 26", by Adam LockyerMajor maritime exercises like RIMPAC do more than build...
09/19/2026

"Strategic Messaging, Deterrence, and RIMPAC 26", by Adam Lockyer

Major maritime exercises like RIMPAC do more than build interoperability—they can also communicate strategic intent and shape perceptions of deterrence. RIMPAC 2026 highlights the value of multinational cooperation, but reorienting future exercises toward realistic regional scenarios could sharpen their strategic messaging and better prepare partners for a contested Pacific.



By Adam Lockyer Between June 24 to July 31, Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2026 took place on and around the Hawaiian Islands. RIMPAC is the world’s largest international exercise. In this, its 30th iteration, RIMPAC boasted 25,000 personnel, 40 surface ships, 5 submarines, and 140 aircraft....

"Beyond Drug Seizures: What Nigeria’s M**h Labs Reveal About the Flow of Transnational Crime", by Ebunoluwa George Ojo-A...
09/16/2026

"Beyond Drug Seizures: What Nigeria’s M**h Labs Reveal About the Flow of Transnational Crime", by Ebunoluwa George Ojo-Ami and Dr. Ian Ralby

Recent methamphetamine lab discoveries in Nigeria suggest West Africa is evolving from a transit corridor into a hub for illicit drug production. As criminal networks localize production, maritime security efforts will need to track precursor chemicals, logistics, and financial networks—not just finished narcotics.



By Ebunoluwa George Ojo-Ami and Dr. Ian Ralby The recent discovery of covert methamphetamine laboratories in southwestern Nigeria should not be viewed simply as another successful drug raid. Instead, these operations provide a glimpse into an emerging reality, revealing a fundamental shift in how tr...

"Elemental Leverage: How the United States Can Stop China’s Rare-Earths Squeeze Before the Next Crisis", by Josh Richard...
09/16/2026

"Elemental Leverage: How the United States Can Stop China’s Rare-Earths Squeeze Before the Next Crisis", by Josh Richards and Joseph Hanacek

China’s control over rare-earth processing and magnet production creates vulnerabilities for U.S. defense and technology supply chains. Strengthening domestic and allied production, processing, reserves, and recycling can reduce this strategic dependence.



By Josh Richards and Joseph Hanacek The Elemental Weapon When China threatens to close its fist, the world listens. In August 2025, Li Chenggang, Beijing’s chief trade negotiator, didn’t bother with euphemism. If the United States continued tightening controls on advanced technologies, he warned...

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