MIPS Holds Security Roundtable Discussion

Experts in maritime infrastructure protection participated in a roundtable discussion, Feb. 27, during a Maritime Infrastructure Protection Symposium (MIPS) hosted by U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT). A five-member panel with diverse backgrounds in military, government and the private sector fielded questions from MIPS participants ranging from the private sector's role in maritime protection, to security vulnerabilities, to the pros and cons of information sharing.

A panel member started the discussion by saying that dealing with asymmetrical threats makes them harder to identify. "We're faced with an enemy that is not organizational, and is not state actors," said Sean Moon, a senior policy advisor with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Among the panel members and participants, there was consensus that governments and private sectors possess limited resources to protect infrastructures. A participant asked panel members their thoughts on how security vulnerabilities might be better protected given these limited resources. One panel member suggested that a critical component is empowering the private sector to put security measures in place. This is the first year NAVCENT has hosted MIPS, which is designed to improve the defense and crisis response of partner, coalition and infrastructure-related organizations. The symposium brings together industry professionals, security personnel and maritime corporations with regional and coalition partners.