Held in Cork, Ireland, European Maritime Day (EMD) 2025 brought together over 1000 maritime professionals to exchange ideas, forge partnerships, and discuss the future of maritime security, innovation, and sustainability.
Frontex, current Chair of the Tripartite Working Arrangement (TWA) with the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), actively contributed to EMD 2025 highlighting the strategic value of interagency cooperation under the European Maritime Security Strategy (EUMSS) and its Action Plan.
At a joint interagency stand, EFCA, EMSA, and Frontex showcased how their cooperation under the Tripartite Working Arrangement contributes to maritime security through endeavours such as Multipurpose Maritime Operations (MMOs), real-time surveillance, cross-sector training, and joint risk analysis. This year also marked a double celebration: 20 years of Frontex and 20 years of EFCA, commemorating two decades of excellence in border management and fisheries control, respectively.
A key moment of the event was the interagency panel on 23 May, moderated by DG MARE Director-General Ms Charlina Vitcheva, featuring Dr Lars Gerdes (Frontex Deputy Director for Operations), Dr Susan Steele (EFCA Executive Director), and Ms Maja Markovčić Kostelac (EMSA Executive Director). The session focused on the agencies’ crucial role in the EUMSS and explored how they are adapting their cooperation to tackle hybrid threats, cybersecurity risks, shadow fleets, and growing environmental pressures.
The Frontex DED-OPS underscored the role of MMOs – set by the EUMSS for further expansion as a key tool for strengthening maritime preparedness – as a platform for faster operational response, capacity sharing, and efficient use of resources. The panel also explored the responsible integration of AI and autonomous systems in operations, including for enhancing SAR capacities, while acknowledging the need for strong cyber resilience and regulatory frameworks that keep pace with technological advancements.
Frontex’s participation in EMD 2025 reaffirmed its dual role as an operational actor and a strategic partner, committed to securing Europe’s maritime domain – rooted in cooperation, innovation, and a shared commitment to protecting the Union’s maritime borders.
