Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Connor Burns | NEWPORT, R.I.— Students attending the Maritime Security and Governance Staff Course...... read more read more
NEWPORT, R.I. – The U.S. Naval War College's International Programs (IP) department completed its 22-week Maritime Security and Governance Staff Course (MSGSC) onboard Naval Station Newport, Sept. 27 – Feb. 28.
A professional military education course, MSGSC was introduced in 2022 to provide mid-grade officers from multi-mission navies and coast guards the knowledge and skills to effectively promote and achieve maritime security and good maritime governance in their national and regional waters. The course is also available to government officials of equivalent rank.
"MSGSC builds durable relationships with allied and partner maritime forces and deepens our shared commitment to global security,” said Robert S. Winneg, acting dean of NWC’s IP Department.
Winneg added that these relationships, built on mutual interests, enhance U.S. ability to project power and work with partners to counter the influence of adversaries.
The event brought together 41 mid-career officers representing 34 nations to explore the strategic and operational aspects of shared maritime challenges that threaten global safety, maritime power and prosperity.
Participating nations included Angola, Argentina, Benin, Cabo Verde, Comoros, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Ghana, India, Jordan, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Romania, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sri Lanka, The Gambia, Cote d'Ivoire, Lithuania, Tunisia, Zambia and Israel.
Topics covered during the course included counter-piracy, counter-narcotics, maritime counterterrorism and migrant interdiction.
Professor Curtis Bell, Ph.D., MSGSC course director, described the course as a critical investment in America’s economic security.
"Training allied and partner forces to combat maritime terrorism, transnational crime and trafficking helps safeguard the free flow of commerce that underpins U.S. prosperity,” Bell stated. “Disruptions at sea increase costs, weaken supply chains and destabilize foreign markets. Preparing partners to maintain good order at sea ensures the efficient and predictable operations needed for continued prosperity."
MSGSC is conducted in a seminar format supplemented by presentations from leading international experts and augmented by team planning exercises, tabletop discussions, case studies and on-site visits.
MSGSC graduates gain an in-depth understanding of maritime security and its associated missions. They also learn the overriding importance of compliance with international and domestic legal and policy requirements, as well as how critical effective regional, bilateral and intra-government collaboration is to achieve maritime security and governance goals.
Lt. Cmdr. David Delgado, Ecuadorian Navy, provided feedback on the value of the course to his current duties.
"MSGSC allowed me to interact with experts, civilians and officers from different navies and coast guards around the world, enriching my understanding of the importance of international cooperation to developing effective strategies in the maritime domain,” Delgado said. “I deeply value the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired which has empowered me with strategic tools and a global perspective that will definitely enhance my future contributions to maritime security at national and international levels.”
Armed with new knowledge and an expanded network, graduates will move on to assume various leadership roles within militaries and government organizations around the globe.
MSGSC is one of four international course offerings at NWC, directly supporting the development of robust global maritime partnerships. Others include the Naval Command College (NCC), the Naval Staff College (NSC) and the International Maritime Staff Operators Course (IMSOC).
Through IP, NWC facilitates the education of approximately 200 international students from over 75 nations every year. Each officer is influenced by the cross-cultural experience and encouraged forming strong and lasting bonds with U.S. and international classmates.
Once graduated, officers maintain these bonds via participation in IP’s global alumni network of more than 50,000 military and government leaders around the world, complete with international events, online networking platforms, and online resources.
MSGSC also supports the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Navigation Plan (NAVPLAN) 2024 by contributing to its broader strategic objectives of safeguarding global maritime trade routes, ensuring freedom of navigation and addressing transnational maritime threats.
Established in 1884, NWC is the oldest institution of its kind in the world. The college delivers excellence in education, research, and outreach, informing today’s decision makers, educating tomorrow’s leaders, and engaging partners and allies on all matters of naval power in order to preserve the peace, respond in crisis, and win decisively in war.
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.04.2025 08:57 |
| Story ID: | 491752 |
| Location: | NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 391 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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