Through this meeting, Belgium reaffirmed its support for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which enables safe and free shipping worldwide. At the same time, the event provided an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation with UNODC and to draw additional attention to the impact of organised crime on logistics chains.
For Belgium, maritime security is a strategic priority. As an open economy and Europe’s logistics hub, our country is heavily dependent on safe, reliable and free shipping routes. Criminal networks are increasingly using maritime routes to smuggle drugs, weapons and other illegal goods. This poses risks to the safety of citizens, the operation of our ports and international trade.
The meeting therefore focused on how new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, satellite imagery and advanced data analysis, can help governments detect suspicious activities more quickly, assess risks more effectively and tackle criminal networks more efficiently. Belgium emphasised that innovation is playing an increasingly important role in the fight against organised crime at sea.
Attention was also paid to the need for public-private partnerships. Ports, shipping companies, logistics operators and governments each possess relevant information and expertise. By sharing this in a secure and responsible manner, illegal trade flows can be detected more quickly and the misuse of commercial logistics chains by criminal organisations can be prevented.
Furthermore, as maritime crime is cross-border in nature, Belgium called for stronger international partnerships, greater information-sharing and joint investment in capacity and technology.