The event titled “Current Challenges in Maritime Security Towards NATO Summit in Ankara,” organized by the Ankara University Maritime Law National Research Center (DEHUKAM) with the participation of the NATO Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (NATO MARSEC COE), was held at Ankara Palas on 12 June 2026 with a high level of attendance.

The program commenced with opening remarks delivered by Capt. Mehmet Cengiz Ekren, Director of the NATO MARSEC COE, and Mr. Süleyman Önel, Chair of the Board of Directors of DEHUKAM. Following the opening session, a panel moderated by DEHUKAM CEO Dr. Mustafa Başkara was held. During the panel, Prof. Dr. Christian Bueger, Faculty Member at the University of Copenhagen, Research Fellow at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), and Associate Fellow at the Charles Telfair Centre (Mauritius), delivered a presentation titled “Protecting Strategic Waterways: Lessons From the Strait of Hormuz”; Lt. Cdr. Nuri Karaaslan, Capacity Building Officer at the NATO Maritime Security Centre of Excellence, delivered a presentation titled “Navigating Gray Zone Threats: Cyber-Kinetic Resilience, Analog Anchors and the Cyber Ship Surveyor”; and Prof. Dr. Yücel Acer, Member of the Board of Directors and Chief Researcher of DEHUKAM, delivered a presentation titled “Russian-Ukrainian War and Maritime Security in the Black Sea.”

The event, which addressed current issues in the field of maritime security, was followed with great interest by participants and contributed to the exchange of important assessments aimed at enhancing international cooperation.