Grey and White Hulls

This book undertakes an in-depth examination of the diversity in international approaches to the navy-coastguard nexus. It considers the evolving global maritime security landscape and the emergence and proliferation of maritime law enforcement agencies—collectively referred to here as “coastguards”—performing peacetime constabulary duties alongside navies. Through a cross-regional study of various countries worldwide, including those in Asia and Europe, this book reveals that there is no one optimal, “one size fits all” organizational structure. Instead, there is a wide array of drivers that influence a nation-state’s maritime security architecture and its organizational approach to managing security at sea, or broadly speaking, securing its national maritime interests.
Ian Bowers is an associate professor at the Centre for International Security, Norwegian Defence University College. His research focuses on sea power, deterrence, South Korean defence policy and military technology. He holds a PhD in War Studies from King’s College London.
Collin Koh Swee Lean is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies, a constituent unit of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS). His research focuses on maritime security and naval affairs in the Indo-Pacific, focusing on Southeast Asia in particular.