Nine NATO nations have signed an accord giving them access to an on-call strategic sealift capacity for rapid deployment forces. Canada, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the UK signed the Multinational Implementation Agreement on sealift at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on 1 December 2003 under the lead of Norwegian Defence Minister Kristin Krohn Devold.
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Norway leads the High Level Group on Strategic Sealift established at the Prague Summit in November 2002 to address the shortfall in strategic sealift across the alliance. NATO had identified a shortfall in military sealift capability for its rapid deployment forces equivalent to 12-14 medium-size roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels. In reflection of this capability gap, strategic sealift was promoted as a multinational capability project at the Prague Summit, having earlier been one of a number of so-called Defence Capabilities Initiatives. The NATO strategic sealift service will comprise a combination of full-time charter and multinational assured access contracts. NATO’s Maintenance and Supply Agency is contracting authority on behalf of the partner nations. The nine nations have initially agreed to acquire a multinational capability package of five Ro-Ro ships, with 2004 planned as a trial year. The aim is to incrementally develop further capacity for subsequent years based on the experience gained during the first 12 months of operation. To ensure effective use of the overall strategic sealift capacity, the partner nations will utilise the services of the Sealift Co-ordination Centre (SCC) at Eindhoven. The SCC was established on a permanent basis on 1 September 2003 under an agreement between the Netherlands, Norway and the UK. |