Attention sailors! Health and safety warning in the Kiel maneuver

Attention sailors! Health and safety warning in the Kiel maneuver

Today, September 1, 2025, the motto in the Bay of Kiel is: “Be careful, warships!” Recreational skippers and sailors must keep their eyes open as the major “Northern Coasts” maneuver is entering the next round. Led by the German Navy, the maneuver will once again make the waters off Kiel the scene of international military operations this year. The Maritime Association consists of around 8,400 soldiers from 14 nations, and from Monday to September 12th, recreational boaters should show particular navigation awareness in order to navigate the bay safely. The Navy urges recreational captains to follow flag and maneuver signals and to keep an eye on the radio so that no mishaps occur.

The participating countries are an impressive array: Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania as well as supporting nations such as France, Great Britain, USA, Belgium, Netherlands and Canada. Borken newspaper highlights that the Navy will also actively deploy underwater units, naval aviation and naval security forces. A majority of the ships gather in Kiel to set sail on Monday morning and begin the maneuvers.

A strong sign of cooperation

“Northern Coasts” has been held annually since 2007 and was initiated by the German Navy. This year's maneuver is not only practical, but also to strengthen the cooperation and military capabilities of the naval forces in the Baltic Sea. Rear Admiral Stephan Haisch, who heads the international naval association, emphasizes that realistic threat scenarios from all dimensions - air, land, water and cyber - should be dealt with. Defense Network reports that it will focus on conducting maritime operations in the coastal area using modern technologies.

The Navy not only wants to demonstrate its commitment to the defense of the NATO alliance area, especially the Baltic Sea, but also to certify the troops' operational readiness. The aim is to improve the ability to react and deploy in the event of a crisis or conflict and thus send a strong signal of international cooperation.

Context and meaning of the maneuver

In parallel to “Northern Coasts”, other maritime exercises are taking place in the region. The NATO exercise BALTOPS, the most important naval exercise in the Baltic Sea, is starting from Rostock for the first time this year. NDR informs about the numerous international participations, including an American aircraft carrier. These additional exercises strengthen civil and military cooperation and help deter potential threats.

In the ongoing tense security situation in the Baltic Sea, the “Northern Coasts” maneuver is highly relevant in its regular implementation. It shows that NATO countries are ready to coordinate their naval units and respond to what is happening in the region. At the end of the maneuver, effective cooperation will be consolidated a little more - both at sea and on land.