The panel was chaired by Mr. Tudor Curtifan, Editor-in-Chief of Defense Romania. Speakers included: Mr. Alexander Proelss, Chair of International Maritime Law, Environmental Law, Public International Law, and Public Law at the University of Hamburg, Germany; Mr. James Rogers, Co-founder and Director of Research at the Council on Geostrategy, UK; Mr. Daniel Dinu, Environmental & Regulatory Compliance Department Manager for the Neptun Deep Project – OMV Petrom, Romania; Mr. Yordan Bozhilov, President of the Sofia Security Forum, Bulgaria; and Mr. Sergiu Mitrescu, Program Director at the New Strategy Center, Romania.

Offshore activities occur beyond the sovereign jurisdiction of states, making them particularly vulnerable in today’s geopolitical climate, characterised by territorial disputes and intensified competition over resource control. These areas are increasingly exposed to hybrid threats, with such attacks capable of rapidly undermining the strategic and economic value of offshore infrastructure, especially given the persistent challenges in identifying and prosecuting those responsible. The global consequences are evident: rising insurance premiums, supply chain disruptions, and volatility in international markets. In this context, it is critical for states to clearly define what qualifies as critical infrastructure and to implement robust regulations along with effective mechanisms to ensure its protection.

Watch the live sessions on YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/Ylk9fImjYeM?feature=share