NB8 Series of Topical Briefs: Protecting Critical Undersea Infrastructure
In this new policy brief series, the eight leading institutes of the Nordic-Baltic Eight countries commit to closer collaboration on analysis and research. The aim is to deepen understanding of the evolving security, political, and societal dynamics shaping the Nordic–Baltic region amid renewed great-power competition.
The Nordic-Baltic Eight series of jointly published topical briefs is a collaboration between the eight leading institutes in the Nordic–Baltic region. The initiative aims to enhance understanding of the region’s shifting security, political, and societal landscape in an era of renewed great-power rivalry. The series seeks to generate shared insights, foster informed policy dialogue, and contribute to the region’s strategic resilience.
The views expressed in the policy briefs are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the participating institutes. New briefs will be published on a continuous basis as they are released.
The eight institutes involved are:
The Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI),
Danish Institute of International Studies (DIIS),
The Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA),
The Icelandic Institute of International Affairs (IIA),
The International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS),
The Institute of International Relations and Political Science at Vilnius University (TSPMI),
The Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA),
and
The Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI)
Publications
Brief No. 4 – 17 June 2026
Protecting Critical Undersea Infrastructure: Enhancing NB8 Maritime Security Cooperation
Critical undersea infrastructure, including energy and data connections, underpins economic cooperation and regional security across the Nordic-Baltic Eight. However, recent incidents in the Baltic Sea have exposed the vulnerabilities of this infrastructure and highlighted the growing risks posed by hybrid threats, sabotage, shadow fleet activity, and difficulties in proving intent.
This policy brief argues that the NB8 countries should strengthen maritime security cooperation by improving coordination within existing multilateral formats, particularly NATO and the EU, while also making better use of regional defence frameworks such as the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) and Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO). It places particular emphasis on strengthening Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), enhancing surveillance capabilities, and enabling secure information exchange between military forces, government agencies, and commercial infrastructure operators.
The authors also highlight the potential for the NB8 region to take a leading role in the development of advanced maritime technologies, including autonomous systems, AI-enabled solutions, and new defence-industrial initiatives. The brief further recommends making use of European Defence Fund opportunities and drawing on Ukraine’s operational, technological, and defence-industrial experience to strengthen resilience across NATO’s maritime domain.
