By the editorial team of the online Notiziario della Marina
From October 6 to 7, 2026, the ancient Arsenal of the Italian Navy in Venice will host the 15th edition of the Trans-Regional Seapower Symposium (T-RSS), one of the leading international forums dedicated to cooperation between navies and maritime security.
Organised by the Italian Navy, the Symposium is now in its fifteenth edition. Since 1996, it has been held biennially at the Institute for Maritime Military Studies in the historic Arsenal of the Serenissima ('most serene Republic' of Venice). The event gathers chiefs of foreign Navies and representatives from the worlds of academia, industry, scientific research, and technological innovation.
Established out of the necessity for an international forum to encourage multilateral naval cooperation, the Symposium has consistently seen extensive participation from maritime cluster organisations and institutions. This initiative, promoted by the Italian Navy, has contributed over time to developing a constant dialogue between various stakeholders in the sector, strengthening a framework of integration and cooperation.
Maritime cooperation has been the core focus of the Symposium since its first edition, which saw the participation of delegations from twenty-three countries. Today, the initiative involves approximately seventy Navies, reflecting the event's growing success and global relevance.
The theme of the upcoming edition – 'From Regional Waters to Global Influence: generating effects across the midland seas of the world' - proposes a reflection on the growing influence of regional dynamics on global balances and the related implications within the maritime domain. In particular, it will analyse the centrality of the geopolitical and geostrategic spaces of the Maritime Regional Security Complexes (M-RSC), which have as their geographical pivot the midland seas (seas positioned between large landmasses, comparable to global 'Mediterraneans'.
During the first day, scheduled for October 6, the event will feature a series of Working Sessions (work sessions with a moderator and several speakers) and Single Speaker Talks (presentations by a single speaker designed to provide an overview and stimulate audience reflection):
The first panel, in a Working Session format – 'The Geopolitical Background: Global and Regional Dynamics in Comparison' - will analyse the relationship between global and regional dynamics in light of the transformations affecting globalization, considering the growing significance of intra-regional political and economic connections.
Next, a Single Speaker Talk - 'The Pivotal Role of Cooperation among Regional Alliances as Security Providers' - will focus on the role of regional alliances as guarantors of security and stability, with a particular emphasis on the maritime sector. The session will explore the importance of cooperation between regional alliances to strengthen collective capacity in preventing conflicts, managing crises, and safeguarding global commons.
The third panel, held as a Working Session - 'Maritime Regional Security Complexes, Global Order and Sea-Based Flows - What role for Navies?' - will examine how maritime interdictions, attacks on shipping lanes, insecure chokepoints, or contested maritime lines of communication can disrupt vital flows and produce lasting strategic effects. Recent crises, such as those involving Iran and the Red Sea, demonstrate how localized interdictions can reshape trade routes, security frameworks, and global mobility patterns.
Within the Maritime Regional Security Complex (M-RSC), the sea operates not only as a space for strategic interaction but also as a critical conduit for the flow of goods, energy, information, and people. These flows sustain regional and global stability, yet they remain vulnerable to disruptions caused by geopolitical competition, asymmetric threats, natural disasters, and both state and non-state actors. Particular attention will be given to the recalibration of operational geometries that will define the framework of present and future naval missions.
The day will conclude with the Single Speaker Talk – 'The New Arctic Chessboard: Seapower, Resources and the Race for Connectivity' - dedicated to the growing geopolitical relevance of the Arctic space. Indeed, while a geopolitically recognised Arctic region exists, the concept of a true 'Arctic Mediterranean' has yet to emerge; its configuration remains in flux and is closely tied to the progressive melting of the ice.
The presentation will analyse the interaction between maritime power, natural resources, and connectivity in a region where climate change, technological innovation, and geopolitical dynamics converge. Furthermore, it will highlight the increasing maritime presence of state and non-state actors, the pursuit of new trade routes and energy corridors, and the implications for security, governance, and environmental protection in the High North.
The second and final day, scheduled for October 7, will open with a Single Speaker Talk, titled 'Future-Proof capabilities: A naval force designed to operate across oceans, act within regions, and deliver effects on the ground'. This panel will focus on analysing the contemporary landscape, which is increasingly defined by trans-regional challenges. In such a scenario, naval power must be deployable globally while maintaining effectiveness at the regional level. The objective is to outline the vision of a future-proof Navy: flexible, integrated, and capable of operating from the open sea to the coastline. Key enablers of operational superiority - such as modular design, multi-domain interoperability, and sustainability - will be emphasized. By aligning strategic ambition with technological evolution, the goal is to develop a maritime force capable of bridging oceans, protecting regions, and ensuring stability wherever necessary.
The second panel of the day – 'Future Seas: Industrial Scale, Decisive Mass and Innovation' - held as a Working Session, will address the future of maritime security in light of emerging threats and new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence. The panel will explore two key strategic points:
how the industrial base needs to rapidly innovate and scale up production to meet the demand for next-generation autonomous systems;
how Navies must strategically integrate this innovation to maintain operational superiority - leveraging a combination of traditional and autonomous platforms - to ensure credible deterrence, resilience, and a sustainable security presence globally, particularly within the 'Global Mediterraneans'.
The Symposium will be closed by a Special Session - 'Future-Proof Leadership: Preparing Maritime Commanders and sailors for Complexity', which will focus on stimulating reflection on the qualities that define future-proof leadership - adaptability, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence - within fast-paced decision-making contexts. The maritime leaders of tomorrow must be highly capable, skilled not only in interpreting geopolitical and technological shifts but also social and cognitive evolution, while remaining adept at empowering and valuing their crew.
