Submarine security, Navy authorised to engage those threatening strategic infrastructure

The Italian government has presented a bill introducing powerful new rules of engagement for the Navy , conferendo ai mezzi navali e sottomarini italiani l’autorizzazione a intervenire con la forza contro chiunque minacci la sicurezza di infrastrutture strategiche sottomarine, come cavi e gasdotti. La modifica al Codice dell’ordinamento militare permette alle forze armate italiane di “ingaggiare, disabilitare, distruggere, sequestrare o dirottare” qualsiasi mezzo, come sommergibili o droni, che stia cercando di danneggiare o sabotare infrastrutture considerate di interesse nazionale. Questa misura, inserita nel disegno di legge recentemente depositato al Senato, rappresenta un passo importante per rafforzare la sicurezza delle risorse strategiche italiane sotto il mare e risponde alle crescenti preoccupazioni legate alla protezione delle infrastrutture sottomarine in un contesto geopolitico globale sempre più teso.

This action is necessary at a time when threats in the Italian seas are increasingly evident, as evidenced by the underwater attacks on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea and other international sabotage incidents. The bill is a direct response to these threats, emphasising the importance of defending vital infrastructure for the country and strengthening the reaction capabilities of the Italian armed forces. The possibility of engaging suspicious assets that threaten the security of submarine resources is not only a defensive measure, but also a signal of determination to protect Italy's strategic assets from hostile intervention.

Musumeci: the new Agency for the Safety of Underwater Activities

Alongside the change in the rules of engagement for the Navy, the government has also introduced an important innovation with the creation of the Agency for the Safety of Underwater Activities. The Minister for Civil Protection and Sea Policies, Nello Musumeci, illustrated the bill that provides for the creation of this new agency, which will have the task of regulating and monitoring civil and military underwater activities, preventing interference and conflicts between the various operations taking place under the sea. The agency, based in Rome, will also have the task of coordinating the protection of underwater infrastructure and ensuring adequate security in a rapidly developing sector that includes advanced technologies, civil, scientific, military, and tourism operations.

In un contesto dove la dimensione subacquea è spesso oggetto di conflitti tra Stati e di attacchi mirati a danneggiare le risorse strategiche, l’Agenzia avrà anche il compito di scambiare informazioni con i Servizi Segreti italiani riguardo alle infrastrutture sottomarine critiche per la sicurezza nazionale. Questo nuovo ente si inserisce in un panorama internazionale che vede l’Europa sempre più preoccupata per la difesa degli asset sottomarini e per il controllo delle risorse nel Mediterraneo e oltre.

Safety and new regulations for civil and military vessels

Another key aspect of the bill concerns the regulation of civil underwater activities and improving the safety of diving and hyperbaric operators. The bill responds to a regulatory vacuum that has long characterised the sector, with the exponential growth of advanced underwater technologies and an increase in seabed activities. Incidents such as the implosion of the Titan submarine in the Atlantic Ocean in 2023 have highlighted the need for clear and binding international standards for safety in civil underwater operations. The Act, therefore, establishes an up-to-date regulatory framework to govern underwater navigation and the use of submarine assets, while protecting submarine operators and resources from accidents and sabotage.

The bill, therefore, not only strengthens the defence of strategic infrastructures, but also aims to ensure a safer and well-regulated underwater sector, in order to support the growth of the sector and the protection of the marine environment. The creation of the Agency for the Safety of Underwater Activities and the introduction of stricter rules for civil underwater means are part of a broader design that sees Italy committed to defending its strategic submarine interests in an increasingly complex and dangerous global context.

Source: https://ilsicilia.it/musumeci-un-disegno-legge-sulla-dimensione-subacquea-per-italia-allavanguardia/