The Embassy of Denmark in Accra held a ceremony on Tuesday to mark World Maritime Day and celebrate the 10‑year anniversary of the Danish Maritime Security Programme for the Gulf of Guinea. The event drew partners from maritime security, commercial shipping and regulatory bodies and featured an exhibition of maritime art.
World Maritime Day 2026 carries the theme “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence”, echoing Denmark’s decade‑long effort to turn international maritime policies into concrete action in the Gulf of Guinea. Ambassador Jakob Linulf highlighted the country’s strategic collaboration with Ghana, saying:
“As a seafaring nation, Denmark understands the importance of safe seas, freedom of navigation, and a rules‑based maritime order. For a decade now, Denmark has worked closely with Ghana to ensure today’s safe and open sea lanes in Gulf of Guinea, which are vital for international trade, economic development, and the livelihoods of millions of people.”
Denmark launched the Maritime Security Programme in 2016, funded through the Danish Peace and Stabilisation Fund. The programme is now in its third phase (2022‑2026) and tackles the full maritime criminal justice chain with a comprehensive approach that blends diplomacy, development assistance and military support. It works in close partnership with national, regional and international actors, including Ghana.
The programme is built around three pillars:
- Normative work – developing strategic, legal and operational frameworks for maritime security and governance in line with regional and international standards such as the Yaoundé Code of Conduct, UNCLOS and the SUA Convention.
- Capacity building – training military personnel, including the Ghana Navy’s Special Boat Squadron, and civilian law‑enforcement, prosecution and inter‑agency coordination through partners like UNODC, INTERPOL, KAIPTC and the Royal Danish Defence College.
- Equipment and infrastructure support – strengthening the operational capability of regional and national maritime security institutions.
Denmark remains committed to international legal and policy frameworks that promote freedom of navigation, maritime safety and the protection of seafarers, a commitment underscored by the fact that roughly 90% of global trade by volume is carried by sea.
The art exhibition showcased three commissioned works by Ghanaian and international artists – Emmanuel Aggrey Tieku, Fang Wang Linulf and Patrick Tagoe‑Turkson – that explore maritime pollution, ocean‑borne waste and the lived coastal realities of the Gulf of Guinea, raising awareness of ocean ecology and the human dimensions of maritime governance.
Looking ahead, the Danish Embassy will continue to support Ghana’s maritime security efforts through the remaining phase of the programme and by fostering further international cooperation.
