The maritime economy, which encompasses activities related to oceans, seas, and coastal areas, plays a crucial role on the global scale. This includes maritime transport, fishing, underwater resource extraction, coastal tourism, and increasingly, marine renewable energies. However, securing this maritime economy presents significant challenges, now requiring a naval power capable of protecting the above-mentioned activities at sea.

The aim of the “Admiral Castex Prize”, named after a French naval officer best known for his work as a naval theorist and his contributions to maritime strategy, is to promote original and groundbreaking research on maritime strategy. This year's theme is the “Naval power and challenges of securing the maritime economy”. Papers with an international dimension, a clear question raised, and the use of relevant bibliographical and strategic resources are particularly sought-after.

Entry requirements:

• Papers must be between 15,000 and 25,000 characters long (including spaces and footnotes). They may be written in French or English.
• Research must be original (no prior publication). However, it is acceptable to adapt part of a master's thesis, a doctoral dissertation, or work carried out in the course of civilian or military schooling, provided that the length criteria is respected.
• Plagiarism is strictly forbidden, and submitted work will be checked for plagiarism.
• There are no requirements as to degree, nationality or curriculum. The participation of doctoral students, researchers or active military officers is particularly encouraged.
• Submissions must be sent in Word format only, before December 15, 2024, to [email protected]. They will be anonymized before examination by the jury.

Awards:

• After deliberation by the jury, made up of international military authorities and renowned researchers, the best essay will be awarded a prize of €2,000, the second €1,500 and the third €1,000.
• The awards will be presented at the CNP on February 4, 2025, by Admiral Nicolas Vaujour (CEMM) and the Executive Chairman of Ifri, Mr. Thierry de Montbrial.
• Subject to assessment by the jury and Ifri's Directorate, and with the author's consent, the best paper may be published by Ifri Briefings. 

If you have any questions or would like to submit a paper, please contact Ifri's Center for Security Studies at [email protected], indicating “Castex Prize” in the subject line of the email.