30 Navy, Coast Guard ships take part in Sea Vigil exercise

CHENNAI: Simulated infiltration from the sea by joint teams, hijack or hostage situation onboard merchant vessels operating off the east coast to check effectiveness of crisis management group and naval commandos formed part of two-day Coastal Defence Exercise “Sea Vigil.”
The exercise was held in close coordination with all maritime stakeholders, including the fishing and coastal communities on January 22 and January 23.

Around 30 ships and aircraft of the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard as well as 85 patrol boats manned by various security agencies participated in the exercise at West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Whilst the marine police boats were operated up to five miles from the coast, the Navy and the Coast guard had deployed their assets on the high seas.

During the exercise, all coastal police stations and control rooms, fishing harbours and landing centres, port control rooms, and other operational centres of the Navy and the Coast Guard were fully activated.

Multi-agency teams also evaluated the security set up at fish landing centres, police control rooms and ports. Inter-agency coordination, information sharing and technical surveillance were assessed and audit and identification of gaps or shortfalls in coastal security were done.

Audit of International Ship and Port Facility Security(ISPS) code was carried out by ports, said a press release.