Two SIU-crewed ships sailing in the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command fleet recently joined a multi-national, anti-terrorism exercise in the South China Sea and Strait of Malacca.The prepositioning ships USNS 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez (operated by Seafarers-contracted AMSEA) and MV Pvt. Franklin J. Phillips (Maersk) were the focal points of several training scenarios during the exercise called Southeast Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism (SEACAT).
Naval forces from the United States, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and the Philippines participated in the annual exercise in the Malaccan Straits. The straits are notorious for piracy and terrorism activities.
The Phillips and Lopez played the role of suspicious merchant vessels during the exercise, which was designed to highlight the value of sharing information in a multi-national environment as well as conduct training in maritime interception operations.
Combined, the Lopez and Phillips were boarded on five occasions by representatives from four Southeast Asian countries. During the training scenarios, the Lopez transited southwest from Phuket, Thailand, while the Phillips left Brunei's capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, heading east through the South China Sea. Both ships were destined for Singapore.
During the exercise the Asian navies tracked the ships and responded to simulated challenges, such as searching the ships for suspicious cargo or crew members. The exercise is designed to highlight the value of communication and cooperation between navies of different countries.
The Lopez and Phillips, will also be platforms for U.S. Coast Guard teams to train foreign military personnel, offering techniques for successfully boarding and searching suspicious vessels.
Accompanying this article are photos from the Phillips submitted by AMO member Edward McDonnell. Scroll down for all photos.
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