The ‘5+5 Initiative’-sponsored exercise ‘Seaborder 2014’ has been conducted off the coast of Malaga.

The maritime security exercise ‘Seaborder 2014’ carried out off the coast of Malaga was attended by different authorities from ‘5+5 Defense Initiative’ states and Spanish Navy command personnel.

The joint-combined exercise, with participation of more than 900 people, five ships, three airplanes and three helicopters, was also followed by the Ministers of Defense of Spain, Pedro Morenés; Malta, Emanuel Mallia; Morocco, Abdellatif Loudiyi; Mauritania, Mamadou Bathia Diallo; and Portugal, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco.

The exercise was organized and conducted by the Spanish Navy Maritime Action Force from its Maritime Surveillance Operations Center in Cartagena. The exercise included drills on SAR (search and rescue), MIO (maritime interdiction operations), VBSS (visit, board, search and seizure) and MEDEVAC (medical evacuation) with a helicopter.

Algeria participated with its training ship ‘La Summam’ and Morocco with the frigate ‘Sultan Moulay Ismail’. She embarked a helicopter, a VBSS squad and a medical team. Portugal took part with the corvette ‘Afonso Cerqueira’ and a Navy Police squad, and a maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) to locate suspicious vessels.

The Spanish Navy participated with the F-80 frigate ‘Victoria’, flagship of the task force, an SH-60 ‘Seahawk’ helicopter and a Marine Corps VBSS squad. The light transport ship ‘Contramaestre Casado’ operated as suspicious ship engaged in illegal activities.

The Spanish Air Force provided an MPA, a transport plane and a SAR helicopter.

Upon the conclusion of the exercise, the participating units organized a naval parade to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the ‘5+5 Initiative’ presided over by the Ministers of Defense on board the frigate ‘Victoria’.

‘Seaborder 2014’ is a maritime security training exercise sponsored by the ‘5+5 Defense Initiative’ intended to enhance cooperation and joint training for the operations designed to implement national and international legislation, whenever there are suspected illegal activities carried out in a specific international maritime domain.

This exercise stressed the collaboration among the ‘5+5 Initiative’ nations in joint and combined operations for shipping control, search and rescue, boarding and inspection of ships, and permitted information exchanges and the implementation of joint procedures to counter illegal maritime activities.

This is the first time Spain held the presidency of the Initiative which endeavors to turn the western Mediterranean Sea into a privileged forum of confidence and security.