Pakistan maritime authorities visit

A delegation from Combined Task Force 150, led by Commodore Daryl Bates, Royal Australian Navy, recently completed a second series of meetings with senior leaders of key maritime agencies during a two day visit to Pakistan.

CTF 150 Commander revisits Pakistan maritime authorities to bolster maritime security

A delegation from Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, led by Commodore Daryl Bates, Royal Australian Navy, recently completed a second series of meetings with senior leaders of key maritime agencies during a two day visit to Pakistan.

Pakistan is a regional nation and a significant contributor to Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) operations, having joined it in 2004. The visit coincided with Pakistan taking command of CTF151, the CMF counter-piracy mission, for the fifth time. The CTF 150 delegation met with senior officers in the Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency to enhance the close working relationship these organisations have with CMF.

The delegation had the opportunity to visit the Pakistan Joint Maritime Intelligence Coordination Centre in Karachi. Commodore Bates said: “The Joint Maritime Intelligence Coordination Centre is an impressive facility, opened in February 2013. The centre greatly improves Pakistan’s ability to monitor its coastline and adjacent waters, allowing them to better respond to emergencies and the threat of illicit activities. It stands as a great example to other regional nations of how various national agencies with an interest in the maritime environment can work together to achieve a greater outcome than each agency could do on its own.”

The delegation also met with the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency. Commodore Bates said: “This meeting has identified further ways in which CMF and CTF 150 can work more closely with the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency to provide improved regional maritime security, particularly in the North Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman.”

CTF 150 is currently staffed by a team of 25 personnel from the Royal Australian Navy. It is one of three task forces operating under CMF, and conducts maritime security and interdiction operations to deter terrorism and promote maritime security in the Middle East and Indian Ocean.

Source: Combined Maritime Forces.