OPV Middle East 2016 – Maritime Security Review

Supported by the Bahrain Defence Force and the Royal Bahrain Naval Force, the 5th edition of the Offshore Patrol Vessels Middle East conference will see regional and international navies and coast guards gather to discuss this year’s theme of international cooperation in maritime security.

Royal Bahrain Naval Force & Bahrain Defence Force to support OPV Middle East 2016

Bahrain, 25 July 2016 – The navies and coast guards of the Middle East, together with the wider international maritime security community, will converge on the region’s maritime capital, Bahrain, in September to discuss how they can work together to bring security to the region’s seas. Serving as an international summit for officers and those in the defence industry, the event will provide a forum to enable cooperation and discourse on overcoming the challenges of maritime security whilst providing a chance for navies and coast guards to network with the wider defence industry.

Playing host to OPV Middle East for the first time, the Commander of the Royal Bahrain Naval Force, His Excellency Rear Admiral Sheikh Khalifa bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, is keen to emphasise the importance of this year’s summit saying, “This conference will be a great opportunity to discuss current maritime security issues and challenges. This year will be unique in that many of the regional and combined maritime forces present in Bahrain will be able to convey their own unique perspective and experience. OPV Middle East provides a specialised forum where operators and manufacturers can have an open dialogue to ensure use of the most suitable solutions and systems that can enhance maritime security, global trade, and safety of life at sea.”

This optimism is shared by the event’s organisers, as Conference Director, Rory Keith, adds, “I’m confident that this year’s summit will act as the most diverse and comprehensive summit of its kind in the region. Not only do we have the perfect host nation in Bahrain, international delegations from all over the world, as well as permanent bases from the US Navy, Royal Navy and most recently, the GCC, but the event will see senior speakers from as far afield as Australia to Mauritania come together to approach the issue of collective solutions to maritime security.”

Principle themes for this year’s event include how navies can work together to achieve maritime security as well as increased interoperability, the role of civilian organisations in maritime security, how best to purchase and operate vessels, operational case studies from the use of OPVs around the world as well as a plethora of other topics.

Not only confined to a conference hall, this year’s event will include a visit to Bahrain’s naval dockyards, as well as a gala dinner and pre-conference focus day on the operation and acquisition of OPVs.

Speakers confirmed to take part in the event include:

HE Rear Admiral Sheikh Khalifa bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Commander, Royal Bahrain Naval Force
Vice Admiral Iwok-Ete Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff, Nigerian Navy
Rear Admiral Khaled Ahmed Abdullah, Commander, Kuwait Naval Force
Admiral Isselkou Ould Cheikh El-Weli, Chief of Naval Staff, Navy of Mauritania
Rear Admiral Mohamed Baraya, Flag Officer Commanding Northern Naval Command, Egyptian Navy
Rear Admiral Stuart Mayer, Commander Australian Fleet, Royal Australian Navy
Rear Admiral NAN Sarathsena, Area Commander, Southern Naval Command, Sri Lankan Navy
Commodore Ala’a Abdulla Seyadi, Commander, Bahrain Coast Guard
Commodore Will Warrender, Commander, UK Maritime Component Command

OPV Middle East will be held from 26-28 September at the ART Rotana, Bahrain. For more information, please visit the event website at: http://bit.ly/MarSecReviewPR