Seychelles Coast Guard News

EUNAVFOR Atalanta and both the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Center (RMIFC/Madagascar) and the Regional Coordination Operations Center (RCOC/Seychelles) conducted their first joint operation from September 21 to 24. This first Operation, named MARLIN, was aimed at strengthening maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean through sustainable collaboration between the States of the region and international partners. It contributed to the implementation of the cooperation agreement signed between EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA and the two regional centers in December 2021…

Proper implementation of International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s maritime security measures is essential for trade.The Seychelles is the latest country to benefit from training on the implementation of SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, said the UN body.Participants discussed ways to cooperate at the national level to acquire the necessary support they need in order to take ownership of implementation and compliance with IMO maritime security measures. They also learned how to train other officials with similar responsibilities.The workshop which concluded today in Mahe, Seychelles (26-30 August) brought together Port facility Security Officers (PFSOs) and representatives involved in maritime and port security…

In keeping with India’s national objective of ensuring a secure and stable regional environment to allow unhindered economic and social development, not just in India, but also in the Indian Ocean Region, Indian Naval Ship Shardul is on a two month long deployment in the South Indian Ocean with an aim to provide surveillance support in the region. The warship during the initial phase of deployment carried out joint EEZ surveillance of Mauritius from 08 – 26 March 2017 in close coordination with National Coast Guard, Mauritius. Post successful completion of joint EEZ Surveillance of Mauritius, the warship entered EEZ of Seychelles on 27 March 2017 for Phase I of EEZ surveillance. The warship under the command of Commander Rohit Mishra entered Port Victoria on 28 March 2017 for OTR.

Seychelles Coast Guard Patrol Ship (SCGPS) Topaz has completed her Medium Refit and has been handed over to Colonel Simone A Dine, Commander Seychelles Coast Guard by Rear Admiral Narayan Prasad, NM, Admiral Superintendent, Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam on 16 February 2017. The ship underwent a Medium Refit at Naval Dockyard from March 2016 to January 2017. The event was held at Naval Jetty inside INS Circars and was attended by other dignitaries from Seychelles Coast Guard and Indian Navy. The event commenced with the introduction of the Officers and Crew of SCGPS Topaz to Colonel Simone A Dine Commander Seychelles Coast Guard and Rear Admiral Narayan Prasad ASD(V).

In a demonstration of India’s commitment to its ties with Seychelles and maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region, Indian Naval Ships Kolkata, Trikand and Aditya under the Command of the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet, Rear Admiral Ravneet Singh,NM have arrived at Port Victoria on a two day visit, says a government press release. INS Kolkata is commanded by Captain Rahul Vilas Gokhale, INS Trikand is commanded by Captain Arjun Dev Nair and INS Aditya is commanded by Captain Vidyanshu Srivastava. The ships are part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet based at Mumbai under the Western Naval Command and are on a two month long deployment in the Western Indian Ocean. During the visit, the IN ships would engage with the Seychelles People Defence Force on professional issues.

Maritime professionals from South and East Africa, Europe, Indian Ocean nations and the U.S. met for the Cutlass Express 2016 Main Planning Event (MPE) in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania Aug. 4 – 7. The four-day planning event aimed to further develop exercise scenarios for partner nations, participant force offerings, schedule of events and participant manning for Cutlass Express. Lt. Hans Radegonde, Executive Officer for Seychelles Coast Guard commented, “This coming year, I want to be able to focus on creating a structure for our Maritime Operations Centers (MOCs) and getting them to operate effectively with other MOCs from regional countries. This MPE laid the groundwork for us to establish something that will hopefully create a fruitful exercise for all of us.”

On Friday, April 10, the Seychelles Coast Guard, Air Force, Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), Seychelles Maritime Safety Administration (SMSA) carried out a comprehensive search and rescue (SAR)exercise in the Seychelles. The Maritime Police Patrol Unit (MPPU) as well as other authorities participated as observers. The exercise was conducted together with EUCAP Nestor and the EU Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta represented by the Dutch Flagship Johan de Witt, on board the Swedish Force Commander Rear Admiral Jonas Haggren.

On Thursday 8 January, a counter-piracy exercise was carried out jointly by the Seychelles Coast Guard, Air Force and Police together with the EU Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta-, and the EU’s civilian maritime security capacity building Mission, EUCAP Nestor. The purpose of the exercise was twofold; firstly, to practice cooperation between the Coast Guard, Air Force, the Police and EUNAVFOR Atalanta a joint counter-piracy operation, and secondly to test procedures and routines linked to effective processing of suspected pirates and evidence handling at sea.

On 4 and 5 December, EUCAP Nestor Head of Mission, Etienne de Poncins, visited EUCAP Nestor’s Country Office in the Seychelles. During his visit, he met several high officials to discuss the way ahead for the exemplary and successful cooperation between the Seychelles and the Mission. He also took part in the closing ceremony for the 2nd Basic Training Course for the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) and officially handed over Maritime Safety equipment to the Seychelles Coast Guard as well as IT equipment to the Seychelles Air Force. During his visit to the Seychelles, De Poncins met with top officials; Minister for Home Affairs and Transport Mr. Joel Morgan, Chief of Defense Forces Brigadier Payet, Ambassador Loustau-Lalanne Principal Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Attorney General Mr.

Closing ceremonies for two training courses carried out by EUCAP Nestor in cooperation with authorities were held on November 14 in the Seychelles. After two weeks of training, 16 lieutenants and second lieutenants selected from different services of the Seychelles Defense Force (Coast Guard, Air Force and SPDF) received their certificates at a closing ceremony held at the Seychelles Coast Guard Academy on November 14 in the presence of the Commander of Seychelles Coast Guard, Lt Col Dine, and other Coast Guard officials.

On October 16, 21 new personnel were received by Lt. Col. Simon Dine, Commanding officer of the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG), to commence their basic maritime training. This foundational maritime program was first implemented this year in collaboration between EUCAP Nestor and SCG with the first batch of personnel graduating the course on August 22. The training course is scheduled to run for eight weeks, thus compressed in time while more intense compared to the first course held earlier this year.

EU Naval Force Warship 'FGS Berlin' has conducted local maritime capacity building in the Seychelles informs EUCAP Nestor. Three Local Maritime Capacity Building (LMCB) activities have taken place during EU Naval Force Warship FGS Berlin’s recent port visit to the Seychelles. LMCB are conducted by the European Union  to build the capacity of security forces of regional partners in the fight against piracy, supporting further training provided by EUCAP Nestor. First, firefighting training was conducted for the Seychelles Coast Guard. This included instructions on the right use of various fire extinguishers, techniques how to open (hot) doors, and the different use of members of the firefighting team.

A major exercise in implementing the national contingency plan for anti-pollution, search and rescue, and fire fighting has been held in the waters off Mahé, according to joint news from EUCAP Nestor & EUNAVFOR Atalanta. The scenario began with a mock distress call to the Coast Guard from a Seychelles flagged vessel that had collided with a ferry just off Glacis. The collision caused an oil leak and a fire on board the vessel. A number of crewmembers abandoned the ship as it started to sink. The Coast Guard immediately sent two speedboats and Patrol Vessel Topaz to the sinking ship, and asked the Seychelles Air Force to send an aircraft to the area.

A major exercise in implementing the national contingency plan for anti-pollution, search and rescue, and fire fighting was held in the waters off Mahé on 4 June. This complex exercise was carried out by a range of different agencies including the Seychelles Coast Guard, Air Force, Fire Fighting Services and Port Authority. The EUNAVFOR Atalanta Flagship Brandenburg also took part in the exercise, EUCAP Nestor experts provided support for the planning, preparations as well as its execution. The Seychelles Maritime Safety Authority and the Ministry of Environment and Energy  were also involved.

On Friday, March 21, 17 trainees who are part of the Basic Training Program for the Seychelles Coast Guard received training in seamanship skills on board the Dutch warship, HNLMS Evertsen, operating under NATO Ocean Shield Task Force 508. The Basic Training Program for the Seychelles Coast Guard is a 27 week program for new trainees that have been developed by the Coast Guard and EUCAP Nestor. The program is also supported by other international partners such as Operation Ocean Shield.

On March 4, 20 trainees from the Basic Training course for the Seychelles Coast Guard took part in a training exercise covering the use of electronic navigation equipment. The training was delivered by Seychelles Coast Guard trainers and EUNAVFOR with support from EUCAP Nestor on board the French EUNAVFOR Flagship Siroco. The trainees received practical and theoretical instruction in how to use equipment such as GPS, AIS, ECDIS, radar and gyrocompass. "This training was very useful," said the Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard, Lt Col Dine.

On Friday 24 January, the Basic Training Program for the Seychelles Coast Guard was officially inaugurated by the Chief of Staff of the Seychelles People’s Defense Forces, Colonel Clifford Roseline, the Acting Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard, Lieutenant Colonel Simon Dine, and the Head of EUCAP Nestor, Etienne de Poncins. The Basic Training Program is a newly developed 27-week foundational training program for privates recently recruited to the Seychelles Coast Guard. There are 21 privates who have been selected to take part in the program.

On Friday 10 January, the Seychelles Coast Guard, Air Force and Police Force, together with the EU Naval Force Somalia - Operation Atalanta and EUCAP Nestor, carried out a counter-­piracy exercise in the Seychelles. The exercise involved the boarding of a suspected pirate skiff that had attacked a local fishing boat. The 'pirates' were disarmed and taken into custody, along with evidence from the skiff. The Seychelles Coast Guard then handed over the pirates and evidence to the Police Force.

On 26 September, the Seychelles Peoples Defense Force, Coast Guard and Air Force, together with the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta and EUCAP Nestor, carried out a search and rescue exercise in Seychelles waters. The operation was coordinated centrally by the Seychelles Coast Guard Maritime Operation Center and held in conjunction with the port visit of the Dutch EU NAVFOR flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt, to the Seychelles. The EUCAP Nestor team in the Seychelles worked closely with the Coast Guard on the exercise and facilitated the liaison with EU NAVFOR.

EUCAP Nestor, EU Naval Force and the Seychelles Coast Guard carried out a joint counter-piracy exercise in the Seychelles on April 26. The exercise involved a mock interception of a suspected pirate skiff in Seychelles waters by the combined efforts of EU NAVFOR and the Seychelles Coast Guard. The Coast Guard vessel, Topaz, and a helicopter from French Navy ship, LHD Tonnerre, operating under EU NAVFOR flag, jointly intervened against a suspected pirate skiff. The purpose of the exercise was to enhance coordination and cooperation between the Seychelles Coast Guard and EU NAVFOR as well as further develop the Coast Guard in procedures for evidence handling. “This exercise was a perfect example of our partnership with the Seychelles and EU NAVFOR,” said Admiral Launay.

The Seychelles Coast Guard confirms that a French purse seiner vessel reached the location of the Costa Allegra, and is towing the vessel towards Desroches island. The Seychelles authorities are making arrangements for the evacuation of passengers to Descroches, and their subsequent transfer to the island of Mahé. There are also two Seychelles Ports Authority tugs on their way to the vessel’s location, and they are expected to reach the Costa Allegra later. They will be…

The Seychelles Coast Guard apprehended a total of 16 suspected pirates the last several days after being cued each time by two EU NAVFOR aircraft. On 18 November, the Seychelles Coast Guard successfully intercepted one whaler and one skiff, with five suspected pirates onboard. This first operation took place after the EU NAVFOR French E-3F SDCA aircraft was launched to search for a Pirate Action Group (PAG) that was suspected of carrying out two unsuccessful attacks on fishing vessels the previous day. When it arrived in the area, the aircraft spotted three suspicious radar contacts, which were then investigated by the EU NAVFOR Luxembourg Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA).

On Saturday evening, 29 of May, the Seychelles Coast Guard disrupted a Pirate Action Group, including a mother ship with nine suspected pirates on board and two fast attack skiffs, after being led to the target by an EU NAVFOR maritime patrol aircraft from the Swedish Coast Guard. On last Thursday, 27 May, an EU NAVFOR maritime patrol aircraft from the Swedish Coast Guard spotted a suspected Pirate Action Group (PAG) about 500 nautical miles east of the Somali coast. The PAG consisted of one whaler and two skiffs. At that time, no units were close enough to verify and control the vessels. On Saturday morning, the PAG was relocated some 250 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles.