Exercise Sea Breeze 2013, the 16th iteration of the largest annual multinational maritime exercise in the Black Sea, ended July 20, as representatives from the 14 participating partner nations gathered together for the exercise closing ceremony. Naval, air and land forces from participating countries worked together both ashore and at sea from July 8-20 to strengthen interoperability and to improve maritime security. "The military leadership of the fourteen nations that participated in Sea Breeze know that we can only improve as a cooperative team if we challenge ourselves," said Capt. James Aiken, exercise deputy director. Much of the exercise focused on maritime interdiction operations as a primary means to enhance maritime security.