Bolstering Maritime Safety, Operational Readiness through Exercise Swift Response

To ascertain the state of its fleet in terms of disaster response capabilities as well as her overall operational readiness, the Western Naval Command recently conducted Exercise SWIFT RESPONSE. With the deployment of six capital ships and two helicopters alongside the Maritime Domain Awareness facilities, Chiemelie Ezeobi writes that the overaching objective was to enhance maritime safety for seafarers 

To bolster maritime safety and response capabilities, the Western Naval Command (WNC) last week conducted its first quarter sea exercise with the deployment of six capital ships, two helicopters, one NIMASA patrol vessel, and Nigerian Navy Maritime Domain Awareness facilities. 

The flag off which was held on the flight deck of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) KADA, was witnessed by  Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Naval Doctrine Command, Rear Admiral Habilla Zakaria; FOC WNC, Rear Admiral Mustapha Hassan; Fleet Commander / Officer in Tactical Command, Commodore AO Ogunleye; Command Operations Officer WNC, Commodore Ojebode; Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Taye Oladejo; and Commanding Officer NNS KADA, Captain Andrew Zidon with other senior officers. 

Boosting Operational Readiness

Themed Exercise SWIFT RESPONSE 2024, the aim was to enhance operational readiness and tackle maritime challenges effectively.

This exercise represents a significant stride forward in advancing maritime safety and operational readiness, reaffirming the Nigerian Navy’s dedication to protecting the nation’s maritime interests.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ikechukwu Emmanuel Ogalla, who was represented by Rear Admiral Habilla Zakaria, while reiterating the importance of the exercise’s objectives, addressed the potential risks associated with such operations, emphasising the need for robust search and rescue capabilities.

He said: “One of the cardinal points in the exercise is to see how to exercise ourselves and also to carry out the tactics of triangulating the rogue vessels at sea. One of the consequences of this is that it could lead to mishaps of collision at sea, or mishaps at sea. Of course, we also have to conduct search and rescue operations.”

In essence, he said the focus to enhance search and rescue capabilities will strengthen the Nigerian Navy’s readiness to address maritime challenges effectively, adding that the deployment of multiple ships and helicopters underscores the Navy’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain and ensuring the safety of all maritime activities within the region.

Enhancing Safety at Sea 

Earlier in his speech, the FOC WNC, Rear Admiral Hassan said the key focus areas of the exercise include shifts in communication, gunnery, fleet

 maneuvers, and other essential aspects, just as he underscored the primary emphasis on rehearsing and testing new tactics, particularly in triangulating and zeroing in on rogue vessels at sea, especially as they have developed their tactics, and “we need to be up to speed and a step ahead of them at all times”. 

While appreciating the Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla for his uncommon leadership and support for the Western Naval Command, the FOC said the exercise was prompted by the need to immediately rescue lives in distress at sea and assist ships in difficult situations on our waterways given that the WNC Area of Responsibility (AOR) accounts for the heaviest traffic within Nigeria’s Maritime Environment, making shipping accidents sometimes inevitable.

This, he said, makes it critical for the NN and other maritime stakeholders to provide effective maritime search and rescue services to reduce the loss of human lives and properties due to maritime distress situations. 

“The exercise involves the deployment of suitable naval assets equipped for maritime disaster management operations. The exercise therefore is aimed at contributing to the safety of lives at sea in Nigeria’s maritime environment and the Gulf of Guinea by providing prompt and timely responses to maritime accidents.

” Accordingly, the exercise is designed to evaluate Western Naval Command’s disaster management capabilities in addition to her overall operational readiness to stem any untoward situation within the Command’s Area of Responsibilities.

“In addition, the exercise will afford the ships in the Western Fleet the opportunity to test their information-sharing capabilities through effective communication and also test their capabilities for carrying out rescue missions at sea. It will equally assess the capabilities of Nigerian Navy helicopter surveillance and special air operations, among others”.

These strategic maneuvers and tactical innovations at sea has poised the Nigerian Navy to strengthen its capabilities in combating maritime threats and ensuring the safety and security of Nigeria’s maritime domain and the Gulf of Guinea at large.