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Navy Reservists Keep Merchant Ships Safe During IMCMEX

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160425-08
Release Date: 4/25/2016 11:35:00 AM

By Lt. Greg Melville, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- When there's something wrong in the neighborhood, merchant ships know who to call: U.S. Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping. Its primary job is to communicate with commercial shipping to ensure safe passage for Naval and merchant vessels on the seas.

At the International Mine Countermeasures Exercise (IMCMEX) in the Middle East, the NCAGS unit attached to Naval Forces Central Command is serving as the key interface between participating military forces, industry vessels, and regional port facilities.

Cmdr. Simon Hwang, commanding officer of the NAVCENT NCAGS unit said IMCMEX enables the participants "to test methods for providing a better picture to each other of what's happening" in a specific region that could be used in a time of crisis. "This exercise has given the military and industry a unique opportunity to develop these skill sets together," he said.

The three-week-long IMCMEX, which concludes April 26, is the world's largest maritime exercise and spans nearly all of NAVCENT's 2.5 million-square-mile area of operations. It involves more than 30 countries representing six continents, and 11 merchant and commercial vessels -- including cruise ships HMS Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth 2. More than 3,000 civilian and military personnel are participating.

IMCMEX is intended to enhance international partnerships to promote safety and the free flow of ship traffic throughout the region and the world. As part of this multination approach, Hwang and his team partnered closely with European representatives from NATO's NCAGS and members of the U.K. Royal Navy's Maritime Trade Operations unit for the entire exercise. They shared ideas and strategies, and practiced ways to streamline their efforts.

German Navy Cmdr. Axel Schult, one of the NATO participants, said he was pleased with the integration between militaries, and by the increased involvement by merchant ships compared to past versions of IMCMEX that he has attended.

"The networking and communication between the different parties -- the military, the industries, the coalition nation partners -- is improving. The exercise is growing up," he said.

NCAGS dates back to World War II, when it was created to protect supply vessels. Since that time, its mission has evolved to maintaining a back-and-forth flow of information on directions, advisories and concerns within a maritime region. There are six Navy NCAGS units, including the one attached to NAVCENT, and all are completely staffed by Reservists.

Many unit members possess a civilian background in the merchant marine field, according to Hwang, which gives them the unique ability to "know everyone's mindsets and concerns."

"We speak the Navy and industry languages," he said.