The School of Maritime Operations (SMOPS) has commenced a two-week Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) Basic Course at the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) in the South Tongu Municipality to strengthen maritime security operations.
The training is being organised in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and practical skills required to effectively conduct VBSS operations.
The course seeks to enhance maritime safety and support efforts to combat transnational organised crime at sea.
It is also expected to improve operational competence, deepen inter-agency collaboration, and strengthen coordination in maritime law enforcement within the sub-region.
Additionally, the initiative forms part of broader efforts to build maritime security capacity and promote regional cooperation in addressing maritime crime and ensuring safety across the maritime domain.
In a welcome address, the Commanding Officer of SMOPS, Naval Captain Michael Cudjoe, underscored the complex and evolving nature of the maritime environment.
He noted that maritime crime is largely transnational, requiring sustained collaboration among nations to effectively confront emerging threats.
He urged participants to demonstrate professionalism and discipline throughout the training, while promoting teamwork, mutual respect, and knowledge sharing.
Naval Captain Cudjoe further highlighted the importance of harmonised Standard Operating Procedures, explaining that aligned frameworks enable countries to undertake joint maritime operations more efficiently and seamlessly.
Participants pledged their commitment to adhering to established operational frameworks during the course, with the aim of strengthening maritime security and enhancing collective responses to criminal activities at sea.
