Italian Marines ‘entitled To Immunity’ In India Shooting: Tribunal

The Hague, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 2nd Jul, 2020 ) :Two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen in 2012 were entitled to immunity from prosecution, a tribunal ruled Thursday in a case that poisoned ties between the two countries.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague said it had decided by three votes to two “that the Marines are entitled to immunity in relation to the acts that they committed during the incident”.

To continue reading, please click here.

Source: urdupoint.com

Iran’s arms shipments to Houthis fuel war in Yemen, experts say

Saeed Al-Batati

AL-MUKALLA, YEMEN: The latest Saudi-led-coalition seizure of an Iranian arms shipment destined for the Houthis is further evidence of Iran’s destabilizing role in war-torn Yemen, according to government officials and experts.

“This is concrete proof of Iran’s involvement in Yemen,” Salem Al-Khanbashi, the deputy prime minister of Yemen, told Arab News.

To continue reading, please click here.

Source: arabnews.com

Iranian fleet accused of stealing Somalian fish despite acute food shortage

Evidence from NGOs suggests fleet of up to 192 Iranian vessels could be one of the largest illegal fishing operations in the world

A large fleet of Iranian fishing vessels has been identified operating illegally in Somalian waters for over a year, depleting fish stocks in a country where one in three people face acute shortages of food.

The Somali government, which is unable to police its vast coastline, has expressed concern over food and maritime security and has called on Iran to investigate.

To continue reading, please click here.

Source: horseedmedia.net

IRGC navy to build permanent Indian Ocean base, says commander

Iranian Navy ships in Velayat-90 military exercise, by Mohammad Sadegh Heydari via Wikipedia

Admiral Alireza Tangsiri says force regularly operates beyond Iranian waters

The naval forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps planned to build a permanent base in the Indian Ocean by the end of the year, Admiral Alireza Tangsiri told state-run Fars news agency.

He said the operation came at the request of military leadership and was intended to protect fishing and industrial shipping.

To continue reading, please click here.

Source: thenational.ae

Denmark Green Lights Frigate Deployment for Operation Agenor

Martin Manaranche

The Danish Navy (Søværnet) will deploy a Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate to the Hormuz Strait to join the French-led operation Agenor.

The decision was green lighted by the Danish parliement on June 11. From August, a Dutch Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate and a Seahawk helicopter will join the Hormuz Strait alongside their French allies.

To continue reading, please click here.

Source: navalnews.com

Iran Tests New Naval Missiles in Indian Ocean Exercise

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Navy test-fired new homegrown cruise missiles on Thursday in a military exercise in the northern parts of the Indian Ocean to hit targets at a distance of 280 kilometers.

Iran’s Navy launched a naval combat war game in the Sea of Oman and the northern parts of the Indian Ocean on Thursday morning.

In the exercise, codenamed ‘Ramadan Martyrs’, the Navy tested new short-range and long-range cruise missiles manufactured by the Iranian Defense Ministry.

The long-range naval cruise missiles hit the targets at a distance of 280 kilometers. The range of the new homegrown missiles may be extended.

A variety of coast-to-sea and sea-to-sea missiles with short and long ranges were fired simultaneously from the coastal launchers and the deck of naval vessels, and they could successfully detonate the targets with great accuracy.

The Thursday war game was held on the fortieth day after the martyrdom of a number of Navy forces in an incident involving the Konarak vessel.

Nineteen Navy servicemen were martyred and 15 others injured in the accident on May 10 when a number of vessels were carrying a naval training exercise off the coasts of Jask and Chabahar in the Sea of Oman.

Source: tasnimnews.com

India looks to deploy naval liaisons at Madagascar, Abu Dhabi for information exchange

Dinakar Peri

After joining the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) as Observer in March, India is looking to post Navy Liaison Officers at the Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre (RMIFC) in Madagascar and also at the European maritime surveillance initiative in the Strait of Hormuz for improved Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA).

“We are working closely with France who is a pre-eminent member of IOC to post a Naval LO at the RMIFC in Madagascar. We are also working on posting a Naval LO at the European Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH) in Abu Dhabi,” a defence source told The Hindu. “This will be in the overall realm of improving linkages of the Navy’s Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram with other IFCs and become the repository for all maritime data in the IOR,” the source said. The LOs are expected to be posted in the next few months.

To continue reading, please click here.

Source: thehindu.com

French Navy FREMM Frigate ‘Languedoc’ now under EMASOH command

The French frigate FS “Languedoc” has begun its deployment under EMASOH (European-led Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz) command since May 19.

Martin Manaranche

EMASOH press release

In order to ensure a safe navigational environment and to enhance maritime situational awareness, the FS Languedoc will be operating closely together with the Dutch frigate “HNLMS de Ruyter” and the French Maritime Patrol Aircraft Atlantique 2.

“Our sensors and our NH90 helicopter allow us a permanent watch in the area to enhance the common maritime security. We are looking forward to contribute to the security of navigation and the free flow of commerce in an area that is crucial for the world economy and European interests”

Captain Jean-Pierre Helluy, commanding officer of the FS Languedoc.

To continue reading, please click here.

Source: navalnews.com

Stable Seas report: What we know about piracy

SafeSeas is pleased to announce the first report resulting from collaboration with Stable Seas: What we know about Piracy

Authored by Lydelle Joubert, the report draws on desk-based research conducted between June 2019 and March 2020. It provides a systematic overview of data, answering the questions:

How is data on piracy and armed robbery collected?
By whom?
What kinds of information are available?
How accessible is the data?
What are the blind spots?

To download the report, please click here.

MarsecNews: This is a good overall read and covers the topic very well. Full marks to Lydelle and the team.

IMSC Comment on Incident in Gulf of Aden

BAHRAIN

05.19.2020

Story by NAVCENT Public Affairs

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet

The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) monitored an incident involving a United Kingdom flagged tanker which was approached in the international waters of the Gulf of Aden, May 17.

Initial reports indicated the Stolt Apal tanker was approached by two speed boats approximately 100 miles off the coast of Yemen. The incident occurred in IMSC’s area of operations.

“While we do not yet know who is responsible for this incident, it serves as an example of the behaviour IMSC is here to deter,” said Commodore Rob Bellfield, IMSC commander.

No immediate threat to the free flow of shipping was assessed, and no further action was taken by IMSC vessels or aircraft.

The multi-national, British-led IMSC deploys ships and aircraft throughout the region as part of the international surveillance and detection effort, ensuring freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce in international waters.

Source: dvidshub.net