Inauguration of VBSS course held in Trincomalee

The inauguration ceremony of the Visit Boat Search and Seizure (VBSS) course, conducted for the stakeholders of the ‘Indian Ocean Naval Symposium’ (IONS), was held at the auditorium of Special Boat Squadron in Trincomalee on 09^th July 2019.

Deputy Area Commander Eastern Naval Area, Commodore Jayantha Kularathne graced this event as the Chief Guest. The course is attended by 05 naval officers, 01 police officer and 02 senior sailors from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Pakistan, Thailand and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, 06 officers and 10 sailors from the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Fleet, 4^th Fast Attack Flotilla, Special Boat Squadron and Marines make the local participation of the course.

The two-week VBSS for the stakeholders of IONS is conducted by the trainers of the Special Boat Squadron and it mainly focuses on weapon handling, offensive and defensive tactics, close quarter movement, prisoner handling, boat handling, basic watermanship skills, drug identification, merchant ship documentation, ship security techniques and tactical combat casualty care.

Accordingly, the training module will be useful to the attendees in responding over maritime threats and coastal security issues in respective countries as well as to develop professional skills and exchange of knowledge between foreign participants and the host country. The training programme will terminate on 19^th July 2019.