VBSS course terminates in Trincomalee

The closing ceremony of the VBSS course conducted for member states of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) by Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) was held at the auditorium of Special Boat Squadron, Naval Dockyard Trincomalee on 19^th July 2019.

Commander Eastern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Merril Wickramasinghe attended the closing ceremony, as the Chief Guest. The course had been organized for officers and other ranks from Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Pakistan, Thailand and Saudi Arabia. Besides, sixteen (16) SLN personnel also joined the course.

The two-week VBSS for the stakeholders of IONS was conducted by SLN resource persons and instructors of the Special Boat Squadron and it mainly focuses on maritime law enforcement operations on compliant boarding scenarios followed by ship security techniques, drug transferring methods and identifications, tactical combat casualty care etc.

After the closing ceremony, the trainees performed a skill display to demonstrate how maritime law enforcement operational duties are being carried out at sea. Flag Officer Commanding Naval Fleet, Rear Admiral Upul de Silva, Heads of Departments in the area, Commanding Officer Special Boat Squadron and a group of officers were also present at event.