EU Warship Provides Seychelles CG Training

EU Naval Force Warship 'FGS Berlin' has conducted local maritime capacity building in the Seychelles informs EUCAP Nestor.

Three Local Maritime Capacity Building (LMCB) activities have taken place during EU Naval Force Warship FGS Berlin’s recent port visit to the Seychelles. LMCB are conducted by the European Union  to build the capacity of security forces of regional partners in the fight against piracy, supporting further training provided by EUCAP Nestor.

First, firefighting training was conducted for the Seychelles Coast Guard. This included instructions on the right use of various fire extinguishers, techniques how to open (hot) doors, and the different use of members of the firefighting team.

Second, Seychelles Coast Guard personnel attended a one day workshop focusing on handling medical emergencies onboard maritime vessels. This workshop included methods of finding a casualty / injured person, first aid training, how to handle and transport a patient, how to help a person after near drowning and hypothermia as well as how to deal with a person in shock.

Finally, a workshop was organised for personnel from the Seychelles Coast Guard and Air Force aboard the FGS Berlin. This specific workshop covered the background and use of the MERCURY system. The Mercury system is an internet-based secure communication network used as an alert and coordination tool by all anti-piracy stakeholders, and is used by Seychelles maritime authorities. Topics covered during the workshop were the general history of Mercury, build-up of Mercury users, access and operational use of the system.

EUCAP Nestor is a civilian mission, under the Common Security and Defense Policy of the European Union, mandated to assist countries of the Horn of Africa and Western Indian Ocean develop their capacities and capabilities to ensure maritime security, in particular counter-piracy and maritime governance.