Guest Post by Rear Admiral Sally Brice-O'Hara, Deputy Commandant for Operations.
On October 22, I had the honor of representing ADM Allen at the Automated Mutual-assistance Vessel Rescue system (AMVER) Awards Dinner hosted by the International Propeller Club of the United States, Port of Piraeus, Greece. During this festive occasion, we celebrated AMVER's 51st year and recognized 114 Greek shipping companies whose 862 ships participated in this system in 2008. I was pleased to express the U.S. Coast Guard's gratitude that such a significant number of Greek companies and ships have committed to aiding fellow mariners. AMVER cases often require them to divert from shipping schedules and intended routes to provide at-sea assistance.
AMVER, sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard, is a unique, computer-based, voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange assistance for persons in distress at sea. Through AMVER, rescue coordinators rapidly identify participating ships - about 19,000 from over 140 nations - and direct those closest and best-suited to respond to the call for help. The International Propeller Club of the United States, Port of Piraeus has provided a forum for exchanging views and promoting goodwill, social, cultural and merchant marine relations between citizens of Greece and the United States since its founding in 1935.
While in Athens, I also visited the Hellenic Coast Guard Headquarters to meet with the Commandant, Vice Admiral Theodoros Rentzeperis, and the Deputy Commandant, Vice Admiral Georgios Giannimaras. I heard about the imminent reorganization of their service and operational challenges in their AOR. Later this year, the Hellenic Coast Guard will begin using SAROPS, the state-of-the-art search and rescue planning system we have been using since 2006. They will be the third international partner (along with Malta and Mexico) to install SAROPS in their Rescue Coordination Center.
During a brief stop in Souda Bay, Crete, I met with the Commander of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center (NMIOTC), Commodore Konstantinos Mazarakis-Ainian. He provided an informative overview of this very impressive joint, multi-national center. NMIOTC delivers combined training to enable NATO forces to safely and successfully execute surface, sub-surface, aerial and special operations activities in support of Maritime Interdiction Operations. The curriculum and scenarios are particularly relevant to NATO's counter-piracy operations in the Horn of Africa region.
(Note: AMVER maintains a very informative blog here)
Semper Paratus,
Rear Admiral Sally Brice-O'Hara
Deputy Commandant for Operations
