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Cooperation and Coordination Mechanisms

Greece-Cyprus Agreement Cooperation in the Field of Search and Rescue

Source: Hellenic Coast Guard

Agreement between the government of the Hellenic Republic and the government of Cyprus on Co-operation in the Field of Search and Rescue (2014).

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Search and Rescue
Countries involved

Greece-Italian MOU on Cooperation in Search and Rescue

Source: Hellenic Coast Guard

Memorandum of Understanding between the government of the Hellenic Republic and the government of the Italian Republic on Cooperation in Search and Rescue Operations in the Ionian Sea (2000).

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Search and Rescue
Countries involved

Greece-Malta Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Search and Rescue

Source: Hellenic Coast Guard

Agreement between the government of the Hellenic Republic and the government of Malta on Co-operation in the Field of Search and Rescue (2008).

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Search and Rescue
Countries involved

Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC)

Source: IOTC Website

The IOTC is an intergovernmental organisation responsible for the management of tuna and tuna-like species in the Indian Ocean. It works to achieve this by promoting cooperation among its Contracting Parties (Members) and Cooperating Non-Contracting Parties in order to ensure the conservation and appropriate utilisation of fish stocks and encouraging the sustainable development of fisheries. At each Session of the Commission, Members may adopt Conservation and Management Measures concerning the management of tuna and tuna-like species under the IOTC mandate as well as the fisheries, which target them. These decisions are passed in the form of either Resolutions or Recommendations. There are currently 31 Members, including the EU, and two cooperating Non-Contracting Parties (CNCP) i.e. Senegal and Liberia.

Coast Guard Functions
Fisheries Inspection & Control
EU

Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR)

Source: IFC-IOR Website

The IFC-IOR stems from the importance of the Indian Ocean to world trade and security, and the need for the various maritime nations and organisations to collaborate towards enhancing maritime safety and security on the seas of this region. In addition to utilising the collective wisdom and resources towards addressing myriad challenges in the region, IFC-IOR will help interface and integrate, wherein, all partners and stakeholders would benefit from each other’s best practices and expertise. The Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard jointly administer the IFC. IFC-IOR was established with the vision of strengthening maritime security in the region and beyond, by building a common coherent maritime situation picture and acting as a maritime information hub for the region.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Maritime Border Control
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response
Maritime Ship and Port Security
Countries involved

Information Fusion Centre – Singapore (IFC)

Source: IFC Website

The Information Fusion Centre (IFC) is a regional Maritime Security (MARSEC) centre hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The IFC aims to facilitate information sharing and collaboration between its partners to enhance MARSEC. Since its inception, the IFC has been at the forefront of providing actionable information to cue responses by regional and international navies, coast guards and other maritime agencies to deal with the full range of MARSEC threats and incidents. This includes piracy, sea robbery, weapons proliferation, maritime terrorism, as well as contraband and drug smuggling. On addition to RSN personnel the centre hosts liaison officers from 24 countries i.e. Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, Chile, France, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Republic of Korea, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Maritime Border Control
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response
Maritime Ship and Port Security

Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)

Source: IATTC Website

The objective of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) is to ensure the long-term conservation and sustainable use of tuna and tuna-like species and other species of fish taken by vessels fishing for tunas and tuna like species in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Members are Belize, Canada, China, Columbia, Costa Rica, Ecuador El Salvador, the European Union, France, Guatemala, Japan, Kiribati, Korea, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Chinese Taipei, US, Vanuatu and Venezuela. Bolivia, Honduras, Indonesia, Liberia are Cooperating Non Members.

Coast Guard Functions
Fisheries Inspection & Control
Countries involved

International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

Source: ICAO Website

The International Civil Aviation Organization is a UN specialized agency, established in 1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention). ICAO works with the Convention’s 193 Member States and industry groups to reach consensus on international civil aviation Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and policies in support of a safe, efficient, secure, economically sustainable and environmentally responsible civil aviation sector. These ensure local civil aviation operations and regulations conform to global norms, allowing more than 100,000 daily flights in aviation’s global network to operate safely and reliably, many over the world’s oceans and seas.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)

Source: ICCAT Website

ICCAT is an intergovernmental organization for the management and conservation of tuna and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. The organisation was established in 1966, at a conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and operates in English, French and Spanish. ICCAT has 53 members and 5 ‘Cooperators’. ICCAT carries out studies on biometry, fisheries ecology and oceanography, focusing on the effects of fishing on tuna stock abundance. They collect and analyse fisheries statistics required for the management of resources. Based on scientific and other information, such as fishery statistics and stock assessments provided by members, each year the Commission decides on conservation and management measures aimed at maintaining target stocks at levels that permit the maximum sustainable catch for food.

Coast Guard Functions
Fisheries Inspection & Control
Countries involved

International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF)

Source: IMRF Website

The International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) is the international non-governmental organisation (NGO) working to develop and improve maritime search and rescue (SAR) capacity around the world, improving maritime SAR capability worldwide. The IMRF brings together the world's maritime SAR organisations involving both voluntary and governmental organisations. As well as capacity building, the IMRF also has an advocacy role, providing an international voice for its members. It is the only maritime SAR NGO with consultative status at the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Search and Rescue