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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

North Sea and Channel Maritime Information Group (NSCMIG)

The group, consisting of Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, aims to develop processes to share maritime information in support of national maritime safety and security objectives, and to improve maritime situational awareness in the multi-agency maritime environment. With a focus on the North Sea and the Channel, they also aim to work on the integration of existing systems/channels as well as ongoing projects to provide real-time data exchange, while also developing procedures to mutually support common objectives in areas of common maritime interest.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Border Control
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Customs Activities

Joint Inter-Agency Task Force-South (JIATF-S)

Source: JIATF-S Website

Located at Naval Air Station in Key West, Florida, Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF South) conducts detection and monitoring operations throughout the Caribbean to facilitate the interdiction of illicit trafficking in support of the US (Coast Guard and Navy) and partner nations security, among them France and Netherlands who have national territories in this area. Coordinated operations aim at denying transnational criminal organizations the ability to exploit shipment routes for the movement of narcotics, precursor chemicals, bulk cash, human trafficking and weapons.

Coast Guard Functions
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Countries involved

European Coast Guard Functions Forum (ECGFF)

Source: ECGFF Website

The European Coast Guard Functions Forum (ECGFF) is a self-governing, non-binding, voluntary, independent and non-political forum bringing together the Coast Guard authorities from 25 EU Member States and Schengen associated countries, as well as representatives of the EU institutions and bodies with competencies related to EU CG Functions. Since its establishment in 2009 the European Commission and EU Agencies, have supported the ECGFF. The rotating chair, supported by a secretariat, governs the Forum with responsibility to implement the annual programme. Bringing together over 30 national coastguard authorities from EU countries and associated Schengen countries, it works on collaborative issues i.e. multi-agency, multinational operations and capacity building among CG academies.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Ship Casualty & Maritime Assistance Service
Fisheries Inspection & Control
Maritime Border Control
Maritime Environmental Protection & Response
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Search and Rescue
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Customs Activities
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response
Maritime Ship and Port Security

North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum (NACGF)

Source: Defense Media Network

The North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum (NACGF), formed in 2007, aims to increase cooperation amongst member countries on maritime safety and security in the region. The NACGF is not policy or regulatory oriented, is non-binding, voluntary, and operates within existing legal frameworks. Its members are Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Estonia, Lithuania, and Poland have observer status.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response
Maritime Border Control
Ship Casualty & Maritime Assistance Service
Fisheries Inspection & Control
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Environmental Protection & Response
Maritime Search and Rescue
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Ship and Port Security
Maritime Customs Activities
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management

Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre - Narcotics (MAOC-N)

Source: MAOC-N Website

The Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC (N)), based in Lisbon, has 7 EU Member Countries: France, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal and the UK. It is co-funded by the Internal Security Fund of the EU and is a forum for multi-lateral cooperation to suppress illicit drug trafficking by sea and air. It is a European Law Enforcement unit with military support that coordinates maritime and aviation intelligence, resources and trained personnel to respond to the threat of illicit drug trafficking.

Coast Guard Functions
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Ship and Port Security
Maritime Customs Activities

Coordination Centre for Anti-Drug Enforcement in the Mediterranean (CeCLAD-M)

Source: Légifrance

The Centre de Coordination de la Lutte Anti-drogue en Méditerranée, or Coordination Centre for Anti-Drug Enforcement in the Mediterranean area was established in 2008 during the French Presidency of the EU. It is based near Paris, France, and is closely modelled on MAOC-N in Lisbon. The centre aims to intercept drug trafficking from Northern and Western Africa in the Mediterranean.

Coast Guard Functions
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Customs Activities

Mediterranean Coast Guard Functions Forum (MCGFF)

Source: Secretariat General for the Sea - CGF Ops Center

The Mediterranean Coast Guard Functions Forum (MCGFF) is a non-binding, voluntary, independent and non-political forum bringing together representatives from institutions and agencies with related competencies in coast guard functions in the Mediterranean. The aim is to facilitate multilateral cooperation on a wide range of issues such as maritime safety, security and environmental protection activities as well as creating partnerships to share experience and best practices on common problems.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Ship Casualty & Maritime Assistance Service
Fisheries Inspection & Control
Maritime Border Control
Maritime Environmental Protection & Response
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Search and Rescue
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Customs Activities
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response
Maritime Ship and Port Security

Black Sea Cooperation Forum (BSCF)

Source: BSCForum Website

The Black Sea Cooperation Forum was established in 2000, between the Coast Guard / Border Authorities of the Black Sea states, namely Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russian Federation and Georgia. The main purpose is to enhance peace, stability and maritime security in the Black Sea area, by increasing regional co-operation, and improving good relationship. Its tasks include enhancing existing interaction among border/coast guard agencies to prevent illegal activities, as well as strengthening the safety and security of navigation in the Black Sea. It conducts counterterrorism and weapon of mass destruction non-proliferation activities. It aims to help improve cooperation in the areas of fishery protection, search and rescue, marine pollution, marine environmental protection, information exchange, personnel exchange programs, joint/shared training.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Safety Including Vessel Traffic Management
Ship Casualty & Maritime Assistance Service
Fisheries Inspection & Control
Maritime Border Control
Maritime Environmental Protection & Response
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement
Maritime Search and Rescue
Maritime Monitoring and Surveillance
Maritime Customs Activities
Maritime Accident and Disaster Response
Maritime Ship and Port Security
Countries involved

Baltic Sea Task Force on Organised Crime (BSTF-OC)

Source: Council of the Baltic Sea States Website

The Baltic Sea Task Force on Organised Crime (BSTF-OC) was created in 1996 in Visby (Sweden) through a decision of the Heads of Governments of the Baltic Sea States. It comprises 11 personal representatives of the Heads of Governments of the Baltic Sea States (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia and Sweden). Officials from Interpol, Europol, the EU Council and the Secretariat of the Council of the Baltic Sea States have the status of observers at the BSTF meetings.

Coast Guard Functions
Maritime Border Control
Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking and Smuggling and Connected Maritime Law Enforcement