NCAGS Toolbox From ATP 2(B) Vol I Presented by: LCDR Stephan Freeman NCAGS

The Toolbox 101Issue OPTASK NCAGS 102Establish NCAGS Area 103Establish CRGs 104Liaise MERSHIP Community 105Collect OSINT 106Collect Focused INT 107Establish Communications 108Collect MERSHIP Info (Format Alfa) 109Inputs to White Shipping Picture 110Spare 111Deconfliction 112Brief Masters 113Spare 114Establish SCPs 115Establish SRA's 116Deploy NCAGS Liaison Officers 117Sailing Instructions 118Accompaniment of MERSHIPS 119Dispersal/Emergency Movement 120Service to CRS 121Lead-through 122Routeing for NCAGS Purposes 123WWNWS/AWNIS 201Mandatory Routeing 202Convoy Operations

100 Series Tools NCAGS Toolbox comprises a series of procedures and tactics available to support maritime operational objectives May be used in combination or alone List is in no particular order or priority for implementation Descriptions and measures are generic and may be modified to meet specific mission objectives

101 – Issue OPTASK NCAGS Done by the NCAGS CDR Details NCAGS contribution to the mission

102 – Establish NCAGS Area NCAGS Area = AOO = AOR Usually coincides with the mission’s established AOO Established in NCAGS OPTASK

103 – Establish CRGs A Communication Reporting Gate is established to provide a position for merchant ships to call NCAGS in order to establish initial contact or update previous information Uses a time (ex. 40 hrs out) or a location (lines of latitude/longitude – most common) Should be positioned so that merchant ships check in (via Format Alfa) and receive passage instructions a minimum of 36 hrs or 600 nm prior to reaching AOR Promulgated through NOTMARs, etc.

104 – Liaise with Community Develop, foster, and maintain a collaborative working relationship with the merchant shipping community Enables rapid collection and dissemination of vital information Also develop and maintain a collaborative working relationship with:  Commercial trade organizations  Insurance organizations  Foreign governments/military

105 – Collect OSINT Collect information by researching and data mining Open Sources Open Sources include:  Classification society information (Lloyd’s-Fairplay Register of Ships)  National information sources (NSAs, shipping centers, gov’t departments)  Maritime internet websites and links (shipping companies, shipbuilding companies, etc)  NATO Shipping Center (NSC)  Media (company schedules, Journal of Commerce, newspapers, etc)  Maritime industry magazines and databases

106 – Collect Focused INT Collect information by using NCAGS personnel and other assets in theater to augment OSINT Sources include:  Liaise with Intelligence Staff  Observing port activities, anchorages, activities on board ships, etc  Contacting local shipping companies, ship owners, ship operators, ship agents, and ship masters  Direct communication with merchant ships  Monitor infrastructure in ports of interest  Photograph ships and facilities (if permitted by local authorities)

107 – Establish COMMs w/ MV Provide merchant ships with directions for contacting NCAGS Provide information of interest to shipping Collect data on ships for White Shipping Picture Mandatory for vessels over 300 GT Vessels encouraged (but not required) to establish COMMs:  Fishing vessels  Warships  Pleasure yachts not engaged in trade  Wooden ships of a primitive build  Sailing vessels

108 – Collect MERSHIP Info Collect information on merchant ships in the AOO through submission of a Format Alfa (Ship’s Data Card) and subsequent position reports As a general rule, the Format Alfa should be kept as short as possible and limited to the information determined to be essential Pre-made Format Alfa’s can be obtained from the Exercise LOI

108 – Format Alfa Section A: Basic Details of Vessel  Ship’s name  International Callsign  Type of Vessel  Flag of registry  IMO #  Port of registry  Overall length  Vessel’s width  Maximum draft  Gross tonnage  Speed service maximum minimum  Significant appearance of vessel for optical recognition  MMSI (Maritime Mobile Services Identity) #  Name of communication stations being copied  INMARSAT telephone #s  INMARSAT fax #s  INMARSAT telex #s  INMARSAT Data #s  Other communication means, such as address

108 – Format Alfa (cont) Section B: Details of Current Voyage  Intended movement (description of passage)  Last port/country of call including actual date/time of departure  Next port of call including ETA  Current position  Date/time and position entering the region  Waypoints of intended track through AOO  Position and date/time of departing the region

108 – Format Alfa (cont) Section C: Details of Ship’s Operator  Name of ship owner/operator  Address of ship owner  Name of agent  Address of operator/agent  of owner/operator/agent  Telephone # of owner/operator/agent  Fax # of owner/operator/agent

108 – Format Alfa (cont) Section D: Cargo Data  Quantity and nature of main/relevant cargo  Shippers of main/relevant cargo (name and address)  Origin of main/relevant cargo  Consignee of main/relevant cargo  Final destination of main/relevant cargo  Special queries appropriate to current operation Example: “State if any cargo/person is carried being subject to UN sanctions, YES or NO – if YES, describe on separate sheet”)

109 – Inputs to White Shipping Picture Exercise purposes: C2PC, NAMESIS

111 - Deconfliction Minimize interference between military operations and merchant ship movements Persuade masters to comply with NCAGS guidance and recommendations Benefit to masters: by complying, the interruptions to their voyages by military units will be minimized and the safely of their voyage will be enhanced

111 – Deconfliction (cont.) Identify potential interference:  Separation zones  Traffic lanes  Fishing areas  Chokepoints  Main shipping routes Generate and promulgate alternative routes

112 – Brief Masters Enhance their safety Minimize disruption to their voyages Improve awareness and understanding of military situation ***Do not disclose Classified information***

114 – Establish SCPs A Shipping Co-operation Point is used to execute and coordinate NCAGS operations in a specific geographic area Can be either ashore or afloat

115 – Establish SRAs Delineate an area of higher or specific risk to merchant ships within area Clearly defined by geographic boundaries Should be kept as small as possible All participating merchant ships within SRA will be given an SI (Sailing Instructions) with a recommended route to follow Those not complying should be briefed clearly on the dangers that may result Used to achieve deconfliction, reduce risk, and/or minimize movement of merchant ships due to:  Increased threat of opposing forces  Increased threat by own naval operations

116 – Deploy Liaison Officers For merchant ship embarkment LNO makes military knowledge available to masters to help them understand naval/military requirements LNO acts as an interpreter of military language/expressions

117 – Sailing Instructions Issued to all ships transiting an SRA and any ships requiring specific routeing direction

118 - Accompaniment Recommend and Facilitate It is a voluntary arrangement by which merchant ships can be organized for passage through an area of increased risk in company with military units A military presence in the vicinity of merchant ships acts as a deterrent from any unlawful interference to included merchant ships Primarily used for transiting an SRA Generally, not enough military assets to accompany all merchant ships, so prioritization must be used Ships directed to gather at defined assembling (marshalling) points NOT ESCORT or CONVOY

119 – Dispersal/Emergency Movement Dispersal: May be ordered when it is considered that the concentration of ships in a port or area is such that the likelihood of an attack is increased  Ships may be moved to other berths/anchorages in same port  Ships may be moved to holding/working anchorages or other ports  Empty ships may be sailed out of threatened area Emergency Movement: Preserve hulls and cargoes when attack in a port of area is imminent or has occurred  Four elements: Diversion Port Evacuation Area Evacuation Subsequent Movements

120 – Service to CRS Crisis Response Operations (CROs) are multifunctional operations involving military, diplomatic, and humanitarian agencies that are designed to achieve humanitarian goals or long- term political settlement and are conducted impartially in support of UN mandates Crisis Response Shipping (CRS) – the role of military and merchant shipping in a CRO

Recent CROs  Operation Unified Assistance (2005)  Operation Focus Relief (2001)  Operation Atlas Response (2000)  United Shield (1995) & Operation Restore Hope ( )  Relief efforts following the tsunami in SE Asia  Peacekeeping operations in Sierra Leone  Relief efforts following torrential rains and flooding in southern Mozambique and South Africa  Humanitarian assistance in Somalia (“Black Hawk Down”)

121 – Lead-through Minimize the risk to merchant ships transiting potential mined areas Liaise with MCM Potentially embark NLOs

122 - Routeing Provide guidance for the selection of specific routes for merchant ships within or through the operational area Used primarily for deconfliction

123 – WWNWS/AWNIS Produce navigational safety warnings AWNIS = Allied Worldwide Navigational Information System  Provides a complete navigational safety information service for allied military commands and civil shipping during crisis or conflict  As a general rule, should be activated if mine warfare forces are deployed or NCAGS is implemented WWNWS = World Wide Navigational Warning System  AWNIS uses WWNWS for disseminating unclassified navigational information to the merchant marine

200 Series Tools 200 Series Tools are for implementation during Naval Supervision of Merchant Ships which requires NAC/DPC (North Atlantic Council/Defense Planning Committee) approval to implement  201: Mandatory Routeing for Merchant Ships  202: Conduct Convoy Operations

The Toolbox 101Issue OPTASK NCAGS 102Establish NCAGS Area 103Establish CRGs 104Liaise MERSHIP Community 105Collect OSINT 106Collect Focused INT 107Establish Communications 108Collect MERSHIP Info (Format Alfa) 109Inputs to White Shipping Picture 110Spare 111Deconfliction 112Brief Masters 113Spare 114Establish SCPs 115Establish SRA's 116Deploy NCAGS Liaison Officers 117Sailing Instructions 118Accompaniment of MERSHIPS 119Dispersal/Emergency Movement 120Service to CRS 121Lead-through 122Routeing for NCAGS Purposes 123WWNWS/AWNIS 201Mandatory Routeing 202Convoy Operations

Questions?

Terminology Tricks of the Tongue Between US and International Communities Presented by: LCDR Stephan Freeman

COP  Common Operational Picture  Definition: A correlated and fused near-real time picture of a battle space including geo-locational track information on friendly, hostile, and neutral land, sea, and air forces.  We have agreed to use the term “White Shipping Picture”

RMP  Recognized Maritime Picture  Definition: A composite picture of activity of a maritime area of interest at any given time; feeds into the COP.  We have agreed to use the term “White Shipping Picture”

AOR  Area of Responsibility  Definition: A defined area of land in which responsibility is specifically assigned to the commander of the area for the development and maintenance of installations, control of movement, and the conduct of operations

AOO  Area of Operation  Definition: That portion of an area of conflict necessary for the conduct of an operation. Areas of operations are geographical areas assigned to commanders for which they have responsibility.

NCAGS Area  Definition: That portion of an area of conflict necessary for the conduct of an NCAGS operation.

SCP  Shipping Co-operation Point  US equivalent: SCT

NCAGS L/O  NCAGS Liaison Officer  US equivalent: LNO

NOTMAR  Notice to Mariners  US equivalent: NOTAM

LT  Lieutenant pronunciation

Routeing  US equivalent: Routing

 Questions?