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Naval Cooperation and Guidance for

Shipping (NCAGS) Overview and NCAGS Support for IMCMEX 13

CAPT Keith BruceDeputy Director, NCAGS Enterprise

OVERALL CLASSIFICATION

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Mission

Assist the Theater/Operational Commander in managing risk by providing situational awareness

and real-time clarity of the merchant shipping picture and, secondarily, to ensure the safe passage of merchant shipping in a crisis or

contingency. (OPNAVINST 3450.18B, 16 Nov 07)

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Background

• The Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) organization:

– In the US Navy (and most navies), a Reserve-only function– Originally known as Naval Control of Shipping (NCS)– Changed to Naval Control and Protection of Shipping (NCAPS) circa 2000– Now focused on recommendation and guidance for commercial shipping– Now designed to address threats that are in littoral regions that include choke points in

navigation

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NCAGS

The naval warfare discipline that provides the

operational interface between the Navy and commercial shipping

The NCAGS Bridge

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Two Primary Tasks

• Provide White Shipping Picture– Maritime Infrastructure – floating

and fixed– Working relationships with the

maritime industry– Coordination with other maritime

agencies/authorities– Merchant mariners on staff

• Guidance to Shipping– Threat briefs– Naval warnings– Embarked liaison officers (LNOs)– Convoys, reporting gates, directed

tracks, etc.

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Expeditionary Shipping Coordination Center (ESCC)

• The ESCC is the link between naval forces and the merchant shipping industry

• Reserve Component activation and movement to theater– 24/7 operations

• Established to support day-to-day and contingency operations– Gathering and consolidating the merchant shipping Common

Operational Picture (COP)– Facilitating information flow between all stakeholders

• Becomes a Crisis Response Center (CRC) in a contingency

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NCAGS Liaison Officers

• NCAGS Liaison Officers (LNOs) may be embarked on merchant ships to enhance communications and understanding with the military

– Liaison between naval commander and ship master

– Brief and inform ship master and officers

– Collect and disseminate ship and voyage data

– Provide ship masters with situational information

– Advises master on movement through NCAGS area

– Train and assist master and officers on naval operations

– Embarked on selected recommended routes

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Shipping Coordination Teams

• The Shipping Coordination Team (SCT) provides an expeditionary capability to the operational commander

• SCTs can be located either ashore or afloat

• SCTs provide the capability to manage and disseminate regional commercial shipping information

• Fill local gaps in the maritime Common Operational Picture

• Depending on commercial traffic density and/or complexity of operations, additional SCTs can be added to meet requirements

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NCAGS BENEFITS

To Military Commander1. More comprehensive picture of merchant activity.

2. De-confliction of merchant ships from military operations.

3. Better understanding of commercial constraints.

4. Improved counterterrorism capability.

5. More effective employment of military forces.

6. Improved counter-piracy capability.

To Merchant Shipping1. Improved safety and security in crisis areas.

2. Maintenance of economic flow.

3. Minimizing disruptions to passage through military operations.

4. Quicker reactions to changing threats.

5. Better understanding of military constraints.

6. Potential for stabilizing insurance costs.

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IMCMEX 13 NCAGSSummary of Events

– 1 x LNG– 1 x Container Ship– 1 x LPG– 1 x USNS– 1 x UK DDG (HMS DRAGON)– 1 x US DDG (WPL)– 1 x PC/WPB– 2 x UAE Missile Patrol Boats– 1 x Qatar Missile Patrol Boats– ISR asset– NAVCENT NCAGS CRC Bah– Crisis Action Center (CAC)

– London– Dubai– San Francisco– Norfolk

– MARLO– Maritime Admin (MARAD)

Washington DC– CMF– UKMTO– Coalition Escort Ships– Industry Reps (CRC)– NCAGS DENMARK– NCAGS GERMANY– NCAGS BELGIUM– NCAGS UK– NCAGS Norway

Current Participants

• Oil Spill Response• Marshalling of Merchant Vessels• Escort of Merchant Vessels through the Strait of

Hormuz• Escort of Merchant Vessels through Mine Swept

Channel

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Questions?