On December 10th, a Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) exercise was carried out in which a Security Operations Team (EOS) from the Canary Islands Security Unit (USCAN) of the Navy was able to maintain its training level. Thanks to the collaboration of the Portuguese-flagged vessel “Katharina,” the security team was able to carry out the simulated exercise on the container ship.
During the maneuver, the ship's crew was fully committed to the training objectives, facilitating the security team's work. The cargo ship, which simulated being a vessel suspected of trafficking prohibited cargo, remained docked at the Port of La Luz, with the USCAN in charge of the assault via a Navy vessel.In this type of operation, Navy personnel trained in verifying legal-administrative aspects (tonnage certificates, cargo manifests, health, or MARPOL) as well as in carrying out cargo registration, provide the state's capacity for action at sea beyond its borders
The Marine Corps' EOS constantly carry out exercises that ensure an optimal level of training in boarding, searching, self-defense, pat-down, and first aid techniques, necessary for operating in a highly complex environment.
Currently, Navy vessels have specialized boarding teams – called Visit and Boarding Teams (VBT) – which, integrated with the aforementioned EOS, form an effective duo capable of boarding vessels at sea.
These types of operations, known as Maritime Interdiction Operations, are covered by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, internationally known as UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), drafted and ratified by Spain in Montego Bay, Jamaica, on December 10, 1982, as well as by the regulatory conventions of international humanitarian law (IHL).
