Bakamla Inaugurates VBSS Maritime Training Center In Batam

The Head of the RI Bakamla together with the Regional Program Coordinator for the Southeast Asia and Pacific Maritime Crime Program signed the inscription. (ANTARA/HO-Humas Bakamla RI)

BATAM - The Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) inaugurated the Maritime Facility Training Center "Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS)" at the Batam Fleet Base office.

Head of Bakamla Laksdya TNI Dr. Aan Kurnia said that in the future Bakamla will make the comprehensive VBSS training program a routine activity and make it a joint training center.

"Later on, other ministries/agencies can use the training facilities and infrastructure in Batam," he said from a written statement received by Antara in Batam, Riau Islands, as reported by ANTARA, Friday, June 24.

Aan explained that this maritime training facility was in the form of a classroom container module for VBSS team training which was carried out in conjunction with the opening of an international scale VBSS coordinated training.

"This maritime training facility is a form of cooperation and strong commitment between Bakamla RI and UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, ed) in preparing and building capacity to deal with various maritime threats," he said.

Regional Program Coordinator for the Southeast Asia and Pacific Maritime Crime Program Shanaka Jayasekara added that he hopes that the Maritime Facility Training Center will become a regional training facility center for the VBSS Team.

"We are very pleased to partner with Bakamla RI, which is the Coast Guard from the largest archipelagic country in the world, to build maritime training facilities in Batam," he said.

As previously reported, this year Bakamla and UNODC are holding an international VBSS coordinated training program. The training is carried out in stages, stages and continues in Batam.