SHARK SHIVER, the cooperation of the French and Nigerian navies

SHARK SHIVER, the cooperation of the French and Nigerian navies

A large-scale naval military exercise to combat maritime insecurity

This exercise, named SHARK SHIVER, brought together 9 vessels, including the Nigerian frigate THUNDER, the Italian FREMM ANTONIO MARCEGLIA (a multi-mission frigate built in collaboration with France) and the French PHM (high seas patrol vessel) COMMANDANT DUCUING.

French high sea patrol boat COMMANDANT DUCUING

These means were completed by 2 helicopters (Italian and Nigerian) as well as Nigerian special forces units and divers from the 3 countries.

Four scenarios of increasing difficulty were proposed by the Nigerian Navy in order to cover a wide range of actions, from the detection of suspicious vessels to their interception, including the exchange of information and the deployment of visiting teams by sea and by air.

This major exercise was also an opportunity to familiarise the units at sea with the anti-piracy alert chain set up within the Yaoundé Architecture, a regional organisation for the fight against maritime insecurity under the aegis of the African Union, and of which the Lagos COM (Maritime Operational Centre) is a part.

The very high level of this training was underlined by the consuls general of Italy and France respectively, during a press conference held yesterday at the Western Naval Command in Lagos in the presence of its commander, Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa.

Nigerian Navy