New Delhi – Merchant shipping through the Gulf is expected to greatly benefit from a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed today to facilitate information exchange between the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) near New Delhi and the Maritime Security Center (MSC) in Muscat.

The Indian government said in a press release today that the MoU would "contribute to enhanced maritime safety and security in the region." The exchange would cover white shipping information.

In shipping terminology, white shipping information is about the exchange of advance information on the identity and movement of commercial, non-military merchant ships.

India set up the IFC-IOR three years ago as part a high-technology approach to detect and deter maritime security threats in the Indian Ocean region, including the Gulf.

Today’s MoU represents a natural progression in meeting this objective. The MSC was commissioned in 2013. Among its objectives are fighting organized crime at sea, including illegal trading, piracy, mitigating sea environment pollution and protecting fisheries.

Today’s MoU was signed between Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of India’s Naval Staff, and Rear Admiral Saif bin Nasser bin Mohsen Al-Rahbi, Commander of Royal Navy of Oman. The signing ceremony took place at the MSC during a visit by Admiral Singh.

 

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