UNIPATH STAFF
Its vast coastline and location near the economically vital Strait of Hormuz convinced the Sultanate of Oman of the need for maritime security. So in August 2013, Oman hosted officials from Combined Maritime Forces’ (CMF) counterpiracy arm, the Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151).
This international maritime coalition, commanded by Pakistan during the Oman visit, is dedicated to countering piracy to ensure free navigation in the Gulf of Aden, Somali Basin and Arabian Sea. The goal of the meetings was to improve cooperation and coordination among militaries involved in the counterpiracy fight. While not a formal member of CTF 151, Oman supports the task force by allowing ships to replenish supplies in ports such as Salalah and Muscat and by sharing information with CTF 151 officials.
Oman also hosted CTF officials in July and May 2013 for similar key leader engagements.
“The international effort to fight piracy is essential to ensure that we do not lose ground,” then-CTF Commodore Muhammad Ihsan Qadir of Pakistan said in an article on muscatdaily.com. The Royal Navy of Oman “has provided CTF 151 with a great deal of support over the years. I hope Oman’s involvement in CMF operations grows.”
The previous CTF 151 commander, Rear Adm. Giam Hock Koon of the Republic of Singapore Navy, expressed similar sentiments in an article on combinedmaritimeforces.com. “Oman is an important contributor in the counter-piracy fight, and we greatly appreciate their support of Combined Maritime Forces in our counter-piracy efforts,” Koon said.