MOL, coast guards practice VLCC attack drill

MOL, coast guards practice VLCC attack drill    Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, the Philippine and Japanese coast guards Monday conducted a drill aimed at combating terrorism and piracy in the South China Sea.
   Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation and the Japanese Shipowners’ Association also participated in the exercise, which used one of MOL’s very large crude carriers (VLCC), the “Navix Azelea.” A similar drill was held in November with a liquefied natural gas carrier of MOL.
   The latest drill scenario was that of a high-speed boat tracking the “Navix Azelea” in an apparent hijacking attempt, as the ship made its way through the South China Sea from Japan to the Middle East. The target vessel sent a security alert to the Japan Coast Guard and to the ship management company, MOL Shipmanagement Asia (Singapore).
   The crew of the “Navix Azelea” also responded in accordance with the manual based on the International Safety Management Code to prevent boarding by the hijackers.
   MOL Shipmanagement Asia then immediately contacted the MOL parent company, which activated its marine accident task force. The task force then acted as a communications control center, maintaining exclusive contact with the VLCC. The Japan Coast Guard ordered a patrol vessel to rush to aid the tanker. The patrol vessel contacted the VLCC and then reported back to Coast Guard headquarters.