Search and rescue communication exercise with the Putrajaya Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC Putrajaya) under the Malaysia Coast Guard

On the morning of August 15, 2024, the Vietnam Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (Vietnam MRCC) organized the search and rescue communication exercise (SARCOMEX) to coordinate search and rescue (SAR) information with the Putrajaya Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC Putrajaya) under the Malaysia Coast Guard. The exercise included two simulated rescue scenarios:

Scenario 1: A Vietnamese-flagged vessel, SEA GULL, while en route from Hai Phong Port, Vietnam, to Johor Port, Malaysia, was involved in a collision within Malaysia's search and rescue responsibility zone.

Scenario 2: A Malaysian-flagged vessel, JM DAMAI, while en route from Kuantan Port, Malaysia, to Phu My Port, Vietnam, experienced an incident in which a crew member fell overboard within Vietnam's search and rescue responsibility zone.

Both sides worked together to receive, process, and exchange information via phone and email, following international protocols for distress situations. The exercise went according to plan, and both sides evaluated the results positively.

The goal of this SARCOMEX was to strengthen international cooperation in maritime search and rescue, in line with recommendations from the International Maritime Organization (IMO). It also aimed to test the efficiency of communication channels between the two centers and improve the professional skills and responsibility of officers on duty in handling international SAR information.

The Vietnam MRCC prioritizes organizing SAR information coordination exercises annually with search and rescue organizations in the region and worldwide. This effort demonstrates the nation’s responsibility as a signatory to international conventions, including the 1979 Search and Rescue Convention (SAR 79), the 1974 Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS 74), and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 82).

Since the beginning of this year, the Vietnam MRCC has conducted seven SAR information coordination exercises with foreign search and rescue organizations/agencies, including those in the United States, India, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia.