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Hueneme Port Participates in Maritime Security Exercise

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The Port of Hueneme earlier this month joined more than 90 local, state, federal and private sector emergency response, management and high-tech organizations in a three-day regional maritime security exercise that focused on potential terrorist threats.

Coastal Trident is the latest in an annual, multiple-phased training and exercise program established by the port in partnership with the nearby Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Asymmetric Warfare. The objective is to improve the response capabilities of regional emergency response organizations to emergencies at the port, protect the economic viability of the port, and ensure the safety and security of surrounding communities.

The exercise scenario, though not based on known threats, was designed to address the increasing frequency of seaborne criminal activity, including the smuggling of hazardous materials, narcotics and illegal aliens along the southern California coastline.

According to the port, Coastal Trident 2013 provided valuable opportunities for participants to validate tactics, techniques and procedures to counter the threats in the port and maritime environments, as well as evaluate the role of developing military and law enforcement technologies to support intelligence-driven operations to deny opportunities for identified criminals and terrorists.

The scenario involved multi-jurisdictional, multi-domain command and control and public information. The full-scale exercise also facilitated field experimentation and operational evaluation of several technologies for use in the port and maritime environments.
 
 "The Port of Hueneme is particularly proud of our collaboration with the Naval Post Graduate School’s Center for Asymmetric Warfare," declared Port Director Kristin Decas. "In the last six years, our partnership has grown from a local Port Security Grant Program drill to a full-fledged regional partnership encompassing up to 90 local, state and federal agencies connecting Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura County emergency and security responders." 
 

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