U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) concluded a five-day vessel boarding course for the Lebanese Navy on Feb. 2 at the U.S. Navy base in Bahrain.

U.S. Coast Guard personnel facilitated the course for 10 members of the Lebanese Navy, leading discussions on defense tactics, boarding procedures, evidence collection, safety and medical care.

“Hosting the Lebanese Navy at our facility embodies the commitment between our two nations,” said Capt. Eric Helgen, commander of Patrol Forces Southwest Asia, who leads U.S. Coast Guard personnel stationed in Bahrain. “Engagements between the Lebanese Navy and our Maritime Engagement Team experts build capability and foster trust.”

The course was held at an indoor training facility that includes replicas of shipboard spaces commonly encountered aboard fishing vessels and commercial ships transiting the Middle East.

This was the first time the Coast Guard team hosted Lebanese Armed Forces personnel in Bahrain for the course. The U.S. Coast Guard conducted 17 similar exchanges for 14 different partner nations in 2022.

NAVCENT’s operating area includes 21 countries, the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb and Suez Canal.