Ghanaian maritime operations center is the host of the African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP) operation which started February 4.
Aside from the U.S. Navy, and U.S. Coast Guard, the operation involves members of the Ghanaian Navy.
Activities are being conducted from the Military Sealift Command expeditionary fast transport vessel USNS Spearhead (T-EPF 1), in coordination with the Ghanaian maritime operations center.
Vessel queries and boardings have commenced and the operation’s objectives are to detect and enforce maritime law against illegal activity while also increasing proficiencies of the two maritime forces to work together.
AMLEP is companion to and nested within the international collaborative capacity-building initiative Africa Partnership Station, which, like AMLEP, seeks to build maritime security capacity in order to increase maritime safety and security.
The operation has a specific law enforcement objective, but the end goals align with the APS charter to enable African maritime forces to effectively patrol their waters and combat illicit maritime activity.
USNS Spearhead deployed from Norfolk, USA December 30, 2015 and is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to support APS and conduct AMLEP operations.