Naval chief inaugurates new inter-agency base in Karachi

KARACHI: Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi on Friday inaugurated a new state-of-the-art Joint Maritime Information Coordination Centre (JMICC) during a splendid ceremony in Karachi.

According to a statement, the naval chief termed the event an important milestone, which will further support Pakistan Navy’s efforts to promote maritime security in the region. He lauded the indigenous efforts of maritime officials to develop such a state of the art system.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Chief of Staff (Operations), Commander Pakistan Fleet, Commander Coast, Commander Karachi and other Senior Naval Officers.

The new setup of JMICC has been equipped with indigenously developed Joint Maritime Information Sharing (JMIS) software, a modern operations room and associated infrastructure. JMICC would function as a nerve center to harmonize the efforts of all maritime related organizations and agencies.

“It (JMICC) supports generating a harmonized response to maritime security issues within Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), largely information sharing and inter-department coordination,” it added.

It further said the capacity enhancement will enable JMICC to effectively knit maritime entities of Pakistan and International Information Fusion Centres (IFCs) to enhance safety and security in the maritime field.

The center was established in February 2013 and is manned round the clock by a competent team which includes representatives of relevant stakeholders.