Swedish Armed Forces will carry out the ‘Emerentia 15’ exercise
On April 24-26, the Swedish Armed Forces will carry out the ‘Emerentia 15’ exercise at the Port of Gothenburg.
Some 700 military personnel will take part in the exercise. Day-to-day operations will not be affected although certain aspects of the exercise will be visible at the port.
The port is of major strategic significance to the community and a key part of the Swedish transport and logistics system. It is therefore crucial that port operations can continue even if the security situation were to change.
The exercise, Emerentia 15, is based on a scenario where the port is under threat, resulting in a heightened level of security. The aim of the exercise is to maintain and develop the collective capability of the community to protect critical infrastructure.
“The Port of Gothenburg is of major strategic significance to the community and an important part of the Swedish transport and logistics system. It is therefore crucial that port operations can continue even if the security level were to change,” said Thomas Fransson, Head of Security at the Port of Gothenburg.
The exercise at the port will include hijackings and boarding of vessels and suspected terrorists will be arrested. Normal operations at the port will not be affected by the exercise although certain aspects of the exercise will be visible at the port.
Emerentia 15 is Sweden’s largest joint exercise. The exercise will focus on protecting the Port of Gothenburg, with its fairways and land links, as well as Landvetter Airport. Other locations will also be affected. Up to 1,300 people will be involved in the exercise, of whom 1,200 will be military personnel. The exercise is scheduled for April 24-26.
“The exercise is a means of ensuring that all parties concerned are as well coordinated and prepared as possible in the event of attack against functions in our area that are critical to society,” said the officer in charge of the exercise Colonel Peter Adolfsson, who is commander-in-chief at the Gothenburg garrison.
All community services that are involved in crisis management will take part in the exercise. Apart from the Armed Forces and the Port of Gothenburg, the Police, Coastguard and Rescue Service will also take part.
Source and Image Credit: Port of Gothenburg
