By Kemo Cham
Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom are set to advance cooperation in maritime security after a visit by a team from the British Royal Navy this week.
The Sierra Leone Ports and Harbour Authority (SLPHA) hosted the delegation on February 7. The leadership of SLPHA said the visit underscored a growing partnership aimed at bolstering maritime security in the Port of Freetown, a crucial source of revenue for the Sierra Leone government. SLPHA oversees overall port security and intelligence operations.
The visiting delegation was led to the SLPHA headquarters located with the Queen Elizabeth II Quay by the Defense Attaché to the High Commission of UK in Freetown.
Yankuba Askia Bio, Director General of SLPHA and his management team were at hand to receive the guests. He is quoted in a news release stressing on the value of the ongoing relationship between Sierra Leone and UK, and their commitment to enhancing port security.
ManoReporters learnt that the main purpose of the meeting was to evaluate existing security measures, ahead of the impending visit by the HMS Trent to Sierra Leone.
ManoReporters learnt that the main purpose of this meeting was to evaluate existing security measures, ahead of the impending visit by the HMS Trent to Sierra Leone. Image, SLPHA.
The HMS Trent (P224) is described as a Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessel belonging to the British Royal Navy designed for long-range, sustained operations and frequently deploys to the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and West Africa. It was deployed in Sierra Leone for the first time back in 2023, when the crew collaborated with the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF)’s Maritime Wing to share intelligence, provide engineering maintenance, and discuss anti-piracy strategies, among others.
Officials say the planned redeployment will see the UK Navy again conduct strategic maritime security and training mission in the country, with the goal of boosting bilateral defense ties and support regional anti-piracy capabilities.
The engagement between the two teams resulted in a pledge by the British Royal Navy to provide specialized maritime security training to SLPHA staff, with the aim of enhancing the capabilities of those working in critical security sensitive areas within the Port. This, according to the news release, is geared towards ensuring that Freetown Port’s security infrastructure remains robust and responsive to emerging challenges.
