International exercise Obangame Express set to begin with Ghana Navy

According to a press release published by United States Africa Command on March 11, 2021, Obangame Express (OE21), the largest multinational maritime exercise in Western Africa, will kick off its 10th year with 32 participating nations at an opening ceremony in Accra, Ghana, March 19, 2021.


According to a press release published by United States Africa Command on March 11, 2021, Obangame Express (OE21), the largest multinational maritime exercise in Western Africa, will kick off its 10th year with 32 participating nations at an opening ceremony in Accra, Ghana, March 19, 2021.
Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link


Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 Ghanaian Navy Snake-class patrol vessel GNS Ehwor P37 (Picture source: Shipspotting)


Sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), OE21 is designed to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness (MDA), information-sharing practices, and tactical interdiction expertise to enhance the collective capabilities of participating nations to counter sea-based illicit activity.

AFRICOM assists African partner nation’s efforts to protect the maritime economy in order to ensure continued, sustainable use of maritime resources and enable maritime trade.

OE21, one of three U.S. Naval Forces Africa- facilitated regional exercises, is part of a comprehensive strategy by NAVAF-SIXTHFLT and AFRICOM to provide collaborative opportunities for African forces and international partners to address maritime security concerns.

Numerous Maritime Operations Centers will participate ashore from across the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa along with several international organizations. Training opportunities during OE21 include boarding techniques, search and rescue operations, medical casualty response, radio communication, and information management techniques.

The 32 nations scheduled to participate in OE21 include Angola, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Canada, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Liberia, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Spain, Togo, and the United States. Also participating will be the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

The Ghana Navy (GN) is the naval warfare organizational military branch of the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF).

GNS Ehwor P37 is a Snake Class Patrol Vessels which are 46.8m patrol vessels ordered from China's Poly Technologies subsidiary of China Poly Group Corporation in 2011 and delivered to GN (Ghana Navy) in October 2011. The boats were commissioned 21 February 2012. GNS Ehwor P37 is one of them.