Crews aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Kimball and Royal Canadian Navy military vessel Harry DeWolf conducted a joint exercise in late September off the coast of Dutch Harbor, Alaska, in the latest of the Coast Guard’s international joint exercise efforts.
Crews representing both nations exchanged radio communications on Sept. 23, after both crews saluted in formation rendering honors from their respective ship’s port railings.
Coast Guard officials said the joint exercise offered a significant opportunity for crews to demonstrate international operability and reaffirms a longstanding relationship between the U.S. and Canada.
The alliance between the two Arctic nations continues to contribute to maritime security in the increasingly critical region, they said. Capt. Thomas D’Arcy, commanding officer of the Kimball, added that the maritime partnership between the U.S. and Canada enhances each nation’s regional stability, while providing mutually beneficial economic opportunities.
“With the increased importance of the Arctic and activity in the region our trust and partnership in the maritime domain will promote each nation’s interests and provide opportunities to protect the environment,” he said.
The Coast Guard maintains a presence in the Bering Sea and throughout Alaska for search and rescue and law enforcement missions and to conduct interagency and international cooperation, building on current regional partnerships.
The Bering Sea, considered the gateway to the Arctic, encompasses 900,000 square miles of the U.S. exclusive zone off the Alaska coastline.