The tenth edition of the Port Defender exercise has concluded. Over the past week, the Royal Netherlands Navy trained in the Eemshaven and the Port of Rotterdam on how to protect vital infrastructure during a crisis situation.
Ports are key hubs for trade flows and energy supply, making them potential targets for malicious actors. These include organised crime and terrorism, as well as hybrid threats such as cyberattacks, espionage and sabotage.
Addressing this complex mix of threats requires close cooperation between multiple stakeholders. That is why for this exercise, the navy worked together with civilian security partners.
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Data cables
As highlighted in the annual reports of the the General Intelligence and Security Service of the Netherlands (AIVD) and the Defence Intelligence and Security Service of the Netherlands (MIVD), subsea data cables and offshore wind farms can be attractive targets.
According to a captain of marines from the Netherlands Maritime Special Operations Forces (NLMARSOF), protecting such infrastructure was therefore a key focus during Port Defender.
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Working with partners
Cooperation with security partners such as the fire brigade and police is essential, but not routine. ‘This requires practice,’ says the captain. ‘Boarding a ship — that’s something we can do as operators. But working together with the fire brigade, police and GHOR (Regional Medical Assistance Organisation) is something you have to train. Then we know what we can expect from each other when the button is really pressed.’
For the first time, part of the exercise also took place in Eemshaven (Groningen). On Wednesday, the focus shifted to the Port of Rotterdam, where the hydrographic survey vessel HNLMS Luymes was moored. The quay was designated as a Temporary Military Object, where multiple exercise scenarios took place in quick succession, including simulated drone explosions resulting in numerous casualties.
According to the officer leading the Rotterdam exercise, all participating partners achieved their training objectives, improving coordination, procedures and mutual understanding.
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Annual exercise
Since 2016, Port Defender has been held annually. Based on a scenario involving a large-scale threat to critical Dutch infrastructure, the exercise challenges the entire security chain to respond in an integrated manner.
Picture: The Port of Rotterdam exercise focused on incidents around HNLMS Luymes (photo by Dutch Ministry of Defence).
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