Recently, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) reached a historic milestone with its first-ever port call at the U.S. Coast Guard Base Miami Beach. This significant event marked another chapter in the long-standing and mutually beneficial partnership between the U.S. Coast Guard and the RBDF, focused on maintaining maritime safety and regional security within the shared waters of the Straits of Florida.
Crew members aboard HMBS Bahamas (P-60) participated in a series of collaborative training exercises and events alongside personnel from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Miami, U.S. Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, USCG Cutter Bernard C. Webber, and USCGC Margaret Norvell (WPC-1105). These exercises, which focused on enhancing interoperability and operational efficiency, serve to strengthen the bilateral ties between both forces, ensuring readiness to address maritime challenges ranging from law enforcement and search and rescue operations to environmental protection and commercial shipping concerns.
The training and collaborative efforts aim to build upon the strong foundations of the RBDF-U.S. Coast Guard partnership, providing valuable insights and shared experiences that will enhance both agencies’ capabilities in safeguarding the Florida Straits and beyond.
Commodore Raymond E. King, Commander of the RBDF, emphasizes the importance of fostering strong, proactive alliances between the Royal Bahamas Defence Force and its regional partners. Our commitment to enhancing cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard and local law enforcement agencies underscores our shared goal of ensuring a secure maritime environment. Through joint operations, proactive information sharing, and continuous collaboration, we strengthen our ability to effectively address both present and emerging security challenges.
This engagement is part of the ongoing efforts to enhance regional security, improve maritime domain awareness, and further develop the operational capacity of both organizations. The partnership between the RBDF and the U.S. Coast Guard continues to be a model of international cooperation, demonstrating the power of strategic alliances in safeguarding shared interests in the maritime domain.
