An eight-member team from Headquarters Sea Training (HQST) of the Indian Navy (IN) recently executed Operational Sea Training and conducted a Safety Audit of SAS Mendi, from October 2 to 13, 2023.
This collaborative endeavor was carried out in partnership with the Operational Sea Training Team (OST) from the South African Navy (SAN).
The IN delegation was led by Commodore Amit Gurbuxani, the Chief Staff Officer to the Flag Officer Sea Training, and was comprised of specialist officers and sailors.
The training program encompassed two distinct phases. The first phase, which occurred in the harbor, centered on a series of lectures and interactive sessions. These sessions covered a range of topics including pilotage, bridge operations, emergency procedures on the bridge, measures for force protection, fire-fighting, damage control drills, operational risk management, electrical and engineering best practices, as well as seamanship training. Furthermore, the bridge team of the ship received dedicated training through a ship handling simulator.
Subsequently, the ship embarked on two separate sea training excursions, accompanied by members from HQST and the SAN OST team. These sea sorties were instrumental in offering practical training to the ship’s crew, thereby reinforcing the principles taught during the harbor training. The exercises carried out at sea emphasized precise navigation, force protection drills, boat drills, responses to emergencies and breakdown situations, and the execution of damage control and fire-fighting procedures.
Throughout the training, the IN and SAN OST teams engaged in constructive professional interactions, sharing their experiences and exchanging best practices. The culmination of the OST was marked by a joint debriefing session with the ship’s crew. During this session, observations were discussed, recommendations were made, and valuable guidance was provided for the implementation of best practices.
The joint training effort was officially concluded with a modest ceremony held on board SAS Mendi on October 13, 2023.
This pioneering training collaboration undertaken by the HQST team has paved the way for future opportunities for joint training between the Indian Navy and the South African Navy. It has played a substantial role in fortifying the professional ties and relationships between the two naval forces.