NATO Maritime Exercise Loyal Mariner 09 (LMR 09).
Exercise LOYAL MARINER 2009 (LMR 09) is the Maritime Live Exercise (LIVEX) which forms part of the
certification process for NATO Response Force 13 (NRF13). The exercise will take place in the Mediterranean
Sea and Italian territorial waters in the period 2 – 13 March 2009. One of the aims of LMR 09 is to practise
NCAGS procedures in order to improve civil and military cooperation during a crisis. This will include
information exchange, which should benefit both merchant shipping and the operational commanders.
In LMR 09 NCAGS will be exercised to monitor the movement of merchant shipping approaching, passing
through and sailing within the NCAGS Area (see Annex A). Shipping Cooperation Points (SCP) will be
established at Cagliari (Italy). The NATO Shipping Centre (in Northwood, UK) will compile and maintain a live
merchant shipping plot for the operations area. Merchant ships voluntarily reporting their position may be
invited to participate in interaction with military forces. Masters of ships thereby gain ex perience with this
interaction. The cooperation of merchant ships will be of significant value for the exercise and ships are
invited to participate in one or more of the possible aspects of cooperation, such as communication interrogation,
close approach by naval units, accompaniment (escorting), simulated attacks by aircraft, helicopters
and ships, simulated boarding and live boarding.
It will be of great interest for the naval units, if you are willing to make your ship available for live boarding.
Supporting life boarding enables ship masters and crew to gain experience in being boarded by naval
teams. Live boarding may be executed by boat or helicopter.
Prior to the exercise each participating nation should inform ship owners, operators, masters and port
authorities of the exercise and the intention to involve live shipping through the attached Notice to Mariners
(see Annex D).
A NAVWARN will be promulgated prior to the exercise. Individual merchant vessels will be encouraged to
report directly to the NATO Shipping Centre when approaching or sailing within the NCAGS Area (Annex A)
by sending initial version of Format ALFA – Ship Data Card (see Annex B). The NATO Shipping Centre may
request further information in accordance with the short version of Format ALFA (see Annex C). Reporting
to the NATO Shipping Centre reduces unnecessary VHF calls between naval units and merchant ships in
many cases.
To avoid additional costs, merchant ships can use the allocated ‘Freephone’ number for sending their
reports. Alternatively, ships may complete the Format ALFA - Ship Data Card and use the allocated ‘Freefax’
number. In all contacts please refer to the quote Exercise Loyal Mariner 09 unquote.
EXERCISE LOYAL MARINER 09 Annex B
FORMAT ALFA – Ship Data Card (Initial Report version)
Section A – Ship Data
1. Ships Name
2. International Call Sign
3. Type of Vessel
4. Flag of Registry
5. IMO Number
6. Port of Registry
7. Length Overall (m)
8. Vessels Beam (m)
9. Maximum Draft (for present voyage in m)
10. Gross Tonnage
11. Service Speed (for this voyage in knots)
12. Physical description of vessel (for Visual Recognition)
13. MMSI Number
14. Coastal Radio
15. INMARSAT/Selective Call Number
16. INMARSAT Telex Number
17. INMARSAT Fax Number
18. E-mail Address
Section B – Voyage Data
19. Intended Movement: – Description of passage
20. Last Port, Country of Call including Actual Data and Time of Departure
21. Next Port, Country of Call including ETA at Port of Call
22. Current Position
23. Date/Time and Position entering / leaving the Area
a.–x. Waypoints of intended Track through NCAGS Area (Date/Time – Latitudes/Longitudes)
Section C – Operator Data
24. Name of Shipowner / Operator including addresses
Section D – Cargo Data
(Not required.)
Annex C
EXERCISE LOYAL MARINER 09
FORMAT ALFA – Ship Data Card (short version)
For timings please indicate the use of local or UTC/Zulu
Section A – Ship Data
1. Ships Name
2. International Call Sign
3. IMO Number
4. General Nature of Cargo
Section B – Voyage Data
5. Last Port of Call, departure date and time
6. Current Position, date and time
7. Next Port of Call, arrival date and time
8. Additional ports of call, dates and times
9. Additional Information as required
