Daily Archives: February 21, 2022

In a welcome but surreally-delayed move, GoI has finally appointed the countrys first National Maritime Security Coordinator (NMSC) to ensure effective coordination among multiple agencies dealing with threats from the high seas. Vice-Admiral (retired) G Ashok Kumar will be the first to occupy the post in the National Security Council Secretariat under NSA Ajit Doval. However, serious questions need to be asked as to why it took 14 long years to create this post after Pakistani terrorists snuck into Mumbai from the sea and killed 166 people during the 26/11 terror attack. Back then the defence ministry had proposed the creation of a maritime security advisory board and the appointment of a maritime security adviser. But bureaucratic sloth and turf wars ensured these were kept pending.

That said, the NMSCs appointment comes at a critical point in Indias evolving strategic-security environment. Faced with a China-Pakistan axis, New Delhi not only needs to be alert to threats from sea-borne non-state actors, but also keep an eye on Chinese maritime designs in the Indian Ocean Region. After all, China today has the largest navy and a maritime militia force to carry out grey-zone tactics against adversaries. To counter this and protect Indias 7,516-km coastline and 2 million sq km of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), a single-point coordinator like the NMSC for all aspects of maritime security was much needed.

Besides, given that the global axis of power is shifting from the West to the East as acknowledged by the recent US Indo-Pacific strategy paper the sea lanes around India are going to get busier. And with countries having different interpretations of the treaty on the high seas, UNCLOS, incidents like last years American freedom of navigation operation in Indias EEZ could recur. Hence, there is a need for enhanced maritime domain awareness to protect both security and economic interests. Note that 90% of Indias trade, by volume, transits through the seas. The NMSC must lay the blueprint for a truly modern maritime security system.

This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.

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Coast to coast: Points person for maritime security comes 14 years after 26/11. Challenges from high seas even - The Times of India Blog

Cruise travelers who are also fans of the Golden Girls television show will be able to enjoy a special themed cruise making its comeback in 2023, dubbed Golden Fans at Sea.

Departing on April 8, 2023, from Miami, the voyage will take place on the Celebrity Summit cruise ship and transport guests to popular tourist hotspots in Key West, Florida and Cozumel, Mexico, before returning to Miami on April 13.

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The Golden Girls-themed sailing will include dance parties, game shows, karaoke, trivia, golden legacy panels, costume parades, group dinners and more. The journey will also feature a Shady Pines Goes to the Beach Group Excursion in Cozumel and a bar crawl in Key West.

Golden Fans at Seas official website said guests will be announced soon for the 2023 voyage, with show screenwriters, historians and family of cast members featured on previous sailings.

Travelers are welcomed to channel their inner Rose, Blanche, Dorothy and Sophia as they sail the high seas. Tickets for the themed voyage are on sale now.

For cruisers who love onboard entertainment, its been a strong start to 2022. Princess Cruises announced its new production show, Spotlight Bar, would debut in April onboard the cruise lines newest ship, Discovery Princess.

In January, Disney Cruise Line announced a series of all-new Pixar Day at Sea aboard special sailings on the Disney Fantasy in early 2023. The day-long celebrations will take place on nine select seven-night Disney Cruise Line voyages between January and March 2023 and feature themed dining, character encounters, dance parties and theatrical musical experiences.

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Golden Girls Themed Cruise Coming in 2023 - TravelPulse

Groundwork: A Celebration of Black History Month6 p.m. Thursday. Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St., Portland, $22. porttix.comRooted Soul Entertainment presents a show featuring an ensemble of artists, dancers, gospel singers, musicians, poets and comedians. Groundwork: A Celebration of Black History Month is a two-hour extravaganza thats suitable for the entire family and is certain to uplift and inspire all who attend. Joy and peace is the goal of the evening, and you can be part of it.

2022 Fly Fishing Film Tour7:30 p.m. Thursday. Oxbow Bottling & Blending, 49 Washington Ave., Portland, $20 in advance, $25 day of event. flyfilmtour.comIf youre a fly fishing aficionado and are getting excited about the coming of spring, youll want to head to Oxbow on Thursday. Theyll be screening the 16th annual Fly Fishing Film Tour, and youll feast your eyes (while drinking a tasty beverage) on a selection of films that include locations like Costa Rica, Maryland, Belize, Louisiana, Alabama, Australia and Colombia. The film tour is the largest fly-fishing event of its kind and not only can you expect to see enthralling footage, there will also be giveaways.

The Lonely Passions of a Winters Night8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday. Through March 6. Portland Media Center, 516 Congress St., Portland, pay what you can (cash at the door). facebook.com/stormwarningstheatreStarring Elizabeth Freeman and featuring Anna Gravel and Michal Slovak, the play The Lonely Passions of a Winters Night was written by Paul Dervis, and you can see it through March 6 in Portland. Freeman portrays a high-powered academic who accepts an invitation by her estranged husband to embark on a months-long world cruise. High drama on the high seas unfold when she confronts the lost dreams that are intent on destroying her future goals and also rediscovers a long-buried passion.

The Industrial Heart: Enterprise, Innovation, and Creativity10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays and by appointment. Museum L-A, 35 Canal St., Lewiston. museumla.orgFor a rich and colorful history lesson that includes objects, stories and art, head to Museum L-A for The Industrial Heart: Enterprise, Innovation and Creativity exhibit. It focuses on the textile, shoe and brick-making industries and shines a light on Maines industrial heritage while also showcasing local artists responses to the museums collection. Heirloom objects are paired with selections from the museums oral history collection, and youll also see works from artists Amy Stacey Curtis, Djamal Maldoum and Kelly Jo Shows.

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Things to Do: Celebrate Black History Month, and see fly-fishing films and a play about self-discovery - Press Herald

Minister for Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Seediri Appala Raju has said that fishermen who venture into the high seas have nothing to do with the G.O.No.217 which pertains to the auction of inland fish tanks.

Addressing the media on Sunday, Mr. Appala Raju said that Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan was apparently oblivious to the above fact and he put up a show as usual with ulterior motives at Narsapuram.

He observed that the crowd at Mr. Kalyans public meeting largely comprised his fans.

The governments idea behind putting fish tanks on open auction is to ensure an income of 15,000 for each member of the cooperative societies by eliminating the middlemen. What was done in Nellore was a pilot project that involved only 27 tanks, said the Minister.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha member Mopidevi Venkataramana told the media that fishermens plight had worsened during the TDP regime and that the proposed auction of fish tanks would help improve their conditions.

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Fish tank auction will not affect fishermen venturing into sea: Minister - The Hindu

Climate change is impacting ecosystems in the Arctic. For over a full year, scientists from 20 nations traveled the Artic Ocean onboard the German research vessel Polarstern to better understand climate processes. Important discoveries made by EU-funded scientists during the MOSAiC expedition have recently been published in the renowned scientific journal Science Advances.

From autumn 2019 to autumn 2020, the international expedition Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate or short MOSAiC drifted through the ice of the Amundsen and Nansen Basins and the Fram Strait. As part of a multidisplinary team of experts, scientists of the EU-funded EFICA (European Fisheries Inventory in the Central Arctic Ocean) Consortium conducted research into the ecosystems present in these parts of the Arctic Ocean.

The results of their research provide new and significant insights, including into the functioning of the Arctic pelagic food web. The scientists found a deepwater layer of zooplankton and fish in the Arctic Ocean. To their surprise, they also found evidence of a continuous immigration of larger Atlantic fish in the Arctic ecosystem, much further north than expected. This flux contributes to potential food for mammals living in the Arctic Ocean.

The availability of small and even some larger fish in the Atlantic water layer could explain why seals, walrus and polar bear can be found even at the North Pole. Both fish and mammals are very few, but they are there

says biologist Dr. Hauke Flores, Alfred Wegener Institute, one of the scientists of the EFICA Consortium onboard the MOSAiC expedition.

Among other significant conclusions in the Science Advances article, the EFICA scientists infer that at least in the Eurasian Basin there are no harvestable fish stocks today or in the foreseable future:

The capacity of the Central Arctic Ocean ecosystem to support larger fish stocks is without doubt rather limited

says Pauline Snoeijs Leijonmalm, coordinator of the EFICA Consortium and professor in marine ecology at Stockholm University.

Therefore, it is of great importance that this unique and fragile ecosystem is subject to robust international protection. Taking a precautionary and science-based approach, Canada, the Peoples Republic of China, the Kingdom of Denmark in respect of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Kingdom of Norway, the Russian Federation, the United States of America and the European Union negotiated the Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean that entered into force in June 2021. The agreement bans commercial fishing for at least 16 years, and sets up a joint scientific research and monitoring program to improve our understanding of the ecosystems in the Central Arctic Ocean. The final results of the EFICA consortiums research will be an important EU contribution to this program.

By financing the research of the EFICA Consortium during the MOSAiC expedition, the Commission has contributed to collecting new Central Arctic Ocean ecosystem data in the context of the agreement, in order to be able to take science-based decisions in the future. The paper in Science Advances contains the first scientific results based on this new field data. In 2021, scientists from the EFICA Consortium took part in another expedition in the Central Arctic Ocean on board the Swedish icebreaker Oden to continue their ecosystem research. The final results of both expeditions are expected to be obtained later in 2023.

MOSAiC expedition

Final report of the EFICA consortiums research on board the MOSAiC expedition (2019-2010):

Ecosystem mapping in the central Arctic Ocean (CAO) during the MOSAiC expedition

Final report of the EFICA consortiums research on board the Oden expedition (2021): this report will be available shortly.

EU Joint Communication for A stronger EU engagement for a peaceful, sustainable and prosperous Arctic

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Arctic biodiversity: EU-funded research reveals new life in the Arctic Ocean - European Commission

By Vel Moonien in Mauritius

The Mauritian-flagged tanker that ran aground earlier this month on Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean is in the process of breaking up.

A breach on the port side of the MT Tresta Star, exposed to the heavy swell caused by the recent passage of tropical cyclone Emnati, has widened significantly in size, according to an update from the Prfet of Reunion Island.

Parts of the hull have also been torn off, revealing a gaping hole of several meters through which water can enter the vessel, the Prfet reported. The Prfet also says it fears an imminent dislocation with pieces of the vessel breaking off and sinking on the spot or coming aground on the coast.

It is also dismayed by new discharges of oily water expected in the coming days after an oil slick of 2.5 km in length has been reported off the coast of Saint-Philippe.

A trail of brownish water, symptomatic of an oily substance emulsified with sea water is the proof of a sea pollution, said the Prfet. A marine pollution plan will be initiated after the passage of Cyclone Emnati.

The MT Tresta Star grounded on February 3rd along the east coast of Reunion Island, at Tremblets Point, after losing power during Tropical Cyclone Batsirai. All 11 crew members were rescued by zip-line. The ship was not carrying any cargo at the time.

Three local non-governmental organizations, namely Attac, Extinction Rebellion and Greenpeace, have accused the Prfet of Reunion Jacques Billant and the French Minister of Overseas Territories Sbastien Lecornu, among others, of not taking appropriate measures to avoid such pollution, as fuel oil remains in the ships tanks.

With the vessel now breaking up, members of the Chinese salvage company Lianyungang Dali Underwater Engineering and the Greek firm Polygreen, recruited immediately following the grounding, have decided to pack up. They will leave Reunion Island this Tuesday due to a default in payment by the ship owner, Tresta Trading.

The ship owner is a subsidiary of an Indian company, also called Tresta Trading, and is owned by Shiny Shipping and Logistics, a company based in India. It had agreed with Lianyungang Dali Underwater Engineering and Polygreen, which had just completed the dismantling of the MV Wakashios bow in Mauritius, that a first oil transfer would be made two days after their arrival in Reunion.

From two days, the delay has increased to two weeks. Unfortunately, we cannot continue to work without payment. Such an operation costs money. There is, among other things, the rental of a helicopter and various equipments. But nothing has been released so far, says one of the team members in Reunion Island.

It is very likely that Five Oceans Salvage (FOS) will take over the operation. A team of the Greek firm was on the island a week ago for an assessment of the Tresta Stars hull.

In July 2016, FOS had removed the MV Benita, a 44,183-ton cargo ship, which had run aground a month earlier on volcanic rocks near Le Bouchon, Mauritius, not far from where the MV Wakashio wrecked. Following its refloating, the Benita unfortunately sank while being towed to the shipbreakers.

FOS was also involved in the wreck removal of the South-East Asian trawlers KT Seroja, Ruang Lap and Hoi Siong from Mauritius Port-Louiss harbor. Five years earlier, it had also removed the Angel 1 from the Poudre-dOr reefs, in the northern part of the Mauritius.

Regarding the Tresta Star, an investigation has been launched by the Mauritian authorities and interviews are being conducted with crew members. It is inconceivable that neither the ship owner, nor the shipping agent, nor the port authorities, took the initiative to give sufficient fuel to this barge to go to the high seas with the passage of the intense tropical cyclone Batsirai, says one marine operator.

They should have brought her back to port instead of asking her to go with 8 tons of fuel in her hold. Of course she will break down! She can hold up to 250 tons of fuel. 8 tons! Thats the dregs at the bottom of a wine bottle Were going to go to another catastrophe with such superficial procedures, he added.

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Grounded Tresta Star Breaking Up on Reunion Island - gcaptain.com

We have been taking advance authorisation under Para 4.07 of HBP based on ad hoc norms approved by the Norms Committee in 2017 for one export product, and in 2020 for another export product. How long can we continue to do so?

As per para 4.12 (vi) of HBP, Norms ratified by any Norms Committee (NC) in the o/o DGFT on or after 01.04.2015 in respect of any Advance authorisation obtained under paragraph 4.07, shall-be valid for the entire period of the Foreign Trade Policy i.e. up to 31.03.2022 or for a period of three years from the date of ratification, whichever is later. Since all decisions of the Norms Committees are available in the form of minutes on the DGFT website, all other applicants of Advance Authorisation are also eligible to apply and get their authorisations based on such ratified norms on repeat basis during validity of these norms. This para is not applicable for authorisations applied for items listed under Appendix 4P.

So, the norms approved in 2017 will be valid till 31.03.2022 and the norms approved in 2020 will be valid for three years from the date of approval.

This is about a case of a shipment sent overseas, where freight is paid in India. The overseas customer is asking for a separate freight invoice, not to be added in the main invoice. How can we declare the inward remittance amount received on account of freight paid and charged to the customer, and not show it in the custom invoice? Is this legally correct? At present we add it in the invoice, but the customer wants to avoid this, maybe due to the duty payable there.

In a CIF contract, you must raise the invoice for the full value, including the freight and insurance, as the price is inclusive of those elements. In future, you can enter into a CIP contract and pay the freight separately as a pure agent.

In that case, you can claim reimbursement of the freight actually paid through a separate invoice. However, it means that the buyer has to bear the risk of any variation in freight. To understand the role of pure agent, refer to Rule 33 of the CGST Rules, 2017.

We want to import certain capital goods under the EPCG scheme. Is it alright if the foreign suppliers Indian agent buys the goods in foreign currency and then sells it to us on a high-seas sales basis, in Indian rupees?

Yes. You can buy the goods in Indian rupees on a high-seas sales basis and file a B/E at the price at which you bought from the high-seas seller, and seek clearance under your EPCG authorisation. You must show the AD Code of the high-seas seller in the B/E, since he will be the person remitting foreign exchange to the supplier abroad. Of course, the export obligation will be on the basis of duty saved.

Business Standard invites readers SME queries related to GST, export and import matters. You can write to us at smechat@bsmail.in

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SME: Ad hoc norms valid for 3 yrs or till March 31, whichever is later - Business Standard

Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds kicked off their destination event on Friday night at the Moon Palace Resort on the Riviera Maya in Cancun, Mexico, and continued last night with bust outs and firsts.

Fridays show began with a Dave and Tim first, Good Good Time, last performed at The Gorge Amphitheater on August 29, 2014, by Dave Matthews Band. Next, the longtime bandmates played classics, Bartender, Grey Street and Grace Is Gone.

A bust out of Too High came next, last played on Feb. 5, 2006, by Dave Matthews Band. The duo followed up with Oh. Next, they dusted off Up and Away, last played on Oct. 28, 2005, at Vegagoose Festival in Las Vegas, Nev.

The set continued with The Stone, which featured an epic Cant Help Falling In Love interpolation, and a Tim Reynolds solo on A Tangled Web We Weave. A rare performance of Sweet came next, followed by #41, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), and Jimi Thing.

The duo carried out Virginia in the Rain and So Damn Lucky before Reynolds played a solo Manfood. The team continued their single set performance with Out of My Hand, Tripping Billies and Gravedigger.

Friday nights show drew to an end with The Best of Whats Around and fan-favorite Crush. Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds returned to the stage for an encore performance Cornbread followed by Two Step featuring a Time Bomb introduction.

Last nights show offered more firsts and bust-outs, including Trouble, which was last played at the 2018 iteration of the South of the Border event. Next, the duo dusted off Dodo for the first time since April 4, 2017.

The fun continued with a mid-set performance of Bismarck, which hadnt been played by the two musicians since Jan. 13, 2018. Last nights set also featured Do You Remember and When The World Ends.

Saturdays performance had another Dave and Tim first; the two debuted The Ocean and the Butterfly during the latter part of the show.

At the end of the set, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds offered one more bust out, Death on the High Seas, last played on Feb. 17, 2019. Last nights encore consisted of Sister and a cover of Bob Dylans All Along the Watch Tower.

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds

Moon Palace Resort in Riviera Maya, Cancun, Mexico

Feb. 18, 2022

Set I: Good Good Time, Bartender, Grey Street, Grace is Gone, Too High, Oh, Up and Away, The Stone, A Tangled Web We Weave, Sweet, #41, Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin), Jimi Thing, Virginia in the Rain, So Damn Lucky, Manfood, Out of My Hands, Tripping Billies, Gravedigger, The Best of Whats Around, Crush

Enc.: Cornbread, Two Step

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds

Moon Palace Resort in Riviera Maya, Cancun, Mexico

Feb. 19, 2022

Set 1: Too High, Save Me, Trouble, Funny the Way It Is, Dodo, Granny, Old Dirt Hill (Bring That Beat Back), Satellite, Lie in Our Graves, Jemez Rolling Waves, The Dreaming Tree, Bismarck, Do You Remember, When The World Ends, The Ocean and the Butterfly, Stay or Leave, The Song That Jane Likes, Betrayal, Death on the High Seas, You & Me, Typical Situation, Dancing NanciesEnc.: Sisters, All Along the Watchtower

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Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds Perform Bust Outs at Riviera Maya Event in Mexico - jambands.com

LYME Regis has so far escaped Storm Eunice relatively unscathed today (Friday).

With winds forecast at up to 90mph in some areas of the south coast, residents were warned to avoid travel, and prepare themselves for the risk of rough seas, flying debris and damage to property.

Dorset Council advised all schools to close this morning and some Lyme Regis businesses decided the shut to ensure the safety of staff.

High tide battered the Cobb harbour and seafront this morning, but no significant damage has been reported.

Lyme Regis fire crew were called to the Cobb and cordoned off the area outside The Slipway and Deli Weli shops as tiles were falling from the roof above.

A tree was brought down in Holmbush car park, damaging a parked car. Fortunately there were no injuries.

A large tree was also brought down by the strong winds at the Woodberry Down Way housing estate, off Colway Lane.

There were reports of a low hanging broken tree blocking the corkscrew lane between Lyme Regis and the A35 this morning, and a tree across Harcombe Road in the Raymonds Hill area.

Lyme Regis only experienced brief power cuts but some residents in neighbouring villages reported outages that last for hours, or days in some cases.

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Rough seas and fallen trees but has Lyme Regis escaped the worst of Storm Eunice? - LymeOnline

Maritime domain awareness in and around the Arabian Gulf isnt only vital for responsible powers in the region its implications touch every corner of the world.

Thats why advanced militaries across the Middle East and North Africa are looking to unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for their maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) missions and opting for the best and newest system: the MQ-9B SeaGuardian.

The MQ-9B SeaGuardian transforms the depth and breadth of its users understanding about whats taking place above, on or below the water with unmatched endurance that shatters the limitations of comparable manned systems enabling true persistent awareness in the maritime role

In response to the strong regional and global interest, an operational MQ-9B aircraft not a scaled-down model or replica will be on display at the Unmanned Systems Exhibition, UMEX, in Abu Dhabi in February.

Visitors will see an aircraft at once familiar, given all the commonalities it shares with the well-proven earlier MQ-9 Reaper and siblings, but also packing the critical capabilities that make it the backbone of fighting forces around the world as the leading multi-role UAS in its class.

New aircraft, new capabilities

The SeaGuardian isnt only larger, with greater endurance, range and payload capacity. Its onboard equipment also sets it apart from every other UAS.

The MQ-9B was the first aircraft of its kind designed from the wheels up to be certifiable for use in mixed national airspace. Operators can integrate with commercial or other air traffic seamlessly, rather than needing special corridors, chase aircraft or other arrangements. That means they can just file and fly, as pilots say, unlocking huge versatility about where and when to operate.

The first-of-its-kind Detect and Avoid System, located in the MQ-9Bs nose, is part of what makes this possible. The sensors and equipment it contains enable the aircraft and its remote human operators to see the skies around it just as a traditional aircraft does, keeping safely clear of other traffic.

The SeaGuardians versatility means that it can fly more easily, more frequently, and more usefully than anything else that has come before, permitting flexible operations and putting the aircraft into real-world missions more of the time.

A highly sensitive electro-optical and infrared video sensor provides clear images at any time of day or night. The aircrafts multi-mode radar enables further high-quality sensing at range and in many difficult conditions, including through smoke or haze. Inverse synthetic aperture radar capabilities make the system ideal for use at sea.

And when the SeaGuardian is equipped with its 360-degree maritime search radar, carried under the aircraft, it delivers even greater wide-area awareness about surface activity.

The MQ-9Bs maritime capabilities dont stop at the surface, however. Its American manufacturer, San Diego-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., also has demonstrated the ability to release sonobuoys while integrated with other naval units, vastly expanding the volume of sea that an operating force can search. The SeaGuardian is the only UAS of its kind today that can help hunt for submarines.

Mission applications

Theres no end to the way operators can apply all this utility.

One of the most valuable ways is with its ability to be present always: The SeaGuardians roughly 30 hours of endurance means users virtually never have to break contact with targets of interest, or stop observing important areas. Aircraft working in teams provide near-nonstop situational awareness.

That means its very difficult for an adversary to mass forces, or act without being observed. Even a small vessel not broadcasting on the maritime Automatic Information System cant avoid being detected from the air, identified and tracked if necessary. If vessels rendezvous on the high seas to exchange contraband weapons, for example, or oil in violation of international sanctions they cant hide from SeaGuardian.

And as several exercises and international demonstrations have proven, the MQ-9B is a force multiplier when it serves as part of a larger, networked multi-domain operating concept. Aircraft have proven they can track submerged or surface targets for the U.S. Navy, enhance the common operational picture for international naval forces led by the Royal Navy and much more.

Demonstrations in the Mediterranean and off the coast of Japan also have proven over and over that the SeaGuardian changes the game when supporting naval, coast guard, customs enforcement, lifesaving and other operations.

These qualities are what have prompted a growing number of governments to acquire the MQ-9B, including Great Britain, Belgium, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and more. The SeaGuardian on static display at UMEX is in response to the strong interest shown in the aircraft and creates an opportunity for government and military leaders visiting Abu Dhabi to see it for themselves up close.

Originally posted here:

The first aircraft of its kind designed from the wheels up to be certifiable for use in mixed national airspace - Breaking Defense