United States Donates Speedboats to Enhance Policing of Kenya's Territorial Waters

Published Oct 12, 2006 12:01 AM by The Maritime Executive

Kenya’s Navy has received a much-needed boost in their efforts to curb maritime threats, terrorism, arms and drugs trafficking and other criminal activities in their coastal waters. In a colorful ceremony attended by US Ambassador Michael Ranneberger and Kenya’s Defence Minister Njenga Karume, six vessels and other equipment were turned over to the Kenya Navy on Friday at their headquarters in Mombasa.

The desperate situation in Somalia likely played a role in the partial lifting of a ban of military aid from the United States to this eastern African nation. Kenyan waters and maritime traffic are increasingly being affected by terrorists, smuggling of arms and narcotics in cargo ships. Locally, it is feared that Somalia’s woes could trigger a similar crisis with far reaching ramifications to Kenya. Maritime security has become a global concern, but there are few places in the world where an increase in security is needed more. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) says that there were no less than 127 attacks on commercial vessels globally in the first half of this year.

The donated vessels can be armed with machine guns or grenade launchers and at least one of the assets can range as far as 150 miles offshore. It is anticipated that the boats would be used for a variety of missions, including maritime security by combating terrorist threats, drug interdiction and humanitarian missions such as search and rescue. The US embassy said that the project, valued at $3 million, would supplement the Government’s efforts to boost patrols along its Indian Ocean coastline.