RESOLUTIONS BY IONS WORKING GROUP

Available information on the Maritime Information Exchange Directory (MIED) will be uploaded on IONS website (www.ions.global) prior to CoC 2021. All IONS nations are requested to update their respective country’s information and forward it to the IONS Secretariat. As on 18 Feb 2021, MIED from several nations are still awaited.

In order to support information sharing requirements of IONS nations, system links of all available Information Fusion Centres (IFCs)/equivalent centres can be provided on the IONS website. The respective countries will co-ordinate with the Information Centres for availing necessary login identification. For example, login requirements to the IFC real time Information-sharing System (IRIS), will need to be promulgated by IFC (Singapore).

Cross Training and Sea Rider Exchange practice needs to be encouraged within IONS. Towards this, related information (for example upcoming opportunities, post-activity summary and photographs, etc) may be hosted by IONS navies on IONS website through the IONS Secretariat. Proposal of Australia to adopt Cross Training Guidelines prepared under the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) Charter is recommended by IWG IS&I (Enclosure 1). As a start, Iran and France are encouraged to facilitate Cross-training/Junior Officer Sea Rider Programme as part of the forthcoming IONS Maritime Exercise (IMEX) and IONS Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise.

The IWG IS&I Terms of Reference are to include the sharing of information related to the environmental maritime challenges.

The IWG discussed and finalised the COMPLAN (Enclosure 2) prepared by IWG for IONS nations. The COMPLAN may be promulgated to all IONS nations for use. Sl 109 of proposed COMPLAN be amended to read as “Bridge to Bridge safety/HADR ops”. Once approved by CoC, COMPLAN will be appended in IONS Guidelines viz IONS HADR Guidelines, IONS Tactical Publication (ITP), IONS Maritime Search and Rescue (IMSAR) Guidelines etc.

Towards promoting information sharing amongst IONS member/observer nations, identified common areas of interest, recommendations for new activities, volunteering to host any IONS activities may be posted on the IONS Website. The IWG developed consensus on the need to have an inter-active/chat kind of facility for faster communication and to enable closer co-ordination within IONS nations.

The IWG discussed and finalised the common format for incident reporting, messages, situation reports for IONS nations. The proposed Information Sharing template (Enclosure 3) may be promulgated for all IONS nations for implementation. Once approved by CoC, Information Sharing Format will be appended in IONS Guidelines viz IONS HADR Guidelines, ITP, IMSAR Guidelines etc.

The IWG IS&I endorses and proposes that IONS nations support and share academic exchanges of maritime issues and concepts.

While face-to-face meetings are the preferred method, IONS member nations may consider facilitating interactions via video conference, especially for nations which are unable to participate physically.

IWG IS&I proposes institutionalised linkages with WPNS, International Maritime Organisation (IMO) etc for mutual benefits.

• Guide for Seariders.
• IONS COMPLAN.
• IONS Information Sharing Template.