Strengthening maritime security, ties: Ghana Navy welcomes USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams

The United States of America Navy Ship, USS Hershel 'Woody' Williams, has arrived in the country and is presently docked at the Tema Harbour.

The port visit is to strengthen the partnership between the two nations as they seek to work together for a stable, secure and prosperous Gulf of Guinea and West Africa region. 

The 784-foot-long ship which arrived last Tuesday is optimised to support a variety of maritime-based missions and is designed around four core capabilities. It is in Ghana as part of the second annual African Maritime Forces Summit (AMFS) and the Naval Infantry Leaders Symposium-Africa (NILS-A) that took place in Ghana from April 30 to May 2, 2024.

The symposium was attended by government and military leaders from more than 40 countries from four continents, including Europe.  

Obangame Express 2024

While in Ghana, USS 'Woody' Williams and its sailors will participate in a week-long military exercise, Obangame Express 2024, the largest West African maritime exercise for navies along the Gulf of Guinea.  

USS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams, the warship

The military exercise at sea is aimed at how participating countries can work together to combat piracy and other illicit maritime activities, including illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

USS Hershel 'Woody" Williams is the first US Navy Ship assigned to the US Africa Command area of operations to conduct missions in the Mediterranean and waters around East, South and West Africa operating with regional partners. 
 

Partnerships

Interacting with journalists at the Tema Port after a tour of the vessel, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) Deputy Commander of Civil-Military Engagement, Ambassador Robert Scott, said the US was pleased with the partnership with Africa and other participating countries at the symposium to learn about maritime security.  

He said since more than 90 per cent of the world’s trade was carried out by sea, it was important for countries to collaborate to deal with the growing risk of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, piracy and illicit trade.  

He commended countries along the Gulf of Guinea, as well as their counterparts in East Africa for establishing the Yaounde and Djibouti codes of conduct, designed to prevent and repress piracy, armed robbery against ships and illegal maritime activities, adding that such interventions had contributed to enhance maritime security in Africa's coastal waters.  

On challenges, Ambassador Scott said since many navies along the Gulf of Guinea were faced with limited resources to police the ocean, one of the many strategies the US offered under such partnership was the development and deployment of new technologies to prevent crime and to improve the performance of the Navy at sea.  

He commended the Ghana Navy for its leadership role and pledged his country's commitment to forge strategic relationships through the provision of additional capacity as evident in the recent $6.4 million funding in equipping the Ghana Navy Special Boat Squadron to expand its offshore capabilities. 

Writer's email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh