Baltic Security in Action: BRACE 2025 Tests Maritime Readiness in Gdańsk Bay

The exercise was held as part of the 8th Annual European Coast Guard Event (AECGE 2025) and brought together assets from Frontex, the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), and various Polish services including the Maritime Border Guard, Navy, SAR units, and Maritime Administration.

- The scenario was based on a plausible real-world maritime threat targeting critical energy infrastructure, said Tadeusz Gruchalla, spokesperson for the Maritime Border Guard (MOSG). - A suspicious fishing vessel named IVAN, sailing without AIS and ignoring instructions, entered Polish waters and approached the Naftoport terminal, prompting immediate operational response.

The simulation unfolded approximately 3 nautical miles north of the Port of Gdańsk. The vessel IVAN—portrayed by the Zodiak II from the Maritime Office in Gdynia—was first identified via radar as it transited from Lithuanian waters without authorization. Communication attempts failed, triggering a coordinated response involving patrol vessel SG-301 "Gen. Józef Haller", a SAR aircraft, and specialized boarding teams from MOSG’s Tactical Unit.

As the vessel continued at 6 knots toward Naftoport, aerial surveillance observed a scuffle on deck, with two individuals falling overboard and a garbled distress signal: “Gdańsk help – Gdańsk help – Gdańsk help.” Search and rescue operations were immediately launched. A tactical boarding operation followed, revealing suspicious packages—some dumped overboard—suspected to contain contraband explosives and ammunition.

The boarding team secured the vessel, detained several hostile individuals, and cleared the ship for follow-up inspection by a fisheries control group from the Kaszub Border Guard Division. The IVAN was then escorted to port under armed supervision.

Naval vessel ORP Kaszub, operating independently in the area, remained on standby to support the operation if escalation occurred. Participating units included SG-301, ORP Kaszub, the SAR ship Wiatr, Zodiak II, and Border Guard RHIBs SG-005 and SG-009.

From the planning phase to execution, the exercise illustrated the growing importance of Multipurpose Maritime Operations (MMOs). EFCA contributed fisheries control expertise and operational insight, demonstrating the MMO model as an effective, cross-sector mechanism for enhancing EU maritime cooperation.

- Exercises like BRACE 2025 validate the interoperability between law enforcement, naval, safety, and surveillance actors under realistic, high-stakes conditions, EFCA officials noted. - This is precisely where MMO shows its value—aligning mandates for maximum operational synergy.

The exercise concluded at the Ziółkowski Quay in Gdańsk with a symbolic handover ceremony between participating agencies as part of the AECGE 2025 framework.

Meanwhile, since June 16, SG-301 has been deployed under Frontex’s Baltic Sea 2025 multipurpose operation, running through October and involving Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, and Poland, alongside EFCA and EMSA. The mission covers internal waters, territorial seas, and exclusive economic zones of host countries, with goals ranging from maritime surveillance and traffic control to fisheries inspections, critical infrastructure protection, and environmental incident response.