MANAMA, Bahrain (Sept. 30, 2026) – Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Indian Navy-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 154 facilitated CMF’s first professional engagement with a judge from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Sept. 21, 2026.
The session brought together 65 participants from 24 nations across six continents to discuss piracy, maritime law enforcement, jurisdiction, interdiction and prosecution.
Judge Ida Caracciolo, member of ITLOS, led the session on the subject of ‘Piracy and Maritime Law Enforcement: Jurisdiction, Interdiction and Prosecution.’
The engagement provided participants with the opportunity to examine recurring legal issues associated with maritime security operations through the perspective of an international judge. Established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), ITLOS serves as the international judicial body responsible for disputes concerning the interpretation and application of the Convention.
“Maritime law is most useful to an operational force when it helps commanders and staffs understand what lawful action can follow from the facts before them,” said Indian Navy Commodore Milind M. Mokashi, commander of CTF 154. “Judge Caracciolo’s engagement added an important judicial perspective to the connected maritime law training undertaken across the CMF partnership during this tenure.”
Drawing upon UNCLOS and relevant international jurisprudence, Caracciolo addressed the definition and nature of piracy, the duty of states to cooperate, rights of visit, arrest and seizure, the use of force in maritime law enforcement and jurisdiction relating to prosecution. The discussion also highlighted the distinction between piracy and armed robbery at sea and how the applicable legal framework varies across different maritime zones.
These issues hold direct operational relevance for CMF. Partner nations operate under differing domestic legislation, authorities and operational mandates while working collectively towards common maritime security objectives. The engagement complemented the operational and legal expertise available within CMF by providing a unique judicial perspective on legal questions routinely encountered by commanders, staffs and maritime law enforcement practitioners.
CTF 154 conducts multinational maritime training at locations across the Middle East, enabling more CMF partner-nations to participate in training opportunities without ships or aircraft, particularly during courses that are facilitated ashore.
The engagement represented a further step in the maritime law capacity development trajectory pursued by CTF 154 during its current command tenure. Previous training activities have addressed state jurisdiction on the high seas, prosecution of pirates, satellite derived maritime evidence, maritime law during Operation Compass Rose, the legal implications of uncrewed systems, and the practical conduct of maritime interdiction and VBSS operations during Operation Southern Readiness.
By introducing a judicial perspective from ITLOS, the session brought together questions of jurisdiction, interdiction, enforcement and prosecution within a single professional discussion, further strengthening understanding across the CMF partnership. The engagement reflects CTF 154’s continuing commitment to connecting identified operational requirements with relevant international, operational and specialist expertise through the Maritime Domain Enhancement Training framework.
CTF 154 was established May 2023, and is one of five operational task forces under CMF.
Combined Maritime Forces, headquartered in Bahrain with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet, is the largest multinational naval partnership in the world, with 47 nations committed to upholding the international rules-based order at sea. It promotes security, stability and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, encompassing some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
