The Iraqi Coastal Defence Force (ICDF) has been officially launched at the port of Umm Qasr in the south of the country.

The launch ceremony included a sail-past by the ICDF fleet and the salute of a dais of VIPs before the boats headed out to sea.

The Force was formed in January this year and trained by a combined Royal Navy and Royal Marines team, along with personnel from the Australian, American and Dutch navies.

The fledgling fleet consists of five 27-metre Chinese-built Predators, eight rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) and a further 25 RIBS and FABs (fast aluminium boats) donated by the United Arab Emirates.

The recruits have been schooled in a range of maritime tasks, including seamanship, mariner skills, firefighting, gunnery and boarding operations.

The Force started operations on October 1, when it assumed responsibility for the protection of Iraq’s coastal waters, including patrols on the Khawr abd Allah waterway, and the protection of offshore oil installations and the port of Umm Qasr itself.

At the ceremony, attended by senior Iraqi military officers as well as guests from Allied naval commands, the Commander of he ICDF, Capt Ballasm, thanked the coalition for its help in establishing the Force.

He also said that “the students have proved their ability to absorb and understand their training. They hope to go on to serve their beloved Iraq and its people.”