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The NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre (NMIOTC) announces the successful relocation of its longstanding training platform, ex-HS Aris (A-74), which recently departed from its berth at the NMIOTC premises in Marathi towards Souda Naval Base HQs, to then sail for its final, honorable mission. Utilized as a target during a scheduled live-fire training exercise, the ship made its last contribution to Hellenic Navy’s operational readiness. Ex-HS Aris, a vessel with a distinguished history dating back to 1979 and in long service as the Hellenic Naval Academy until its decommission in 2004, played a vital role in maritime interdiction training

From 22nd to 27th June 2025, NMIOTC hosted and supported with its Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) the 1st edition of the Naval CBRN Exercise “TOXIC BAY 25”, which utilized a wide variety of the Centre’s training facilities and capabilities. This multinational CBRN exercise was organized by the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS) in cooperation with the Hellenic Navy General Staff (HNGS). The exercise objective was to train CBRN specialists and naval operators in all aspects of CBRN defence in a warm climate, in efficient management of CBRN events, using NATO’s five CBRN components per the relevant doctrine, and also

In the concluding part of NMIOTC’s paper series on the application of MDO in MIO, Commandant NMIOTC, Commodore Periklis PIYIS, offers his assessment and outlook on the future of MIO. NMIOTC is more than just a NATO NETF; it plays a pivotal role in anticipating future challenges and equipping the Community of Interest with skilled personnel, right capabilities, Tactics, Techniques and Procedures to effectively carry out contemporary Maritime Interdiction tasks. NMIOTC Special Issue – Future of MIO and MDO (part 3)  

See below U.S. Navy photos taken on March 6th, 2025, by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jasmin L. Aquino USN, during a Visit, Board, Search And Seizure (VBSS) training exercise at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre (NMIOTC) in Souda Bay, Greece. Training was conducted during a mid-deployment voyage repair (MDVR) of the warship, formally deployed in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to support the warfighting effectiveness, lethality and readiness of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa, and defend U.S., Allied and partner interests in the region.

On Thursday, June 26th, 2025, students from the American Hellenic Institute Foundation (AHIF) College, led by AHIF President Mr. Nick Larigakis, visited NMIOTC during their annual Foreign Policy trip to Greece. During the visit, they were informed about NMIOTC’s mission, role, educational activities and transformational capabilities, and were toured around the Centre’s premises and training facilities.

As NATO’s foremost training provider within the Maritime Environment, NMIOTC is leading the alliance’s efforts to incorporate Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) into Maritime Interdiction. Our three part series of articles, Integrating Multi-Domain Operations into Maritime Interdiction, continues with part two. In this issue, we present a step-by-step guide for the implementation of MDO into MIO and prioritization of efforts at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. We would like to thank Prof. Sam Medhat, Senior Mentor at NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) FOGOs Leadership (Innovation & Digital Transformation), for his insightful input and advice in preparation of this position paper. Click on