Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, and Romanian authorities led MME Callatis 2025, a multipurpose maritime exercise in the Black Sea, on 21–22 August. The drill brought together European and national agencies to confront simulated maritime emergencies, and to strengthen the cooperation needed to manage today’s evolving threat landscape.
Just off the coast of Mangalia, Romania, forces tackled five high-intensity scenarios: rescuing a ship’s crew taken hostage, intercepting a fishing vessel carrying irregular migrants, neutralising a drifting naval mine, responding to an oil spill, and conducting a search and rescue operation. Teams also boarded a merchant vessel to perform an inspection.
‘This exercise was a glimpse into the future of European border management: modern, responsive, joint. Hand in hand for secure borders,’ said Dr Lars Gerdes, Frontex Deputy Executive Director for Operations, at the closing ceremony.
International and inter-agency cooperation at work
The exercise was organised by Frontex, the Romanian Border Police, the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), the Romanian National Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (NAFA), and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). Senior officials, including Dr Gerdes and Principal Police Quaestor Cornel-Laurian Stoica, General Inspector of the Romanian Police, attended alongside operational leaders from Frontex and representatives of several Member States.
A milestone in EU operational integration was reached when Frontex Standing Corps officers served for the first time as integrated crew aboard a Maltese Coastal Patrol Boat.
Exercises like MME Callatis are not only about testing tactical responses. They build interoperability between national and EU authorities, ensuring Europe is better prepared for crises at sea, whether linked to security, migration, safety or the environment.
Part of a wider framework
MME Callatis 2025 forms part of MMO Western Black Sea 2025, a broader maritime operational framework led by Frontex. The Agency has deployed Standing Corps officers, 265 land-based surveillance systems and a fixed-wing aircraft in the region, while also testing a Galileo-enabled asset tracking system developed with EUSPA.
This edition also introduced a pilot project on mixed crewing, where Frontex officers worked alongside Member State crews, in this case, on the Maltese Coastal Patrol Boat, to deepen joint operational capability.
Romania: trusted partner and strategic host
‘This is my third time joining a maritime exercise in Romania,’ added Dr Gerdes. ‘Every time, the professionalism and hospitality of our Romanian partners sets the bar higher.’
With more than 250 Frontex officers currently deployed in Romania, the country remains a cornerstone of European border management. From its ports to its land frontiers, Romania provides both a trusted platform for operational deployment and a hub for strengthening EU cooperation.
