191107-N-TI352-1052 MANAMA, Bahrain (Nov. 7, 2019) Omar Caruana, second from right, ship’s master aboard the Malta-flagged TUI Cruises ship, Mein Schiff 5, listens as Royal Netherlands Navy Lt. Wouter de Wijs, right, delivers a briefing to masters on behalf of the Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) working group as part of International Maritime Exercise 2019 (IMX 19). NCAGS is a NATO-developed concept designed to ensure the safe arrival of merchant shipping in areas of increased tension, including operations resulting from military exercises like IMX 19. IMX 19 is a multinational engagement involving partners and allies from around the world designed to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and experiences across the full spectrum of defensive maritime operations. IMX 19 serves to demonstrate the global resolve in maintaining regional security and stability, freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce from the Suez Canal south to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait through the Strait of Hormuz to the northern Arabian Gulf. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Ryan Slattery/Released)