Interception Doctrine

Interception doctrine is the set of procedures a navy or coast guard uses to detect, approach, identify, query, and if authorized divert or board a contact at sea. It runs from sensor detection and AIS or radio query through a graduated approach, hail, and challenge, into compliance boarding or, against a non-compliant vessel, escalation along the use-of-force continuum under the operation’s rules of engagement. Maritime interception operations supporting UN sanctions, such as those under UN Security Council resolutions enforcing arms embargoes, rest on this doctrine combined with the legal grounds for boarding (flag-state consent, the right of visit under UNCLOS Article 110, or a Council mandate).