Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS)

Visit, board, search, and seizure is the naval and coast-guard tactic of putting a team aboard a target vessel to inspect it, search for contraband or evidence, and where authorized seize the ship or cargo. A boarding officer leads the team; the operation runs from approach and compliance through securing the crew, conducting the search, and documenting findings, all under the unit’s rules of engagement and use-of-force continuum. The legal authority to board comes from flag-state consent, the right of visit under UNCLOS Article 110, a coastal-state enforcement power, or a UN Security Council mandate, depending on the waters and the suspected offense.