In Djibouti on 7 December, RAdm Christian Canova FRAN, Deputy Commander EU NAVFOR, transferred six powerful outboard motors which had been confiscated from Somali pirates to Colonel Abdourahman Aden Cher , Chief of the Djiboutian Navy.
The engines were taken from small skiffs which had been stopped by EU NAVFOR units conducting counter-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa and exchanged for smaller engines which have sufficient power to get the suspected pirates back to Somalia but would not allow them to intercept and board merchant ships, thereby preventing subsequent pirate attacks. The engines have been completely overhauled and will provide a very useful upgrade to the Djiboutian Navy Rigid Inflatable boats.
During the handover ceremony, attended by the EU Ambassador, Nicola Delcroix , RAdm Canova said how pleased he was to be able to assist the Djiboutian Navy and that EU NAVFOR would continue to work with Navies in the region to counter the menace of piracy
EU NAVFOR conducts counter-piracy in the Indian Ocean and is responsible for the protection of World Food Program ships carrying humanitarian aid for the people of Somalia and the logistic support vessels of the African Union troops conducting Peace Support Operations in Somalia. Additionally, EU NAVFOR monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, December 14, 2011; Image: eunavfor