Last week EU NAVFOR Force Commander, Commodore Jorge Novo Palma and a delegation from the EU counter piracy flagship, NRP Alvares Cabral, ‘cross-decked’ to French warship FS Nivôse at sea to receive an operational update from the ship’s commanding officer, Captain Samuel Majou. Both EU Naval Force warships are conducting patrols along the Somali coast where pirates have been known to operate.
Reconnaissance of the Somali coastline by EU warships acts as a strong deterrent to pirate groups who, given the opportunity, would travel out to sea to attack passing ships.
FS Nivôse is part of France’s contribution to the European Union’s counter piracy mission called Operation Atalanta.
[mappress] Press Release, June 3, 2013; Image: EU NAVFOR