On Thursday, 27 February 2014, NATO’s counter piracy warship TCG GELİBOLU (F-493) concluded a visit to Dar es Salaam to reinforce relationships with Tanzanian Navy and to support regional capacity building efforts.
During the 3-day port visit, the Commanding Officer of TCG GELIBOLU, Commander Olcay Yüksel (TUR N) and Turkish Ambassador H.E. Ali Davutoğlu paid courtesy calls to Tanzanian Naval Forces Commander, Commodore Rogastian Shaaban Laswai, and to European Union Naval Force’s counter-piracy Task Force (CTF-465) Commander, Rear Admiral Herve Blejean on board FS SIROCO (L-9012).
The visit also included a meeting between TCG GELIBOLU’s Executive Officer and the Dar es Salaam port authority manager, and cooperative firefighting and boarding training with GELIBOLU’s crew and a 10-man team from the Tanzanian Navy.
“Our visit to Dar es Salaam proved to be beneficial to train together and to discuss ways to disrupt piracy, smuggling and trafficking,” said Commander Yüksel. “I look forward to future opportunities to work together with the Tanzanian authorities, and to continue to develop the relationship between our forces.”
[mappress] Press Release, March 4, 2014, Image: NATO ACO