On Wednesday, 2 October 2013 eleven pirates were convicted in the Seychelles Supreme Court of committing acts of piracy and operating a pirate vessel between 7 – 11 May 2012. Their sentences ranged from 18 months to 16 years. The pirates had been apprehended by the Royal Netherlands Navy frigate, HN
The Royal Netherlands Navy landing platform dock HNLMS Rotterdam (L800) arrived in Sekondi, Ghana for a comprehensive set of security-enhancing activities that fall under the international partnership program Africa Partnership Station (APS), Sept. 28. Rotterdam and embarked International Marine Tas
Operation OCEAN SHIELD flagship HNoMS FRIDTJOF NANSEN provided medical assistance to the villagers of Qandala, on the northern coast of Somalia on Thursday, 26 September 2013. The medical assistance was arranged at a meeting between OCEAN SHIELD ship USS DE WERT and Qandala elders earlier in Septemb
A Ukrainian navy frigate is steaming towards the Horn of Africa to join NATO’s counter-piracy mission Operation Ocean Shield after NATO Allies gave their final approval to Ukraine’s participation in the mission. Ukraine will be the first partner nation to join the operation. The North Atlantic Counc
After two years at the helm of the UK Maritime Component Command in Bahrain, Commodore Simon Ancona is handing over his responsibilities and moving into a new role. At the US Naval Headquarters in Bahrain, Cdre Ancona thanked his staff for the “superb job” they did before handing over his responsibi
VIDEO: DDG 1000 Zumwalt-Class Destroyer Pending Christening (USA) The christening of the U.S. Navy’s newest guided missile destroyer, Zumwalt (DDG 1000), will take place on Saturday, October 19, 2013 at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. The ceremony will begin at 11:00 A.M. and is open to the public
On 26 September, the Seychelles Peoples Defence Force, Coast Guard and Air Force, together with the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta and EUCAP Nestor, carried out a search and rescue exercise in Seychelles waters. The operation was coordinated centrally by the Seychelles Coast G
To deter and disrupt piracy off the Horn of Africa is one of the main tasks of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta. To help strengthen mutual understanding and trust between the EU Naval Force and local seafarers, as well as obtain first hand information about possible piracy i
HMAS Newcastle has conducted an Airborne Mine Disposal (AMD) training exercise while patrolling in the Gulf of Aden in support of Operation SLIPPER. Leading Seaman Aircrew Richard Close, who controls the aviation aspects of the training from onboard the helicopter said AMD is a method of destroying
UK: RNAS Culdrose Welcomes Fleet Commander The Fleet Commander visited Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose to meet service personnel from across the Base, discuss current operations and see for himself the Navy’s next generation anti-submarine maritime patrol helicopter, Merlin Mk 2. India to Issue Six
In Dakar, Senegal, marines in full packs board HNLMS Rotterdam in the early hours of the morning for a training session with African military personnel. At the same time, the orange hydrographic survey launch of the Netherlands Defence Hydrographic Service leaves its Dakar mooring to map the Senegal
NATO’s Operation OCEAN SHIELD Force Commander, Norwegian Commodore Henning Amundsen met with the Commander of the Chinese Maritime Forces ETG 999, Rear Admiral Jiang Zhonghua on board the NATO Flagship HNoMS FRIDTJOF NANSEN this Sunday, 15 September, 2013. Although this is the eighth time the two na