Multiple ships from EUNAVFOR Med’s Operation Sophia joined forces for the rescue of 475 migrants off the Libyan coast, February 20 and 21. Four rubber boats, one spotted by the Italian helicopter EH101 on Saturday and one by the Spanish air force aircraft VIGMA D-4 on Sunday, were in distress in int
Spanish Navy offshore patrol vessel (OPV) Atalaya (P-74) set sail from Ferrol, Spain for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea in support of the Spanish Defense Diplomacy Plan. These deployments, organized by the Ministry of Defense, the Chief of the Defense Staff (JEMAD) and the Spanish Navy, are inte
The U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) is scheduled to return to its Naval Base San Diego homeport on February 11. The ship is on its way back from a 225-day independent deployment to the Arabian Gulf, Western Pacific, and Indian Oceans. While deployed to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fl
Ghanaian maritime operations center is the host of the African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP) operation which started February 4. Aside from the U.S. Navy, and U.S. Coast Guard, the operation involves members of the Ghanaian Navy. Activities are being conducted from the Military Sealif
U.S. Navy’s expeditionary fast transport vessel USNS Spearhead (T-EPF 1), from the Military Sealift Command, arrived in Sekondi, Ghana, for a scheduled port visit January 30. This is the first port visit for Spearhead in support of Africa Partnership Station (APS). The ship is scheduled to embark me
Spanish Navy’s Santa Maria-class frigate, ESPS Victoria, conducted a series of exercises with Japanese Takanami-class destroyer, JDS Suzunami, to strengthen counter-piracy cooperation between the two forces. Meeting within close distance of the internationally recommended transit corridor in the Gul
Tasked by the Rome-stationed Maritime Rescue Coordination Center to patrol the southern region of the deployment area, German Navy combat support ship FGS Berlin spotted a vessel approximately 87 kilometers off the Lybian coast. While the rescue operation was still ongoing, the Berlin crew saw anoth
Commanding Officer of Danish HMDS Absalon, Commander Per Moll Petersen paid a visit to Allied Maritime Command – MARCOM to deliver the Staff his mission debrief regarding his most recent deployment in NATO Operation Ocean Shield. During this visit, MARCOM Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Giorgio Lazio r
The Spanish Navy frigate ESPS Victoria, currently deployed in operation Atalanta, visited a total of 30 craft off the coast of Somalia during the second week of January. These endeavors were part of the European Union mission, and are intended to ascertain that piracy in the area is fully under cont
ITS Carabiniere, flagship of the EU Naval Force, paid her first visit to Antisiranana, Madagascar from December 22 to 26. Having berthed, Rear Admiral Stefano Barbieri and the Commanding Officer of ITS Carabiniere, Commander Francesco Saladino were received by the Commander of the local Naval Base,
The U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) arrived in Port Victoria, Seychelles for a scheduled port visit on December 23. Gravely departed Norfolk November 16 as part of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group to support maritime security operations and theater cooperation effo
Sailors from the U.S. Navy’s Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel USNS Spearhead (T-EPF 1) are preparing for their deployment in 2016 to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. Their aim will be to support the international collaborative capacity-building program Africa Partnership Station (APS). Sail
The Royal Moroccan Navy has taken delivery of a Damen Stan Tug, officially named Al Mounkid. The 22-metre long vessel, named Al Mounkid, takes the honour of being the first tug to join Morocco’s naval fleet. The Royal Moroccan Navy fleet incorporates frigates, offshore patrol vessels, training vesse
EUNAVFOR Med operation Sophia vessels participated in rescue operations saving 700 lives at sea on December 3. Italian Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Rome, Italy sent a request early in the morning to Operation Sophia Force Commander, Rear Admiral (LH) Andrea Gueglio, to intervene on two ves
