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
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
Taiwan to Buy Warships from US Navy Taiwan Navy is planning to buy two warships from the US Navy, according to the Agence France-Presse. The warships will be Perry-class frigates, which are estimated to be worth up to USD 5.6 billion. The purchase is part of Taiwan Navy’s efforts to modernize their
The Royal Navy’s Response Force Task Group (RFTG) has sailed through the Suez Canal on its way to operate in a number of countries as part of the long planned Cougar 13 deployment. The RFTG left UK waters in August briefly visiting Gibraltar, Rota, Lisbon and Palermo before arriving in Albania to co
Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 11 stood in formation alongside members of all services on Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti in remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks; 12 years to the day. The remembrance began with morning colors at which time the American flag was flown at
On 4 September 2013, off the coast of Mogadishu, the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Atalanta hosted the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on board the Dutch EU NAVFOR flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt. The President, his Ministers and security commanders met with EU Special Envoy to Somalia, Mich
In July, HMAS Newcastle completed an intensive counter-terrorism focused operation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden with the multi-national Combined Task Force 150 (CTF 150). During the focused operation, Newcastle executed 58 boarding actions, three replenishment activities with foreign ships an
Having arrived at Cape Verde (19th August), the crew of HMS Richmond did not waste any time in putting the theory learnt from the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (Narcotics) (MAOC(N)) briefings (received previously in Lisbon, Portugal), into practice with an intensive training programme. A s
Between 18 – 26 August 2013, EUCAP NESTOR organised a senior maritime security course for fourteen participants from the Horn of Africa region, on board EU Naval Force flagship HNLMS Johan de Witt. On 18 August the fourteen participants embarked HNLMS Johan de Witt in Djibouti and during the week lo
Guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) arrived in Port Victoria, Seychelles for a port visit, Aug. 26. This port visit serves to continue Naval Forces Europe-Africa efforts to strengthen maritime partnerships with East African nations like Seychellesv to enhance regional stability. Bainbri
The Spanish frigate ‘Numancia’ has arrived at her home port in Rota Naval Base with 197 people on board after a five-month deployment in operation ‘Atalanta’ fighting piracy in the Indian Ocean as part of EUNAVFOR (European Union Naval Force). The Spanish warship has finished her second deployment i
