The European Union’s anti-piracy naval force, Operation Atalanta, is reflecting deeply on extending the range of their activities to the beaches of Somalia, where the piracy developments are deemed to be the most intensive. The EU committee has requested the force’s commander to develop plans for re
Several unknown pirate boats were unsuccessful in their attempt to hijack a Saudi oil tanker as the Iranian destroyer Jamaran intervened. It is most likely that the whole incident took place in the Sea of Oman where Iran is currently conducting massive wargames. Jamaran was part of Iran’s 16th fleet
Anticipating that the pirates will not take a break over the holiday period, neither will the EU NAVFOR units patrolling around the Horn of Africa and in the Somali Basin. Whilst back at home in Europe the families of the deployed EU NAVFOR personnel celebrate this very special season of the year, t
On the morning of 17 December, following coordination between the staffs in Task Force 508 and 465, EUNAVFOR Flagship SPS PATIÑO provided fuel to the Danish frigate ABSALON operating as part of the NATO counter-piracy task force. The huge expanse of the Indian ocean, where a number of different Task
The Spanish auxiliary oiler and replenishment ship, the SPS PATINO, Flagship of the European Union Naval Force Somalia, with the Force Commander, Captain Jorge Manso Revilla embarked, has recently completed a “first” for the mission by escorting a three ship convoy of ships chartered by the World Fo
Deputy Commander Operation ATALANTA Rear Admiral Christian Canova and newly appointed EUNAVFOR Force Commander Captain Jorge Manso paid a visit to NATO Operation Ocean Shield Force Commander, RADM Sinan Azmi Tosun, onboard his Flagship TCG Giresun. With representatives of NATO and coalition Counter-
A team of 24 troops from Uganda, part of the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) received vessel protection training from French and Estonian troops in Mombasa onboard FS FLOREAL, which is operating as part of the EU NAVFOR. The training was planned as part of ongoing improvements in capability and
In Djibouti on 7 December, RAdm Christian Canova FRAN, Deputy Commander EU NAVFOR, transferred six powerful outboard motors which had been confiscated from Somali pirates to Colonel Abdourahman Aden Cher, Chief of the Djiboutian Navy. The engines were taken from small skiffs which had been stopped b
NATO warship USS De Wert prevented a suspected pirate dhow from engaging in acts of piracy and forced it back to the Somali coast making further acts of piracy impossible at this time. While engaged in a replenishment at sea, USS De Wert received intelligence reports that a dhow acting suspiciously
Farewell ceremony of another Pacific Fleet (PF) task unit consisting of large ASW ship Admiral Tributs, tanker Pechenga, and seagoing tug MB-37 will be held on Dec 10. The unit will head for the Gulf of Aden to protect commercial shipping from pirate attacks. That will be the seventh PF task unit fo
Members from Maritime Civil Affairs and Security Training (MCAST) Command, assigned to the staff of U.S. Naval Forces Africa, completed a visit to Monrovia, Liberia, to discuss future Africa Partnership Station (APS), projects Dec 6. Lt. Catherine Reppert, Maritime Civil Affairs team leader, said th
In Djibouti on 6 December the Change of Command ceremony of Commander Task Force 465 was held on board the EU NAVFOR German frigate FGS BAYERN. Rear Admiral Thomas Jugel handed over the responsibility to Captain Jorge Manso, Spanish Navy, in a ceremony attended by military and civilian guests, inclu
On 03 December, EU NAVFOR welcomed the German frigate FGS LUEBCK to EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation ATALANTA. Commanded by Commander Martin Ruchay, the ship and her 219 crew members will operate in the area of operations of the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea for the next two months. Her task
Pacific Fleet (PF) task unit headed by large ASW ship Admiral Panteleyev on Nov 30 visited the port of Djibouti. It is noteworthy that apart from replenishment of supplies and leisure, Russian mariners attended pre-schedule parliamentary elections. The voting took place on Dec 1 in the messroom of l
